Train (band)
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- Trainband, a contraction of "trained band," was a historic name for militias.
History
The group started out in San Francisco with only two members, Rob Hotchkiss and Patrick Monahan, performing in coffee houses and local clubs. After deciding to form a full band, the duo recruited Jimmy Stafford on guitar, Charlie Colin on bass and, at a later date, Scott Underwood as drummer.By 1997 they went on tour, opening concerts for groups such as Barenaked Ladies and the Counting Crows.
Train had attempted to get signed under Columbia Records in 1996 but were rejected. The band members financed their self-titled 1998 debut, which cost them a total of $25,000. Columbia Records agreed to sign Train under Aware Records after hearing their first album.
Their first major hit was "Meet Virginia" from their self-titled debut. Later on Train also had two other songs which reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Top 40: the title track from their second album, Drops of Jupiter, and Calling All Angels from 2003's My Private Nation.
When Drops Of Jupiter was released in March 2001, the title track "Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)" was already a hit on several Billboard charts. By June 2001, Drops Of Jupiter was RIAA-certified platinum. By April 2002, the single had spent a total of 53 weeks on the Hot 100. It won a Best Rock Song Grammy for Train, as well as a Best Arrangement Grammy for Paul Buckmaster.
Both Drops Of Jupiter (2001) and My Private Nation (2003) were recorded at [Southern Tracks Recording] in Atlanta, GA and produced by famed rock producer Brendan O' Brien.
Towards the end of 2002 co-founder Rob Hotchkiss left Train and the band's third album, My Private Nation, was released in June of 2003 with "Calling All Angels" as the lead single. The second single released off the album was "When I Look To The Sky", which is a song relating to a lost loved one.
Their song "Ordinary" is featured in the movie Spider-Man 2. This song also drew a younger audience with its 'heavier than the norm' Train sound.
In July of 2005, after the song was featured in an advertising campaign for Cingular, the band released "Get to Me" as the final single from My Private Nation and it reached number 9 on the Billboard Adult Top 40. The band never expected to release a third single from My Private Nation but the surprise hit of "Get to Me" due to it being used in a Cingular commercial caused them to release the song.
Train began recording their fourth studio album, For Me, It's You, in Atlanta, GA during the summer of 2005. They released the first single "Cab" on November 14. The album was released on January 31, 2006.
For Me, It's You was their fourth studio effort and the first Train album that includes new members Johnny Colt on bass and Brandon Bush on keyboards. It was produced by Brendan O' Brien.
Miscellaneous
- Train is featured in the 2004 Spider-Man 2 movie soundtrack with their song Ordinary. The music video was in rotation on MTV.
- Train wrote and recorded a song called Fall Out at Abbey Road Studios for the soundtrack of the movie We Were Soldiers (2002).
- In 2002, Train was chosen to do a cover of Aerosmith's classic rock staple "Dream On" on an episode of MTV [Icon] which was dedicated entirely to Aerosmith. Train performed the song with Aerosmith themselves watching in the audience.
- It is rumored that producer Brendan O' Brien only agreed to produce the bands second album Drops Of Jupiter after hearing Train's cover of "Ramble On". Train is no stranger to doing Led Zeppelin song covers, as lead singer Patrick Monahan was once in a Led Zeppelin cover band.
- Train's 2006 tour has included a stripped down acoustic set, featuring a cover of Led Zeppelin's "California". Aerosmith's "Dream On" has been played near the end of the show.
- During concerts, Patrick tells a joke about meeting Britney Spears. He claims to have hit on her "back when she was cute", but she blew him off. He responded by saying "We would be great together. I can bring a lot to the relationship. I can do lots of things you can't do... I can sing!". It is unknown if this was just a joke, or a story about a real event.[Train Concert Review]
Members
Current Members
- Patrick Monahan - vocals
- Jimmy Stafford - guitar
- Scott Underwood - drums
- Johnny Colt - bass (2004 - present)
- Brandon Bush - keyboards (2004 - present)
Former Members
Discography
Studio albums
1. Train (February 24,1998) - Platinum, #76 Billboard peak.
2. Drops of Jupiter (March 27,2001) 2x Platinum, #6 Billboard peak.
3. My Private Nation (June 3,2003) - Platinum, #6 Billboard peak.
4. For Me, It's You (January 31,2006) #10 Billboard peak.
Live albums
Alive at Last (November 2,2004)EPs
One and a Half (1999)Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
| Billboard Hot 100 | Mainstream Rock Tracks | Modern Rock Tracks | Adult Contemporary Chart | Adult Top 40 | |||
| 1998 | "Free" | - | #12 | - | - | - | Train |
| 1999 | "Meet Virginia" | #15 | #21 | #25 | - | - | Train |
| 1999 | "I Am" | - | - | - | - | - | Train |
| 2001 | "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)" | #5 | #19 | #11 | #8 | #1 | Drops of Jupiter |
| 2001 | "She's on Fire" | - | #40 | - | - | - | Drops of Jupiter |
| 2001 | "Something More" | - | - | - | - | - | Drops of Jupiter |
| 2003 | "Calling All Angels" | #19 | #40 | - | #1 | #1 | My Private Nation |
| 2003 | "When I Look to the Sky" | #74 | - | - | #24 | - | My Private Nation |
| 2003 | "Get To Me" | - | - | - | - | #6 | My Private Nation |
| 2004 | "Ordinary" | - | - | - | - | #12 | Spiderman 2 Soundtrack |
| 2006 | "Cab" | - | - | - | #19 | #10 | For Me, It's You |
| 2006 | "Give Myself to You" | - | - | - | - | #38 | For Me, It's You |
References
External links
- [Official Website]
- [Extensive Train Photo Gallery] from Microsoft Tech Ed 2006 Boton, Concert in Fenway Park. Lots of closeups.
- [TrainDiscuss] - The Largest Train Fansite and Message Board
- [PatMonahan.net (Fansite)] - Fan Site for Train's Lead Singer Patrick Monahan
- [Friends Of Train: Fansite]
- [Train Italia] - Italian Train Fan Site and Forum
- [All Music Guide: Train]
- [Train Lyrics]
- [Audio]
- [Archived Train] - Archived Train Articles, Appearances and Tour Information
- [Train Chronology] - Nearly complete listing of every song Train has ever performed (as of 2004), and setlists from live shows.
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