Foster the People has brought together talented musicians who work in the rock music genre. The team was founded in 2009 in California. At the origins of the group are:
- Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, guitar);
- Mark Pontius (percussion instruments);
- Cubby Fink (guitar and backing vocals)
Interestingly, at the time of the creation of the group, its organizers were well over 20 years old. Each of the band members had experience on stage. However, Foster, Pontius and Fink were only able to fully open up within Foster the People.
The guys admit that at the beginning of their creative career they did not suspect that they would achieve recognition and popularity. Today their concerts around the world are attended by thousands of fans of heavy music.
The history of the creation and composition of the group Foster the People
It all started in 2009. Mark Foster is rightfully considered the founder of the team. Because it was he who came up with the idea of creating the Foster the People group.
Mark is from San Jose, California. The guy received his secondary education in a suburb of Cleveland, in Ohio. He studied well at school, he was even recognized as a gifted child. In addition, Mark Foster sang in the choir and repeatedly took part in music competitions.
Mark's idols were the legendary Liverpool Five - The Beatles. The work of British musicians further inspired Foster to create his own band. Father and mother tried to support their son. After graduating from high school, he moved to Los Angeles to live with his uncle and there he took up music very closely.
At the time of moving to the metropolis, Mark was only 18 years old. During the day he worked, and in the evenings he attended parties where he dreamed of meeting famous personalities. At the party, Foster did not go alone, he was accompanied by a guitar.
Drug Addiction by Mark Foster
The guy liked the parties so much that he "turned the wrong way." Foster started using drugs. Soon he began to use drugs, which he could no longer quit on his own. Mark spent about a year in a clinic for the treatment of drug addicts.
After the guy left the medical facility, he came to grips with creativity. He recorded solo tracks and sent the work to the recording studio Aftermath Entertainment. However, the organizers of the label did not notice anything special in Mark's compositions.
Foster then created several bands. But these attempts to interest music lovers were unsuccessful. Mark made a living writing jingles for commercials. Thus, he was able to study from the inside how the promotion of video on television takes place.
It was this work that gave Mark the necessary knowledge and experience to create a group. Foster wrote tracks and presented them to local nightclubs. There he met the band's future drummer Mark Pontius.
Pontius, from his age, has performed under the wing of the Malbec group, created in 2003 in Los Angeles. In 2009, Mark made the decision to leave the band to join Foster.
The duet was soon expanded into a trio. Another member, Cubby Finke, joined the musicians. At the time when the latter joined the new group, he just lost his job. There was a so-called "crisis" in the USA.
The creative period of the group Foster & the People
Since Mark Foster stood at the origins of the group, it is not surprising that the team began performing under the name Foster & the People, which means “Foster and the People” in English. However, listeners perceived the name as Foster the People (“To Contribute to People”). The musicians did not protest for a long time. The meaning stuck, and they succumbed to the opinion of their fans.
In 2015, it became known that Fink had left the band Foster the People. The musician spoke about the fact that he wants to do his projects. But he sincerely thanked the fans for their love.
Three years later, Mark admitted that their separation from Cubby could not be called friendly. As it turned out, after Fink left the band, the band members no longer communicated with him.
Since 2010, two session artists, Ice Innis and Sean Cimino, have performed with the band. Since 2017, the featured musicians have become part of the Foster the People group.
Music by Foster the People
Mark made acquaintances in Hollywood circles. Without thinking twice, the musician asked to transfer the band's tracks to various recording studios.
As a result, the recording studio Columbia Star Time International became interested in the work of the new group. Soon the musicians accumulated material for recording their debut album. In parallel with this, they give their first live performances.
To expand the audience of fans, the musicians performed in nightclubs in Los Angeles. In addition, they sent out invitations to fans who downloaded their tracks on paid sites. The army of Foster the People fans grew stronger every day.
Soon the musicians released their first EP Foster the People. The idea of the organizers of the recording studio was such that the EP had to keep fans until the release of the debut album. It included only three musical compositions, including the popular hit by Pumped up Kicks. According to the RIAA and ARIA, the song became platinum 6 times. It also peaked at number 96 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Only in 2011 the band's discography was replenished with the debut album Torches. The album received positive reviews from critics and fans. And the musicians were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
The album peaked at number 200 on the US Billboard 8. And in the Australian chart ARIA took the 1st position and received the status of "platinum" in America, Australia, the Philippines, as well as in Canada.
To "promote" the debut album, the band's managers used various tricks. The song Call It What You Want sounded like the soundtrack of the EA Sports football video game FIFA 12. And Houdini appeared in the intro for the game SSX.
Indie pop, which the musicians started with, is an “airy” musical style. Therefore, critics noted that the debut album has its own dance rhythm and melody. There is no heavy guitar playing in the album's compositions. During the first week of sales, fans sold out over 30 thousand copies of the collection. By the end of 2011, the number of sales increased to 3 million.
Foster the People's debut album and tour
In support of the debut album, the band went on a tour that lasted about 10 months. After a series of concerts, the musicians took a short break. In 2012, Foster the People went on tour again, which lasted a year.
After the tour, there was a break in the work of the group. The musicians explain their silence by preparing for the recording of their second studio album. Although the release date of the collection was originally scheduled for 2013, and even at the Firefly music festival, the band members performed 4 new tracks, the release of the album at the appointed time did not take place.
The label decided to postpone the presentation of the second studio album until March 2014. On March 18, the presentation of the new studio album Supermodel took place. Among the highlights of the album are the following songs: A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon, Nevermind, Coming of Age, and Best Friend.
The release of the album was pompous. The band members attracted artists and in the center of Los Angeles painted the cover of the record on the wall of one of the houses. In height, the fresco occupied 7 floors. There, the musicians held a free concert for fans of their work.
Foster the People's hip hop album
The authorities were not delighted with the work of the group. Soon the album cover was painted over. The musicians have announced that they are preparing their third hip-hop studio album for music lovers.
But with the release of the record, the band members were in no hurry. So, at the Rocking the Daisies festival they performed only three new tracks, namely: Lotus Eater, Doing It for the Money and Pay the Man. The presented songs were included in the new EP.
In 2017, the musicians went on a big tour. Then they presented the third studio album Sacred Hearts Club. In support of the new record, the guys again went on tour.
A year later, the popularity of the track Sit Next to Me, which was included in this album, broke all records for listening on YouTube and Spotify. The musicians were back on the "horse".
In 2018, the musicians presented a new musical composition Worst Nites. Less than two weeks later, the band also released a video clip for the track.
Foster the People today
The team still pleases fans with the release of new tracks. In 2019, the presentation of the song Style took place. By tradition, a video clip was filmed for the new composition, directed by Mark Foster.
2020 is also not devoid of musical novelties. The band's repertoire has been replenished with tracks: It's OK to Be Human, Lamb's Wool, The Things We Do, Every Color.
