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Panic! at the Disco
Background information
Origin Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Genre(s) Alternative Rock
Big beat
Dance
Indie Rock
Disputed subgenres
Years active 2005 - Present
Label(s) Decaydance/Fueled by Ramen
Website Official website
Members
Brendon Urie
Ryan Ross
Jon Walker
Spencer Smith
Former members
Brent Wilson
Panic! at the Disco (often shortened to merely Panic!, P!ATD or PATD) is a
band from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA whose sound incorporates elements of pop,
electronica, dance, and rock. Their 2005 debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat
Out reached #13 on the US Billboard 200, and has sold over one million
copies since its September 2005 release.[1]
History
2005: Origins and signing
The band was formed in the suburban area of Summerlin, Las Vegas, by
childhood friends Ryan Ross on guitar and Spencer Smith on drums. Since the
age of thirteen, the two played blink-182 covers in bands of different
formations, under the name of "Summer League," possibly a reference to the
town in which they lived, Summerlin.
After recruiting Brent Wilson on bass and Brendon Urie on vocals and guitar,
the band settled on the name 'Panic! at the Disco.' The band has stated, on
their DVD and in interviews, that the name "Panic! at the Disco" comes from
the song "Panic" by The Smiths, which includes the line "burn down the
disco," though a more popular theory is that the name has its origins in the
song "Panic" by Name Taken, which includes the line "Panic at the disco."
In order to promote their music, the band contacted Fall Out Boy bassist
Pete Wentz through LiveJournal, and sent him a link to their PureVolume
site. Wentz was apparently so impressed that he took a trip to Las Vegas to
meet the band in person. After seeing them practice in their garage, he
asked if they would sign with his Fueled by Ramen imprint label Decaydance.
2006: Debut album and departure of Brent Wilson
Panic! at the Disco released their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
on September 27th 2005, quickly building up a fan base through PureVolume
and MySpace, though achieving little commercial recognition. After a
consistent presence in PureVolume's top 10 signed artists, and reaching
number one in MySpace's indie charts, Panic! at the Disco were featured on
MTV's Total Request Live on January 17th 2006, where they premiered their
music video for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies." Featuring Lucent Dossier
Vaudeville Cirque and an eerie circus wedding theme, the video débuted at
#10 on the TRL countdown, later winning the Video of the Year award at the
2006 MTV Video Music Awards, beating out artists such as Christina Aguilera,
Shakira, Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The single itself, released
April 27th 2006, peaked at #7 in the US charts.
The band was originally third-billed for the Truckstops & Statelines Winter
Tour in early 2006, which was headlined by The Academy Is... and included
Acceptance as direct support and Hellogoodbye on the line-up. Due to their
alarming increase in popularity before and during the tour, the band ended
up getting pushed above Acceptance to second-billed every night playing
right before the headliner and "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" outsold The
Academy Is...'s debut album, "Almost Here" during the tour.
Their second single, "But It's Better If You Do," was released in the UK on
May 1st, 2006 where it debuted, and peaked, at #23. The accompanying music
video, released the previous month, portrays the band playing in a speakeasy
in 1930's America, which, according to Brendon Urie shows "the dark and
secluded style of Panic."
'
The band officially announced the departure of their bassist, Brent Wilson,
with a message on the band's website on 17 May 2006. Wilson has since
claimed that the decision to leave was not his, and that he was fired
without warning for monetary reasons, though the rest of the band deny
this.[2][3] Wilson is now demanding a cut in royalties, and has threatened
he will take his former band to court if need be.[4]
Just days after Wilson's departure, the band embarked on their first
headlining tour of Europe, with long-time friend of the band, Jon Walker,
filling in for the summer tour as a temporary bassist while a permanent
replacement was sought. All of the dates were sold out, with some, notably
Manchester, selling out in a matter of hours. Upon their return, the band
embarked on a two-month North American headlining tour with supporting acts
The Hush Sound, OK Go, The Dresden Dolls, and Lucent Dossier Vaudeville
Cirque, still retaining Jon Walker as a temporary bassist. On July 3rd of
that year, the band's MySpace profile was edited to list Walker as
bassist/vocals, and he became a permanent member of Panic! at the Disco.
The success of their first two singles helped catapult their debut album to
to the top of the Billboard Independent chart and to #13 on the Billboard
200 in July 2006. The video for I Write Sins Not Tragedies has been streamed
from YouTube over 5 million times and the song itself is also the most
requested song on New York City radio station Z-100, leading Urie to say he
feels the song and video have been overplayed; "[It] isn't the only song
we've written."
