Train’s latest Spotify Billions Club entry was meant for James Blunt

NEW YORK – Pat Monahan is the lead singer of Train, a band that has sold over 10 million albums and racked up billions of streams (three Train songs are part of Spotify’s Billions Club; “Hey, Soul Sister” reached 2 billion). But the 57-year-old, who grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania as the youngest of seven children admits there are still moments he feels insecure.

“I’m not in the biggest band in the world, but I feel like I am, and that’s good enough,” Monahan tells USA TODAY of his current mindset. “We go out there and we make families happy, and that’s a big deal. I’ve done some pretty cool things and I just have to appreciate those parts because it’s hard enough to battle with the world, let alone yourself.”

Monahan has spent a good amount of time reflecting on the band’s success; this summer Train will tour to mark the 25th anniversary of the album “Drops of Jupiter.” The album, which was released on March 27, 2001, spawned a title track that won two Grammys and earned RIAA Diamond status (10x platinum).

“Life seems so slow when you’re in traffic or you’re on a train commute to your job or home,” Monahan says. “But man, this thing is moving so fast. And the fact that we are all on this planet for this very brief time. The only sadness that I get is that someday that will be gone.”

Train’s hit ‘Drive By’ was originally written for James Blunt

Of Train’s three songs in Spotify’s Billions Club, “Drive By” is the latest entry. Released from the band’s 2012 album “California 37,” the song was coproduced by Butch Walker, who is now a member of Train. Monahan recalls that he was asked to write a song for James Blunt. He teamed with the songwriting and production duo Espionage and they wrote “Drive By,” exactly the way the final version was released. But Blunt didn’t want the song, so Monahan kept it for Train.

Monahan reveals the song was a story about meeting his wife, Amber. At the time, Monahan didn’t think the timing was right for a relationship because his life was “complicated.”

“She was just like, ‘We don’t have to figure out tomorrow. Let’s just hang out today,'” he continues. “And so we just went with that.”

They married in 2006 and share two kids, Autumn, 17 and Rock, 14 (Monahan has two children from a previous marriage). Their oldest is looking at colleges. Meanwhile Monahan’s son will join his dad’s band on tour this year. The teenager is looking to follow in his father’s footsteps, and counts Black Label Society’s Zakk Wylde as his favorite guitarist.

“I don’t need to nudge that guy,” Monahan says of his son Rock. “He’s nudging me. He’s fully engaged.”

Train’s Pat Monahan reveals details on next album

With Train adding singer-songwriter-producer Walker (Pink, Avril Lavigne, Fall Out Boy) into the fold, the band is currently working on its 12th studio album. The lead single, “The Weekend,” dropped in March. Originally Monahan hoped for the album to drop before the band’s tour kicks off in July.

“Billy Joel’s documentary inspired me a lot,” he says. “He went from someone I admired to someone I think is the greatest American songwriter of all time.”

Monahan says watching the HBO Max doc inspired him to become even more personal with his songwriting. He hopes to eventually have at least nine songs for the LP.

“Basically it starts in San Francisco playing at a place called Mad Dog in the Fog,” Monahan says. “That was a bar that we could go to and play for free. So there’s a song called ‘Mad Dog in the Fog,’ and it may be the album title.”