There is a major shift in mood with the band’s Pop Psychology album and Glenn
explains the timing and his personal transition during the process of creating the album, “I’ve been kind of an unhappy person for the last few years and I got re- ally good at compartmentalizing my feelings during that time. I think me getting ready to turn 30 and then actually turning 30 made me approach my life with a sort of newfound zest for it.” When it came to what motivated those changes, he continued with more of why, “I mean it’s a bit cliché, but for me looking back, I sometimes look at my 20’s with regret; obviously because of waiting so long to come out and for getting way to good at compartmentalizing stuff. I think there was sort of this chance for me to do it differently. Turning 30 is such a milestone birthday and I just wanted to treat it as such, to actually respect the idea of moving on from the past, that type of thing.” You can really hear it in the music, it’s almost like you can feel his evolution; the
maturation that was occurring comes through musically and for certain, lyrically. He talked about that, “I started writing the record while in therapy and what could have been a really dark album, ended up being the most upbeat and almost celebratory sounding one.” It’s interesting and more than a little telling that not only do you hear the changes musically, when you look at the development of his style physically over time, there is also a marked change. It really has gone from dark to light and bright—even in the choice of his hair color from his signature black to platinum blonde. He said this while discussing the evolution; “I’ve been into fashion since I was 12 so it kind of is a thing for me that I enjoy. I’m glad people notice the changes, not everyone gets that and I am proud of it.” Coming out is different for everyone, for some it’s just a given and there really
is no great struggle, for others it can be daunting. Glenn shared what it has been like for him since opening the closet door, “I’d say that the biggest change really, is not having to “hide” anymore. It’s fun to be able to say things like “that guy’s cute” around my friends and the band. They don’t even bat an eye and we talk about it like it’s nothing—that kind of normalcy that I didn’t have. It was causing a sort of toxicity in my life because I didn’t have balance. It’s those little moments that you get being out that are really the biggest change.” A line from the bible, “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
free,” came to mind and I mentioned the toll of living less candidly.“It’s not ‘real’ at all when you do that and the truth is pretty relentless when you don’t.” Neon Trees is now a phenomenon in the music world, they have been on the
36 RAGE monthly | JUNE 2014 RAGE monthly
charts since the band released their debut album, Habits, back in March of 2010. Who doesn’t know the hit “Animal?” You may also remember that particular song based on the commercial for Las Vegas during the same period. Appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show with David Letterman and many others helped to cement them in America’s musical conscience. Their Picture Show album followed, with the mega-hit “Everybody Talks” as its centerpiece. Then came the tours; the band travelled with The Offspring and Dead Sara, later joining Maroon 5’s world tour and in November/ December 2013 with Taylor Swift, one of many spots and appearances on their road to fame. I asked Glenn about his measure of success, when he felt like they had crossed
over to the next level, “Hearing music on the radio, hearing music in a store or hearing your music, say in a restaurant, that’s really rad for me and totally fun. I think also, just the idea that when you go to towns you have never been to and large quantities of people turn up to listen to your music and see us play live, that still does it for me. It doesn’t go unappreciated in my mind.” Gratitude is a good thing and he has a great deal of it around knowing and appreciating his audience. “No matter if there’s a band doing better or more than you, regardless, the fact that people are coming and have paid money to see us is still really special to me.” Glenn talked about the band’s celebrity and how it has changed their perspec-
tive on and in the world.“ We’ve had a lot of those moments, but sometimes when we’re in the middle of nowhere it can feel like you haven’t and that is a really refreshing thing.” He continued, “I kind of love the sort of degree of fame, where it’s not manipulating or destroying your life, but instead you are able to do what you love and still live your life.” There is some of that perspective he spoke about earlier. Pop Psychology is doing well, when asked about the album, Glenn had this to say,
“It’s so great right now, we’re getting to play the music from it [the Pop Psychology album] live a lot right now and the response to it has been great. People already know all the words to the songs and that is just so cool. You don’t always get that right away when you put out new material, that’s kind of how I gage its success.”
Neon Trees is touring right now, they will be in San Diego at Humphreys by the Bay on Friday, June 6, for tickets and more information go to
humphreysconcerts.com. They will also be performing in Los Angeles at The Wiltern on Saturday, June 14, for tickets and more information go to
livenation.com.
photo credit: andrew-zaeh
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