The band's line-up consisted of vocalist Chad Elliott, guitarist James Lawrence Torres, bassist Kimo Kauhola, and multi instrumentalist Daniel Santillan.
Funeral Party garnered music industry attention in late 2007 with the release of an article, falsely attributed to the Los Angeles Times, which touted the band as, "Princes of the Eastside".
The article accurately noted that Funeral Party shared a core audience with such bands as Moving Units, The Rapture, and LCD Sound System, and illuminated the burgeoning East Los Angeles scene as a hotbed of young talent.
The article was rampantly distributed online among those familiar with the group, and caused an uproar among bands and musicians who displayed a territorial sense of ownership over the East Los Angeles music scene, which mobilized local polemics regarding Funeral Party, and often rendered their singer a target for violence.
During 2007 and early 2008, Funeral Party shows were usually shut down by law enforcement before the band performed, which only added to the group's notoriety.