Multi-Grammy Award-winning band Train, led by Pat Monahan as the lead singer, prepares to kick off their co-headlining Summer Road Trip 2024 with REO Speedwagon and special guest Yacht Rock Venue.
Train will be making a stop at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on July 27 to perform both their classic and their latest hits for Long Islanders to enjoy. Since their establishment in 1994, Train is most notable for their 14 songs that have reached the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with timeless favorites such as “Drops of Jupiter” and “Hey, Soul Sister.”
The Summer Road Trip Tour will visit 44 North American cities and will celebrate Train’s iconic album Save Me, San Francisco 15th anniversary all tour long.
Pat Monahan shares in an exclusive interview his inspirations and memories along the way of his musical journey, notable experiences from previous visits to the island, and what Train fans can expect for the upcoming show and future releases.
Could you share some of your influences in creating music over many years?
It has changed throughout the years. When I was a kid I was inspired by James Taylor and it changed to Michael Jackson and then I loved a guy named Musiq Soulchild. Then we did a show with Carole King and I refound her. Right now I am inspired by a band called Men I Trust and I love hip-hop like J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar. It is always changing and recently we have been doing Teddy Swim’s song, “Lose Control,” in our shows. If you are a great singer and a writer it is hard to beat.
Do you have any notable memories from prior visits to Long Island?
“Oh I have many. Long Island is a really great place for us. Our first time at Jones Beach, Bill Murray came backstage and we had a magnificent time with Bill. Years later, it was the first time we played at Jones Beach where the tide came in and the first ten rows were in a foot of water. I remember jumping down and hanging out with everyone in a puddle. I have such great friends in New York and last year I was able to play at some incredible golf courses there with good friends. The list goes on, there are always great memories at Jones Beach and on Long Island.
You have your most recent release, Long Yellow Dress, from April 24. What was your inspiration behind returning with another hit for fans to connect with and enjoy your music?
I was telling someone earlier that I had a dream that I didn’t think much of. I sent a melody to two guys in my band, that you can actually hear at the beginning of the track. I then sang about the dream that I had, which was me chasing a woman in a yellow dress that I couldn’t catch up to. I felt like obviously she didn’t want to be with me but I wanted to be near that long yellow dress and that is how I made a story of it.
What can some of Long Island’s biggest Train supporters expect from the upcoming show at Jones Beach?
“We plan on sharing the stage with REO [REO Speedwagon] guys and the Yacht Rock Revue guys. Yacht Rock Revue is an exceptional band that people are going to love. If you like yacht rock, you are not going to hear another better band do it. Then REO Speedwagon is going to play around 30 hit songs and we will go up there and make the end of the evening memorable for everyone.”
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how did you overcome them?
Bands evolve and change. Having different bandmates throughout the years and finally finding your family that you are supposed to be with was a long challenge and is fulfilling when it is finally at a place of rest. Also, having success and then huge failures is never fun. Leaving your family for months at a time is always a challenge and you try and figure out how to make the best of it. Social media in the beginning phases was very challenging because it was not my era, but now we try to have fun with it. Life is short, and I don’t take it as seriously as I maybe used to.
Given your experience as a Multi-Grammy Award-winning performer, what do you hope that the audience will take away from the Summer Road Trip 2024 Tour?
It is the same goal as always. We are the kind of band, along with the Yacht Rock Revue and REO Speedwagon, that is out there to perform for families. I curse in my personal life a lot, but on stage, that is not my job. My job is to bring families together and create memories for them to have for the rest of their lives. That is my goal always and will continue to be.
Being that New York is filled with aspiring musicians and artists, is there any advice you would give to upcoming musicians who are beginning their journey to the big stage?
Everyone has a different path, but I can tell you that I have a 12-year-old son who is a great singer and my daughter who is 15 years old is also very talented, but my son really wants music to be his life. And as much as I will be able to guide him in a lot of ways, the world of music is changing so much. With TikTok being the leading way to promote yourself, my son will know more about the industry than I will. He may be teaching me more about the music business than I can teach him and it is just a path that he will figure out how to maneuver through.
You’ve collaborated with various artists over the years. Who has been your favorite collaborator, and why?
I loved all of them. It is really cool to meet people that you like and then you work together and you like them even more. I joined Taylor Swift on stage years ago at the Barclays Center so I feel like I should probably be able to sell her T-shirts on our tour this year. But they have all been a lot of fun. There is one memorable tour that I did not love, maybe two, but the rest of them have been great. Whether it is learning something that you realize you don’t love, learning how to be a great leader, or being appreciated for being a good leader, all of it is special.
Can you share some insights into the making of your latest album? What themes or messages are you trying to convey in your songs?
As my songwriting has changed from when I was a child from desperation, to love, to brokenheartedness, to finding new love and moving on, we are making an album now that is more Americana and it is reflective. I am at an age now where I can look back at things and forward as well, but I look back at past experiences and try to reevaluate. In the new recording, people will hear that reflectiveness. Our new album that is coming out soon is a live album from the Royal Albert Hall in London. The only insight is that it was an incredibly inspiring place with a room filled with enthusiastic, wonderful people that I will never forget. I am so happy we captured that on film.
How do you unwind or spend your time when you’re not performing or recording?
When we are on tour we do a truck workout to pass time. I learned about it from the O.A.R band guys, who are also from New York. It is a boxing workout that we do in the back of a semi-truck. The other thing that I love to do is golf. I hope to play a little bit of golf at Shinnecock [Hills Golf Club] or maybe the National [National Golf Links of America] when I am around Long Island.