Towards the end of July 2006 Panic! at the Disco released their third music
video, "Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes
Off." The video features people with fish tank helmets walking the streets
of what appears to be a studio back lot. The video only shows the band in
one shot, reportedly because they felt that their looks were distracting
from their music.
In early August 2006, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out went platinum, having sold
over one million albums.
During P!ATD's opening song on August 25, 2006 at the Carling Weekend:
Reading Festival, an unknown audience member threw a bottle at the stage,
which struck and temporarily knocked out Brendon Urie, forcing the band to
stop playing. After some minutes, he got back up and shouted to the crowd,
"You can't take me out! Let's see how well you guys do with my left side,"
and continued with the same song.[5] In a phone interview Ryan Ross stated
that "We [Panic!] were kinda expecting that [The bottling] going into the
Reading, because we heard that that's kinda a tradition they have over
there" and then continued by saying that "We walked on and we were kinda
expecting that to keep our heads up the whole time, and unfortunately
Brendon, he was catching bottles coming towards me and Jon and then he was
dodging them himself, and kinda just didn't see one coming that I saw and it
got him pretty good, and I dunno that's the only time anything like that's
ever happened so hopefully we won't have to worry about anything like that
too much" [6]
The band embarked on a world tour in the later part of 2006. It included
dates in Australia, New Zealand, and continental Europe. On November 7,
2006, they kicked off their first-ever arena tour with Bloc Party (who
shortly dropped out because of drummer Matt Tong suffering a collapsed lung)
and Jack's Mannequin. The Plain White T's were added to the next few weeks
of The Nothing Rhymes With Circus Tour. They opened up the shows beginning
in New York through November 26 in Iowa. After that, Cobra Starship were on
the tour through December 9 in San Diego. The band appeared along with Fall
Out Boy, Marilyn Manson, and other bands on the special edition soundtrack
of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas covering "This is Halloween,"
which was re-released in 3D on October 20.
Their most recent and final single from A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, "Build
God, Then We'll Talk," was released on March 5th 2007. The accompanying
music video portrays the fallacy of relationships.
2007: Second Album
According to their manager and Rolling Stone, the band has started working
on their second album, of which they have written eight tracks. Recording is
tentatively scheduled to begin June 1, 2007.[7] A title and release date
have yet to be confirmed. The band is currently working on the album in a
cabin in Nevada. [8] The band commented, saying that it is about a 'love
story'. [9] The band planned to have producer Danny Elfman, who worked on
the original Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, but have reported to
have moved on to producer Rob Mathes, who worked on the re-release of the
soundtrack, which Panic! was featured in with a cover of "This is
Halloween". [10]
Pete Wentz, the Fall Out Boy bassist who signed Panic!, said in an MTV
article that he is "pumped for the [upcoming] Panic LP". He has reportedly
heard some of the new material, and also said, "I think it will be all over
for anyone else in 2008 if this [one] track is picked as the first single.
It has the biggest hook I have ever heard." Wentz also commented on
guitarist Ryan Ross, saying, "Ryan [Ross] always likes to keep me guessing
or try to freak me out with stuff. So he will message me to tell me that
they have just written an amazing song, and I will get excited, then he will
message me again to tell me it sounds like 'Aladdin,' and I will feel kind
of bemused. Or last week he messaged me to say they had written a song that
makes him think of France. He can say some weird stuff." [11]
In May, 2007, it was announced that a Smashing Pumpkins Tribute LP would be
released, compiled by MySpace and Spin. The LP will feature Panic!'s cover
of "Tonight, Tonight". The CD is be included free in the June 26 issue of
Spin. [12]
It is confirmed that Panic! at the Disco performed a new - untitled - song
from their new album at Summerfest on July 7th, 2007. [13] It was also
confirmed that Panic!'s next album will not be released this year as hoped
but around January or February of 2008.[14]
Performances
Panic! at the Disco is known for old-style circus shows, where they bring an
entourage of contortionists and dancers on stage with them as they perform.
They also had a notable performance in Times Square during the New Year's
Eve celebrations in December 2006/January 2007 with Carson Daly. They
performed two of their hit songs, "Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have
Without Taking Her Clothes Off" (Last performance in 2006) and "I Write Sins
Not Tragedies" (First performance in 2007). Although both songs include
swear words Panic! at the Disco sang censored versions of the songs, because
the event was performed on live network television.
