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Downhere seemed to have it all: a supportive major label, excellent albums, good songs, constant touring, and critical support—including a couple of our own top twelve lists. It all might add up to success, at least on paper. But it didn't add up to much income for the Canadian quartet, with slow CD sales and its expenses exceeding its profits. Those fiscal realities resulted in Word's decision to drop the band in July 2004. Downhere wondered where to turn next—if anywhere at all. But quitting wasn't an option for its fervent fan base. Nor was it for Centricity Records, which unequivocally understood the band's mission—and fell in love with their music, signing them a year later and eventually releasing their latest album, Wide-Eyed and Mystified. Here's more about the wild ride from vocalist Marc Martel, singer/guitarist Jason Germain, bassist Glenn Lavender, and drummer Jeremy Thiessen.

Widespread acclaim and a passionate fan base have helped keep Jeremy Thiessen (left), Marc Martel, Jason Germain, and Glenn Lavender afloat as Downhere.

Let's start with your thoughts when the time the band was dropped from Word.

Jason Germain: Once they dropped us, we needed time to figure out what do. We thought we still had lots to do; we were still ministering on the road, and there were still people supporting what we do and wanted us to continue. We started checking out other labels, praying and writing in midst of all this.

Marc Martel: Some people have asked, "Wasn't that devastating, getting dropped after winning a Dove two years before?" You can look at it that way, but the Lord really was telling us what we do has worth to it. We took that as our peers saying they really believed in [us], amongst other things, so it was encouraging.

Glenn Lavender: The hardest thing was the year between getting dropped in July 2004 by Word and not signing till July 2005 with Centricity. We spent a full year talking to labels, but didn't have a label spending any money on us or pushing us at all. So you start to feel like things are going downhill and losing momentum. Are we able to keep booking shows? It was scary.

Were people still coming out for concerts or were the gigs slowing down?

Jeremy Thiessen At first, for a while, they picked up. Even with no deal and machinery to push us, the Lord showed he was faithful by keeping us busy on the road, which some acts on labels can't even do, so we were really blessed that way.

How did you eventually hook up with Centricity?

Germain We went around Nashville working out deals with companies, and for two months went through negotiations. We know what we were after and what we weren't. When we met with Centricity, they gave us a unique deal based on a unique model for a label. It's really a community.

What were their initial visions for Downhere?

Lavender The cool thing right off the bat is that the label a real family-oriented thing. We left our first meeting thinking, If something works out cool, but we're not sure if all the pieces would work right. We're really a family, and that's something we always strived to do with Word—but they're such a big company that we never really felt like we totally got there, whereas with these guys it could happen.

Did Word feel like a big corporate machine to you?

Thiessen We had a great relationship with people at Word, and are still friends with those at the label. We had a great time developing relationships there too, but there is a corporate frustration that comes when you run a big ship and have to have a lot of people in on the decision-making process. Centricity is small enough to make one phone call and a decision be made. And they also think outside the box.

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