It is 1994 when two men in San Francisco form a band. Indeed: Train. Singer and guitarist Rob Hotchkiss and guitarist Jim Stafford look for a bassist and drummer and find them in Charlie Colin and Scott Underwood. In 1997 the band supports acts such as Barenaked Ladies and Counting Crows. The eponymous debut album is released a year later.
Drops Of Jupiter
Three years later the band returns to the studio, this time working with Brendan O'Brien (of Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots fame). Drops Of Jupiter is the result. The title single becomes a huge success. Train has become an Intercity. In January 2002 the gentlemen receive a Gold record from 3FM DJ Cobus. By then, more than 40,000 copies of Drops Of Jupiter have been sold in the Netherlands. They also learn that they have been nominated for a Grammy Award no less than five times.
Life after Drops Of Jupiter
Next, Train releases the single 'Something More', but it is nowhere near as successful as the previous single. The fact that we hear less from them in the Netherlands in the following years does not mean the gentlemen are idle. The albums My Private Nation (2003) and For Me, It's You (2006) still achieve some success in the US.
Changing of the guard
Meanwhile, there has been a change of the guard in the band. Patrick Monahan provides the vocals, Scott Underwood drums and Jimmy Stafford plays guitar, which means that Rob Hotchkiss, Charlie Colin, Brandon Bush and Johnny Colt are now former Train members.
Break
After the 2006 album, the band takes a break. No more tours and recording sessions for the gentlemen, but quality time with family. Singer Pat Monahan releases a solo album in 2007, titled Last Of Seven.
Comeback
After a break of over three years, the remaining three members release the album Save Me San Francisco in late 2009. The first single from this album, 'Hey Soul Sister', is released in the US as early as August that year. The Netherlands only gets it in early 2010. 'If It's Love' is the next single, but it flops.
Christmas single
At the end of 2010, Train releases 'Shake Up Christmas', a Christmas single specially made for an advertising campaign of a well-known cola brand. Singer Pat Monahan says he hopes this song will bring a smile to the faces of people affected by the economic crisis.
Top 2000
In the 23rd edition of the Top 2000, Train had only one entry:
Sunday Morning Classic
On 30 July 2023, it was Train's turn to take the Sunday Morning Classic stage with their second studio album "Drops Of Jupiter" from 2001. The album is named after the title single “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)”, which became one of the band's biggest hits. The album achieved platinum success, sustaining the band's popularity largely thanks to the success of "Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)". This moving piano ballad was a well-deserved hit about a man reflecting on a woman who tends to wander, galactically speaking, with more than a hint of world-weariness and longing. The lush arrangements and intriguing lyrics suggest depth, detail and enough New Age mystique to attract broad interest. Time and again, the narrator asks if his beloved missed him while she was searching for herself.
Overall, the album was positively received by both critics and the public. Train's musical style is often described as a mix of pop, rock and alternative influences, and this album reflects that well. “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” received much praise for its deep and poetic lyrics, along with the powerful vocal performances of singer Pat Monahan. Other tracks on the album, such as “She’s On Fire”, “Something More”, and “Hopeless” were also well received by fans for their catchy melodies and emotional content.
In short, “Train - Drops of Jupiter” is considered a successful and memorable album in the band's musical career, and it remains a favourite among many listeners.
Source: NPO Photo: Drew de F Fawkes
