Josh Dun - twenty | one | pilots (06/05/2013)
From the moment Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph met they shared very specific and common ideas on how to create music.
They have transferred that sound into a debut album to take the listener on a musical journey.
twenty | one | pilots drummer Josh and frontman Tyler made their name by playing small shows in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. They avoided touring in favour of playing local shows on weekends and using social media to promote their music. It was when they played to a sell-out crowd of 2300 at the LC Pavilion that they garnered the attention of the music industry.
They were courted by numerous record labels but it was Fueled By Ramen, the same label that nourishes Paramore, fun. and Panic at the Disco, that they signed to.
“The first night Tyler and I ever hung out we were up until 7 or 8 in the morning and we were talking about our biggest dreams,” Josh said. “I felt really connected with him on that subject. We both had really outlandish ideas musically.”
Their sound has been described as ‘schizoid pop’ and Josh likes injecting a level of confusion and unpredictability into their songs.
“An average person now, if you ask what kind of music they listen to, they are going to say a bit of everything,” he said.
“Why create a song when you listen to the first 30 seconds you can predict the whole album? Within one song, you get excited to listen to the whole album and see what happens next".
twenty | one | pilots’ debut album Vessels is a musical trip that will have you rapping along one minute and then caught in an orchestral interlude the next. The album is a clever mix of indie rock, punk and hip-hop that was produced in collaboration with Greg Wells, who has worked with Adele, Weezer, Aerosmith and Katy Perry.
The final decision to sign to Fueled By Ramen came from their understanding of the sound of twenty | one | pilots and the boys’ desire to have that sound untouched.“Rather than come ahead of us and pull us along, they’ve come behind and pushed us along,” Josh said.
“People were worried the label is going to chance the band. For us, we really were specific in coming up with the real way of doing things. The way we were as a band, we were intent on creating a brand. Them as a label created a brand for themselves. I’m a huge fan of the label and I’ve never heard anyone say that about another label.”
twenty | one | pilots will headline their own shows until the end of May in America and then head to the UK in June to play summer festivals. “We are not taking any breaks until the end of the year,” Josh said.
“We’ve been a lot busier, which is really good.”
Success has not been enough to slow the musical onslaught that is twenty | one | pilots. Josh said they will use the time on the road to develop their sound and live shows.
“I don’t think there will be a time when we are truly satisfied,” he said. “We will keep finding ways of changing it up. I think we’ll always come up with different ways and show so we stay fresh and unique as a live show.”
Nicole Barlow
They have transferred that sound into a debut album to take the listener on a musical journey.
twenty | one | pilots drummer Josh and frontman Tyler made their name by playing small shows in their hometown of Columbus, Ohio. They avoided touring in favour of playing local shows on weekends and using social media to promote their music. It was when they played to a sell-out crowd of 2300 at the LC Pavilion that they garnered the attention of the music industry.
They were courted by numerous record labels but it was Fueled By Ramen, the same label that nourishes Paramore, fun. and Panic at the Disco, that they signed to.
“The first night Tyler and I ever hung out we were up until 7 or 8 in the morning and we were talking about our biggest dreams,” Josh said. “I felt really connected with him on that subject. We both had really outlandish ideas musically.”
Their sound has been described as ‘schizoid pop’ and Josh likes injecting a level of confusion and unpredictability into their songs.
“An average person now, if you ask what kind of music they listen to, they are going to say a bit of everything,” he said.
“Why create a song when you listen to the first 30 seconds you can predict the whole album? Within one song, you get excited to listen to the whole album and see what happens next".
twenty | one | pilots’ debut album Vessels is a musical trip that will have you rapping along one minute and then caught in an orchestral interlude the next. The album is a clever mix of indie rock, punk and hip-hop that was produced in collaboration with Greg Wells, who has worked with Adele, Weezer, Aerosmith and Katy Perry.
The final decision to sign to Fueled By Ramen came from their understanding of the sound of twenty | one | pilots and the boys’ desire to have that sound untouched.“Rather than come ahead of us and pull us along, they’ve come behind and pushed us along,” Josh said.
“People were worried the label is going to chance the band. For us, we really were specific in coming up with the real way of doing things. The way we were as a band, we were intent on creating a brand. Them as a label created a brand for themselves. I’m a huge fan of the label and I’ve never heard anyone say that about another label.”
twenty | one | pilots will headline their own shows until the end of May in America and then head to the UK in June to play summer festivals. “We are not taking any breaks until the end of the year,” Josh said.
“We’ve been a lot busier, which is really good.”
Success has not been enough to slow the musical onslaught that is twenty | one | pilots. Josh said they will use the time on the road to develop their sound and live shows.
“I don’t think there will be a time when we are truly satisfied,” he said. “We will keep finding ways of changing it up. I think we’ll always come up with different ways and show so we stay fresh and unique as a live show.”
Nicole Barlow