and on the second question, i know lame, about 3:30 minutes in, about "band challenges" TJ brings up what was relevant 15 years ago, getting people to pay attention to you and remember you- Well, I want to say, I've played in nearly as many bands as years they've been active and producing music for 25 years now and I ALWAYS say "the hardest thing about being a musician isn't the craft or mastering your instrument or writers block or even interpersonal band dynamics (as people often cite/think) but rather it's ' to get people to actually LISTEN to the music you make' and for years now whenever I am present while someone listens to a song or album i've made I will always sincerely thank them for listening after and I realize from the bevy of confused reactions i've gotten that this must be something not yet known by people who don't create music: it's the HARDEST thing to get people to take their TIME and actually LISTEN to what you make, regardless of how good or bad it is, skill and talent and quality is moot, it's not what gets people to actually pay attention. it doesn't matter (as you hear here, it was a halloween shop these two young geniuses resorted to out of desperation)- you're up against people's time which is arguably more important than money and I just wanted to comment at how much their response to that question resonated with me. If my thoughts seem to inspire or relate to you, or if you're just curious to what a real independent artist sounds like after 25 years of DIY without missing a beat do check out my recent work "The King Crawls" theJSE.bandcamp.com/album/- PS Twenty One Pilots was the best two nights I ever spent at Madison Square Garden, both sold out and it was the most money I spent to be on the floor at a show but it was worth every penny. When I got there I felt old, unaware their core fan-base would be Junior High Kids (at the time, this was for Blurryface) but the second the lights dropped and the music started age didn't matter and it was a 2 hour exercise in ultra animated modern-dance aerobics LOL Best shows ever (saw Clancy too at Barclays... oh and another Blurryface show in Brooklyn too) These two are the real deal and deserve all the accolades and fame and money they get, but I just fear they can keep their morality and sanity after 10 years of this nonstop madness... well, I guess the hiatus could've counted as a "stop" but we know it wasn't a full stop as Tyler is always writing and creating. Anyway again, thanks for posting. I'm sure i'll listen to all these several times, post more comments or continually re-edit this one 😛
As a person with religion myself, I find the culture of suppressing questions and doubts deeply disturbing. It seems like something I specifically see in more conservative evangelical communities. I’m Catholic myself and while there are definitely Catholics who do this, I’ve been really blessed to open minded people in my faith life, and there is a line of thought in catholicism that even allows momentary anger with God when we don’t understand. So from the first time I heard Tyler addressing his doubts and pain it struck me like a bolt from the blue (no pun intended). I’m so glad he uses music to wrestle with his feelings on these things.
I love Implicit Demand for Proof technically being the first song on the first twenty one pilots album. Its a hell of a way to come out of the gate. sometimes a bag of weed is referred to as a bag of sunshine, so there's that. In my experience, there are a lot of places that don't want you around if you ask questions. Especially as a child. I went to several places as a kid trying to find a religious place for myself. One place set up an exorcism because apparently asking rationsal questions at 8 meant I had a demon. No, I just never grew out of the why stage.
So sad that I'm going to miss this tour. There are a bunch of shows near home, but I left for college just before the tour started. At least I can experience some of these moments online <3
