One of the greatest things that happened to me was discovering my Train family. Although I always liked train as a kid, I did not become A true fan until about 2 years ago. I have written countless blogs about how Train has changed my life, and I’m not going to do that here. Right now I need to address something important…
Lately I have been seeing a lot of negativity in the Trainiac community. I don’t mean people saying “I don’t like the new album” or “the CA 37 tour is not their best”. I’m talking about the slander and criticism among fellow Trainiacs. Even the most true, devoted
Train fan is not going to like every album, every song, or every performance train produces. Every band has its ups and downs, and every person has a different taste in music. Personally, I will say this, CA 37 is not my favorite album. HOWEVER, that does not mean that I think it’s bad, cheesy, or disappointing. What I think people need to realize is that there is a time and place to discuss certain viewpoints of the band.
Train is not the same as it was in 1996, and I think what some people fail to consider is how much the band has grown and changed from then to now. Yes, some of my favorite Train songs are from their early days, but I couldn’t love them more now if I tried. In the early days, everyone in the band was younger, and at a different stage of their life. Pat had a tough first marriage, the band had tension, Pat admits that there were some money /ego issues, and eventually the band split. If you truly listen to the lyrics, you can hear these struggles in those early albums.
So after a three year break Pat, Jimmy, and Scott regroup. A new album is born. Perhaps the most “poppy” of their albums, but now suddenly this album is driven out of happiness. SMSF was a rebirth that reflects Pat’s love for his wife, and has an overall happy vibe that urges listeners to see the bright side of life. The guys realized that they must create music because it makes people happy, and not to seek fame and fortune. So, Hey, Soul Sister becomes a mega hit. Now train is deemed by many as “sell outs”. Is it really fair to say this? It’s not Train’s fault that millions upon millions of people fell in love with their sweet tune. After all, that what it has been about all along? Isn’t the ultimate goal of any band to gain the admiration of listeners because a song touches their heart? Train didn’t sell out. They just learned how to truly work from the heart, and their hard work touched so many.
So the band tours for 3 years. Pat writes on the road, and the entire band works hard to spread love to people around the world. They sparked fires in the hearts of many, and created many friendships. They finally catch a short break to record their new album. CA 37 is released, and it draws in new fans, and excites veteran Trainiacs. Of course not everyone is going to love every album, but true fans support their band no matter what. When it comes to support, I think it is important to remember that support doesn’t mean that you agree with everything someone does. It means that although you don’t agree with every decision, you are going to stick with that group. You may not like how things are being run, but you know how to respectfully convey your opinions. Most importantly, when you are a community, or family of supporters, you support each other and respect each other.
I just think some of us need to stop dwelling on the fact that person A doesn’t like the new album, or person B didn’t like the show. We need to stand together and realize that Train needs our support. I may not know a lot, but I can say this much with full confidence:
No matter how much a record company pushes, no artist or band can be successful without fan support. Without fans who love and respect their music, a band is nothing. A band, train, is a family. Part of that family lives on stage, and part of that family lives in the audience.
For anyone who thinks train isn’t about love, maybe you should listen to If It’s Love again. Put Sing Together on right now. What about that line from CA 37.. “making love now, not mistakes” or how about “truth is it was attitude, replaces greed with gratitude”. Look, I’m not pointing fingers. I’m not saying that anyone is wrong. I’m just saying that we need to set aside all of this negative energy. Train is about love. Let’s be the support that our band needs. Before bashing each other or the band, think about why you joined these fan groups.
all of my love,
Charlotte