The phenomenon that is METRO STATION return this month with new single ‘Seventeen Forever’. Previous single ‘Shake It’ propelled the band to significant popularity in the UK and sold over 240,000 copies/downloads in this country alone. If ever a band defined the term ‘internet phenomenon’ it’s Metro Station. The newest names to hit the MySpace generation, the LA band who formed as 17 year olds, just two years ago, have witnessed an incredible 28 million plays across four tracks on MySpace alone. Then there’s the 35 million plays across three videos on YouTube (including 23.5 million views of ‘Shake It’ alone) plus 29k page views on Bebo and 16.7k fans. You get the picture.
The story began two years ago on the set of Disney teens’ favourite Hannah Montana, where Trace and Mason were set up on a ‘rock’n’roll ‘blind date’ by their respective mums who knew they had so much in common. With Trace being the older half-brother of Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus (and son of Billy Ray Cyrus) and Mason the brother of the show’s Oliver Oken, actor Mitchel Musso, you’d expect pop music to be part of the Metro Station make-up. And it is. But not how you’d imagine. “We’re pop but electronic pop. Our music is all about dancing and having a good time. The band we all love which influenced all of us is The Postal Service. We love that style of music,” says Trace. It was when Trace and Mason met synths whiz Blake Healy, poached from another band, Synthetic Joy via a MySpace message, that Metro Station started to find their sound. Drummer Anthony Improgo completes the quartet.
Trace comments of his family Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus – “When people meet me and they find out who my sister and my dad are, they are shocked. The type of music that Metro Station make is different to theirs, it’s different to anything out there. And that’s why so many people respect us.” The band’s latest video for forthcoming single ‘Seventeen Forever’ actually includes a couple of cameo appearances from the very sister and dad in question so keep your eyes peeled…
‘Seventeen Forever,’ a song written when the guys were 17 year olds, is all about being a kid not ever wanting to grow up. Mason says: “That song means a lot to us, it was the first song we wrote that we knew was special.” The UK single release also features a remix from Lenny B.
Despite meeting on a Hollywood set, Metro Station have always been more interested in fun than fame. “I’ve never had any desire to be famous,” says Trace. “My desire has always been to play music. If it wasn’t for the fans telling us how much they loved the music, we would probably have just made a few songs for ourselves.”
Live Dates with Miley Cyrus :
13 Dec 2009 O2 Arena London, UK
14 Dec 2009 O2 Arena London, UK
16 Dec 2009 O2 Arena Dublin, IRE
17 Dec 2009 O2 Arena Dublin, IRE
19 Dec 2009 O2 Arena London, UK
20 Dec 2009 O2 Arena London, UK
22 Dec 2009 LG Arena Birmingham, UK
23 Dec 2009 LG Arena Birmingham, UK
27 Dec 2009 MEN Arena Birmingham, UK
28 Dec 2009 MEN Arena Manchester, UK