Like their music, Eisley is simple and hard to pin down at the same time. A bunch of kids from a community minded town like Tyler, Texas, are not supposed to have the artistic bent that propels them on national tours and wins adoration from the underground and increasingly the mainstream. A bunch of siblings and their cousin are not supposed to get along this well. A bunch of loyal church-goers are not supposed to be as open minded. Wispy moments of ethereal pop are not supposed to mix with pounding drums and bass.

But it's all very simple, too: They just are that way, completely defiant of whatever role conventional thinking might cast for them. It's all part of the very essence of Eisley.

From the band's genesis in 1997 when sisters Chauntelle and Sherri DuPree decided to start a band (eventually inducting then 8-year-old Stacy and brother Weston), the band have been creating genre-bending pop with a solid rock backbone. Even a hint of country finds its way in from time to time — Not shocking as at least Stacy and Sherri are avid fans of the Judds. This versatility has won them tour slots supporting bands from alt-minded Coldplay and Snow Patrol to pop punkers New Found Glory.

Performing initially under names such as the Towheads and Sinclair, the band settled on the Star Wars-inspired moniker Moss Eisley, and were also the house band for their parents' weekend cofeehouse/venue, Brewtones. They exploded onto the Dallas music scene around 2001, becoming radio stars in the market and attracting a number of record labels. Settling on Warner Bros. Records and having clipped "Moss" from their moniker to avoid any potential for legal issues, the band released the "Laughing City" and "Marvelous Things" EPs in 2003. Their first full-length release "Room Noises" saw light in early 2005.

From the hundreds of shows in their nascence to their often long and consistent trips headlining and supporting across the globe today, the band has consistently maintained a rigorous touring schedule. This is sure to continue with the August 2007 release of their second album, "Combinations." More topical and varied musically, the Richard Gibbs-produced album stretches the boundaries of Eisley's world even further.

The band, now sporting a lineup of siblings Sherri, Chauntelle, Stacy and Weston DuPree, with cousin Garron DuPree, are have celebrated their 10th anniversary. Yet, with events like their network television debut on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," it's not hard to see that they are just getting started and are primed for bigger things.

It's very simple, really.


Bio by Jamie Maldonado