From taking the stage to working on a second album, Mother Funk, a band made up of University of Alabama students, is keeping busy.

“We will be releasing a single by the end of the year,” said Josh Ferrell, guitarist and vocalist. “We are still writing material because we want our second album to be longer, and that’s where our efforts are right now.”

The band dropped its first album, “Coastal,” on February 28. The album can be found on a variety of digital distribution outlets, including iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and more. In 2013, the band signed with Southeast booking agency Music Garden.

Mother Funk has performed at WorkPlay in Birmingham, the VIP side-stage for Widespread Panic at Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Pelham, Alabama, and many bars and Greek social events around Tuscaloosa. Out of all of the venues the band has performed at, Ferrell said the band members particularly enjoy the back ?room of Gallettes.

“The ultimate goal is to rendezvous to Nashville this time next year and have all of our songs written,” Ferrell said.

Mother Funk is comprised of Ferrell on rhythm guitar and vocals, Burnham Hawk on lead guitar and vocals, A.C. DeMoss on keyboard and vocals, Davis Hudson on bass and Casey Peranich on drums. The band’s founding members met through the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta and they decided to become a band in 2012. Ferrell said before they were bandmates, they were all very good friends and have different ?flavors when it comes to music.

“I think it’s really cool that everyone in the band can switch instruments and play,” Tripp Shields, a friend of the band and UA alumnus, said. “For example, the keyboardist can play bass or the guitar if he wanted to,”

Ferrell said everyone in the band has particular tendencies when they play and it comes across in a unique way when they perform. This makes the band fall into its own category of music, but they try to bring a sense of funk into everything they do, Ferrell said.

“Everyone in the band brings in different ideas from different backgrounds,” he said.

Mother Funk played at Greekfest in 2013 and had the opportunity to meet and talk with the band Dispatch. Ferrell said Dispatch members spent time with them before the show, and it could’ve perhaps been one of the best things that ever happened to the band.

“They were very forthcoming, they gave us great advice on how we can develop our music and how they developed theirs. Ultimately, that means so much to us,” Ferrell said.

Ferrell said social media has helped the band grow its fan base.

“I think a lot of what has helped us develop, as a band, is our social media presence,” ?Ferrell said.

Mother Funk will be performing on Labor Day weekend at the Lake Martin Amphitheater with Corey Smith and Moon Taxi. The band will also be playing Friday at this year’s Student Send-Off in Huntsville, Alabama. The event is presented by the University of Alabama Alumni-Madison County Chapter and will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

“We will be debuting new songs over the next couple of shows we perform at,” Ferrell said.