Everyone knows that feeling of waking up on a Friday morning after getting drunk last night. Eli Young Band’s single topped the charts this summer as a popular country song that listeners everywhere can relate to, increasing the bands constantly rising fame and fan base. The Pace Press recently had the opportunity to talk to Eli Young Band about their journey leading up to their current Drunk Last Night tour.
When asked how exactly they came about forming their band fourteen years ago in early 2000, they explained how, having all played music before going to college, it was something they all really missed. Interestingly enough, the members were all in the same fraternity before realizing they needed to make a band. Fortunately for them, it worked out that they had a drummer, bass player and guitarist living next door to each other.
Although pursuing and graduating with different majors, the band members went to the same college together where they inevitably fell in love with music.
For those of us artistic students who are questioning whether or not getting a real academic degree is worth it before chasing one’s dreams, the band explained that “In the end, our goal is just to graduate and get that piece of paper. Once we do that, we can really do what we can to focus on the band. I don’t know the difference [between going to college or not], but it made for some student loan debt.”
Every band has their own music inspiration and influence of their unique sound, but Eli Young Band believes that “At the end of the day the four of us can only sound like the four of us.” Although their biggest hits including “Drunk Last Night” and “Even if it Breaks Your Heart” were ones pitched to them because they deserved to be on a record, the band members do co write and collaborate with writers while on the road.
As for their highest debut song on the Hot Country Songs charts, “Drunk last night,” they express the inspiration for the song comes from something they’ve all experienced, and multiple times for them being in college together.
The band certainly has an American country music sound. However, they express how one can pretty easily put their CDs in chronological order just by listening to them. The bands sound has evolved over the years and one can tell when they are in college or leaving college. “Sometimes I wonder if we are better or just getting older,” they exclaimed.
The band believes that the overall main theme of their music is positivity. A theme of hope weaves its way through their music, which according to them is one of the biggest parts of what it takes to make a band last–being positive.
Although opening up for Kenney Chesney and the Rascal Flats is an amazing accomplishment for a country band, they never forget their true inspiration. They watch and study examples such as these greats onstage to learn how to perform and be artists, hoping one day to be as big as their idols.
However, its not all about the fame and fortune, and they stress how it is about making a career. They go out and lay their half hour set including a hand full of songs some people know and also some new ones. Eventually, their goal is to play two hours of hit after hit that everyone knows.
Even with a constantly increasing country fan base, the band still has their own amazing support system coming from their big families. All of the members are married and have little support systems back home. However, each member agrees that they are each other’s biggest supports.
Advice to the young artists at the University is that “you can be whatever you want to or whatever your dream is. Hopefully it is something you’re going to school for. If not, getting a degree is good.” The members of Eli Young band are glad they have their degrees, even though it can take a long time to pay off.
Eli Young Band recently performed here in New York City on their Drunk Last Night tour on Dec. 5, 2013. When asked about their most favorite venue to perform in, they admit that there is just something about the certain amount of energy in NYC.
It was an honor for TPP to have a conversation with the members of Eli Young Band and would definitively promote students getting ready to purchase their next new album. The new record coming out will feature a bunch of new material. Keeping in mind that people don’t always want to hear new stuff, they are sprinkling something new on every night of their tour.
