#jan 2013

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[kingwilliamv]

11 January 2013 || The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge meet artist Paul Emsley after viewing his new portrait of the Duchess during a private viewing at the National Portrait Gallery in London. (📷Getty Images)

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MTV Artist To Watch: twenty | one | pilots

Posted 1/28/13 6:00 am EST by Rachel Brodsky

Meet MTV's Artist To Watch, Twenty One Pilots.

Meet twenty | one | pilots: masters of the piano-back flip.

We have so many questions for Columbus' twenty | one | pilots. First, why the breaks in their name? Why all the masks? If they had to classify themselves as a single genre, what would it be? These are the first of many questions that surface regarding the multifaceted, multi-genred duo -- between drummer Josh Dun and lead singer Tyler Joseph, the pair manage to create a sound that is neither here, nor there, not rock and not pop, DEFINITELY kinda hip-hop, but also twenty | one tries at everything else on the spectrum. Feeling confused yet? Not to worry -- TOP's quirky brand of pop-meets-hip-hop-meets-rock-meets-hardcore may sound complex, but it only takes one live viewing to know that all those loose ends are immediately tightened up once TOP hit the stage.

Old friends from high school, the guys got their start by self-releasing two full-length albums and built a major Midwest following with a subsequent deluge of energetic shows (the guys have been known to backflip off pianos mid-show, and that certainly doesn't hurt visibility). Now signed to Fueled By Ramen (also home to Paramore!), TOP have since released a Three Songs EP and now a third full-length album, Vessel.

Produced by Greg Wells (who also worked with Adele), Vessel features punchy, hard-hitting, melodic ditties like "Holding On To You" and "Guns For Hands" (which you can download here!), tracks that channel Matt & Kim's cheer-punk attitude, the Beastie Boys' shouting hip-hop vocals, and Eminem's fast-talking nasal bark. You can even hear a little Ben Folds Five in TOP's piano-infused beats (before the vocals kick in, obvs), while Vessel's "Migraine" kicks off with a vocoded ELO vibe.

Now one of MTV's Artists To Watch for 2013, the rock-rap-tronica duo (See? We tried to classify them) recently performed at MTV's "Artist To Watch" showcase, where they rolled out a teeming set of pop-core anthems, onstage gymnastics, ‘90s R&B covers, and Blue Man-esque side-by-side drumming.

In addition to preparing to become the biggest band in the world, twenty | one | pilots are currently touring the U.S. through February -- catch them before they hit Japan and South Korea in March! There might even be some backflips in it for you.

+ Watch twenty | one | pilots perform "Car Radio" and "Guns For Hands" live at NYC's Highline Ballroom, and check out more of MTV's 2013 Artists To Watch.

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Twenty One Pilots: From Bedroom Gigs To 'The Biggest Band In The World'

The Ohio band has paid their dues, and now, as MTV Artists To Watch, are gunning for global domination.

By James Montgomery (@positivnegativ)

Twenty One Pilots have one rather simple mission for 2013: global domination.

"Well, one of our goals for this year is to be a headliner, a 'hard ticket' as they say. We have the option to go out and be an opening band for a more established act, which obviously helps you gain fans and get exposure, but we're looking forward to being a headliner," singer Tyler Joseph explained. "And our dream? We want to be the biggest band in the world."

And if you think Joseph even blinked while saying this, well, then you probably don't know Twenty One Pilots (though given that they're the first pick in MTV's Artists To Watch campaign, that might change soon): The dynamic duo — it's Tyler on vocals, piano and keyboards, and manic masher Josh Dun behind the drumkit — hail from Columbus, Ohio and have clawed their way out of the epicenter of Buckeye Nation thanks to their mix of supreme confidence and a positively killer live show, one that brims with energy, acrobatics and theatrics and leaves both men absolutely spent each night. Of course, they'd have it no other way.

"We came from a place where we had to get people's attention. That started from playing in these bars, playing in these clubs, and making sure that even the three people who were there remembered us," Joseph said. "And now that we do have people's attention a little more, that aspect hasn't changed about us; we're still going to make sure you remember us when you come see us play.

"We've done everything. There was an older couple that had us come to their house, and we played in their bedroom one time, and there's the small clubs that people just go to hang out, they don't want to listen to music anyway," he continued. "And there's a lot of theatrical moments to our set, and a lot of people would see those moments, and they'd think we were just trying to make some sort of statement; but the truth is, we had to do that stuff in the beginning, just to get people to turn around. It's tough to compete with $3 pitcher night."

And while their shows pack plenty of punch, what's also earned Twenty One Pilots a fervent following is the deeply personal streak that runs through Joseph's lyrics. It's readily apparent on their new album, Vessel, which features songs like "Holding On To You" and "Guns For Hands," tracks that tackle tough subjects and serve as a cathartic release for the band's fans. And, not surprisingly, given his lofty ambitions, Joseph said that's been TOP's mission all along: to harness the power of music and, hopefully, help save some lives.

"Obviously music has helped me personally, and as much as I want to give back, it's not the main motivation. The main motivation is interacting every night with these people that are hurting; and it's not just kids, we get approached by all ranges of ages," he said. "Josh and I, we're able to go out and talk to people after the show, and we get to hear a lot of stories. We get to hear how our music has been affecting someone personally, and that's the stuff that fuels you. That's the stuff that justifies why you're in that city that night ... and talking to people every night and hearing their story is what inspires us."

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I still can't believe how long I've had tumblr..

[thorsenmark]

Sunlight through the Trees by Mark Stevens Via Flickr: A stop along this trail in the Barton Creek greenbelt that struck me with this image of sunlight and the trees. For PP, I increased the saturation in the leaves and then added a Glamour Glow CEP filter to bring out the sunlight coming from the trees onto the trail up ahead. It also brought out a painted feel to some of the leaves.

[quietasides]

Jan 2013