• 1995-

  Justin FurstenfeldVocals

  Jeremy FurstenfeldDrums

  Ryan DelahoussayeKeyboards

  Matt NoveskeyBass

  C.B. HudsonGuitar
• Blue October is an alternative rock band that came from Houston, Texas. The band's name was inspired by a stay in a hospital that lead vocalist Justin Furstenfeld had to make. Furstenfeld suffered from bipolar disorder for most of his life, saying that "I'm not a danger to myself (anymore)."
• While Furstenfeld was growing up, he enjoyed listening to hip-hop, rock, country, and dance. His favorite artists included Pink Floyd, The Smiths, Red House Painters, and Marvin Gaye. His first musical memory was Roy Orbison's song "Crying."
• Furstenfeld is not only a musician, but also an artist. His artwork appears as the cover for his albums The Answers and History For Sale.
• Furstenfeld has a daughter named Blue, who was born in 2007. Some of the songs from the album Approaching Normal were dedicated to her.
• Furstenfeld is the brother of Blue October drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld.
• While he was attending Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Justin Furstenfeld played in the band My Last Wish from the time he was 13 years old until 1995.
• According to a VH1 aticle about the band, the single "Into The Ocean" has helped people who were contemplating suicide. Justin had a response, "If I have saved others, I don't know what to say, but if I can do that for them, why... can't I do that for myself?" >>

  Suggestion credit:
  Landon - Winchester, OH, for all above
• Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld wrote his very first song when he was eight years old. He recalled to American Songwriter his teacher at his Houston school gave the pupils homework of writing a poem about something that they love to do for reading aloud to class the next day. The young Justin loved flying a kite at the time, and instead of writing a poem, he penned a song called "The Kite." The next day, he sang it to his classmates, and the teacher was floored.
  
  That same day at lunch, the teachers handed Justin a microphone and told him to sing his "kite song" to the 500 school children. Everybody was gobsmacked by his tune, and he loved how all the girls were looking at him. "I remember pretty little April in her red dress was going, 'Oh, my God,'" Furstenfeld said.
  
  That experience was so positive, Justin started writing songs every day. During his high school years at Houston's prestigious Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Furstenfeld formed the band The Last Wish, which built a strong fanbase in his home city, He also first met multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye there, with whom he formed Blue October after The Last Wish broke up in 1995.

Comments: 8

• Amy Rusch from Myrtle Beach, ScAfter being a fan for many years and admiring your strength to over come addiction, I can say you are a true inspiration. At 5 mos. sober myself and on Dec.3rd I finally was able to see you live here at the House of Blues. I was blown away with your passion for helping others to be strong, dig deep and find the solution as you have. Thank you.
• Mandie from Wherever I AmBlue October is my all-time favorite , and the song 'Fear' helped me A LOT!
• Renata from Wherever Justin Furstenfeld Wants MeI was accidentally turned on to blue October appx 6 months ago. The acoustic version of FEAR has got to be the most powerful performance I have experienced in all of my days. Wow!
• Barbara from Phoenix ArizonaI love all their music and i know all to well about bipolar disorder my son is bipolar so was my mother I would love to sit down with Justin and just talk about all the things that he went through and how he was able to overcome them. I think Justin is an inspiration.
• Rplonghorn from AustinWho writes the songs for Blue October? Are they all written members in the band?
• Shannon Riley from Vancouver, British ColumbiaThank you for your music. It got me through alot of s--t starting with 'hate me'. Thank you
• Mik333 from KievLove them! Can't wait till they start their tour 2015.
• Alyssa from Red Lion, PaFirst one to post a comment XD...but I love Blue October...they express their feelings into the music, and I love it...I listen to them, and the more I really hear the music, the more calm I get...

More Songfacts:

RosannaToto

"Rosanna" by Toto got its name from the actress Rosanna Arquette, who was dating Toto keyboard player Steve Porcaro.

Summer BreezeSeals & Crofts

On the surface, "Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts is just a song about a guy coming home from work, but the duo claimed it had a deeper meaning about finding direction in one's personal life.

Stop Your SobbingPretenders

"Stop Your Sobbing" was first recorded by The Kinks in 1964. It became the Pretenders first single 15 years later, leading to a relationship between Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde.

YYZRush

The instrumental "YYZ" by Rush got its title from the transmitter code for Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto, near where the band is from.

KatmanduBob Seger

Katmandu, the capital of Nepal, was the archetype for faraway mysticism when Bob Seger wrote a song about it in 1975.

3 AMMatchbox Twenty

The Matchbox Twenty song "3 AM" is about the difficult times lead singer Rob Thomas spent caring for his mother, who had cancer.

Editor's Picks

Jon Foreman of SwitchfootSongwriter Interviews

Switchfoot's frontman and main songwriter on what inspires the songs and how he got the freedom to say exactly what he means.

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

Tony Joe WhiteSongwriter Interviews

The writer of "Rainy Night in Georgia" and "Polk Salad Annie" explains how he cooks up his Louisiana swamp rock.

Cheerleaders In Music VideosSong Writing

It started with a bouncy MTV classic. Nirvana and MCR made them scary, then Gwen, Avril and Madonna put on the pom poms.

Spooner OldhamSongwriter Interviews

His keyboard work helped define the Muscle Shoals sound and make him an integral part of many Neil Young recordings. Spooner is also an accomplished songwriter, whose hits include "I'm Your Puppet" and "Cry Like A Baby."

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.