Photo Courtesy: Mike Deerkoski
With their new single out “Songs I Can’t Listen To”, Neon Trees is on the road again traveling across the United States going from city to city and will be playing in Dallas on June 18 at the Granada Theater. The American rock band started playing under the name Neon Trees in 2005, and their first EP released in 2009. Since, the band has released three albums. Their debut single, which I am sure many of you have heard “Animal” peaked at number 13 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band has since blossomed and thrived.
Neon Trees is composed of Tyler Glenn, Christopher Allen, Branden Campbell and Elaine Bradley. Bradley is not only a drummer for the band, but is a mom, wife, and pregnant on the rode doing what she does best and that is drumming.
I was sitting at my desk in my room, nervously flipping through my notes and questions. I would be interviewing Elaine Bradley from Neon Trees in a matter of minutes. I have interviewed plenty of people for journalism assignments for class, but this interview was one I actually wanted to have, one that I was thrilled about. I have always been into music, I mean I want to be a part of the music scene somehow, so why not write about it? Here I was in my room at my desk preparing myself one last time before my first major interview. Upon interviewing Bradley I was apprehensive and nervous. I would be lying if I said I was not. I am a college student with my first major interview with a woman doing it all. Bradley is a mom of two children, with another on the way and a wife. What does one ask a women who is pretty much a real life superwomen? With that in my mind I asked her how she does it all, how does she balance all of her duties and responsibilities? Her answer was, “I’m not a superwomen. I have a super husband and we are super-duper on the same page.” With her husband’s support everything stays in balance. Bradley gave me a little sneak peak into her life and the band’s life in a matter of 15 minutes.
The bands roots began in Provo, Utah in 2007. After the band formed they temporarily lived with Christopher Allen’s parents in California and began to practice music seriously. The band had to work hard to be where they are today. “We knew how hard it was in the beginning… We didn’t have it handed to us,” said Bradley. Their desire to take their music to the next level proved to be a stepping stone in the right direction for Neon Trees.
Neon Trees is not a band completely satisfied with their success. But in reality, who really is? They may not be a band who are completely satisfied, but they are extremely grateful with their success. “I don’t feel like we are the type of band to be like ‘ah we’ve made it’, I feel like we are still trying to make it,” said Bradley. Good news for fans, Bradley sees the band making music they want to make and music they really care about and stand behind, for years to come.
Before all of the all of this, the success of the band, the yearning to be in music, one should have that “aha” moment in their life. A defying moment. When I asked Bradley what her defying moment in her life was, when she decided she wanted music to be her career path she replied “Music has always been my mentality my whole life…I have always believed it would be my career, I just didn’t know how.” She did not need that “aha” moment. She always knew this is what she wanted and needed. Her music needs are fulfilled. Music is not just a hobby for any of the member of the band. It is a “…thing we need to do anyway and it’s great that we don’t have to stick it in with other responsibilities such as other jobs,” said Bradley. This is their job, and they are fantastic at it.
For more info on Neon Trees visit their web site here.