Live, they have also performed cover versions of Third Eye Blind's "Slow
Motion", Radiohead's "Karma Police", Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight, Tonight",
two versions of Counting Crows' "Round Here", K-Ci and Jojo's "All My Life",
Britney Spears' "Baby One More Time", Nelly Furtado's "Maneater", Queen's
"Killer Queen", The Beatles's "Eleanor Rigby", and blink-182's "What's My
Age Again?".[15]
Band members
Current members
* Brendon Urie - lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboard, piano, accordion,
organ (2005-present)
* Ryan Ross - lead guitar, lyrics, vocals, keyboard, piano, accordion, organ
(2005-present)
* Jon Walker - bass, vocals (2006-present)
* Spencer Smith - drums, percussion (2005-present)
Former members
* Brent Wilson - bass (2005-2006)
Discography
Albums
Album info Chart positions
US Billboard 200 US Heatseekers US Independent Chart UK Albums Chart
A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
* Released: September 27, 2005
* Label: Decaydance Records/Fueled by Ramen
13 1 1 17
Live Session EP (iTunes Music Store exclusive)
* Released: June 13, 2006
* Label: Decaydance Records/Fueled by Ramen
TBA
* Released: January - February 2008[2]
* Label: Decaydance Records/Fueled by Ramen
Singles
from A Fever You Can't Sweat Out
* The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage
January 23, 2006 Fueled by Ramen US: #77 US Modern Rock: #5
* I Write Sins Not Tragedies UK: February 27, 2006 US: April 27, 2006
Australia: May 20, 2006 UK Re-release: October 30, 2006 Fueled by Ramen US:
#7 US Modern Rock: #12 UK: #25 Australia: #12
* But It's Better If You Do UK: May 16, 2006 US: July 5, 2006 Australia:
September 29, 2006 Fueled by Ramen US: #104 UK: #23 Australia: #15
* Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off UK:
August 7, 2006 Australia: January 19, 2007 Fueled by Ramen US: #104 US
Modern Rock: #28 UK: #39 Australia: #26
* Build God, Then We'll Talk 2007 Fueled by Ramen
Videography
* I Write Sins Not Tragedies (2006)
* But It's Better If You Do (2006)
* Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off
(2006)
* Build God, Then We'll Talk (2007)
DVD
Panic! at the Disco released a limited edition collector's set. Only 25,000
of these were made worldwide and currently about 1,200 are left for sale in
mint condition. The box contains a DVD of their live concert in Denver, a
limited edition CD of A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, pictures of the band, a
blank diary, a poster, lyric cards, tour program, a phenakistoscope, and a
certificate of authenticity.
Awards
* MTV Video Music Awards:
* Won: Video of the Year (2006) for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
* Nominated: Best Group Video (2006) for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
* Nominated: Best Rock Video (2006) for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
* Nominated: Best New Artist in a Video (2006) for "I Write Sins Not
Tragedies"
* Nominated: Best Art Direction in a Video (2006) for "I Write Sins Not
Tragedies"
* TMF Awards:
* Won: Best Video International (2006) for "I Write Sins Not Tragedies"
* NME Awards:
* Worst Band 2007[16]
Trivia
* The band's debut album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out, cites novels by
American author Chuck Palahniuk on at least four occasions:
* The debut single, "The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide is
Press Coverage" is a quote from the novel Survivor.
* The song, "Time to Dance," is a musical synopsis of the novel Invisible
Monsters.
* The song, "London Beckoned Songs About Money Written by Machines," borrows
a concept from the book Diary of comparing weather to moods and feelings
with very literal meteorological metaphors (i.e. "Just for the record, the
weather today is slightly sarcastic, with a good chance of
indifference...").
* The title of the song "Build God, Then We'll Talk" originates from a quote
in the novel Choke.
* The songs "Lying Is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her
Clothes Off" & "But It's Better If You Do" put together make a quote from
the movie Closer, spoken by Natalie Portman.
* The title for Nails for Breakfast, Tacks for Snacks is a quote by
guitarist Ryan Ross's father.
* The band appeared in a YouTube-only version of a video for "Backstabber"
by The Dresden Dolls. The two bands toured together and there was endless
rumours of conflict between the two bands, so they decided to make a video
of members of each band trying to eliminate another as a mockery of this.
* While heading on stage to accept the award of best video for "I Write Sins
Not Tragedies", Panic! was interrupted by a man named Six, who promoted
himself for about five seconds before he was pulled off stage by security.
The camera then zoomed back to the band. Walker jokingly said, "That was
totally planned," and the band accepted their award with Urie commenting,
"He's trying to throw off our thunder."
* The band was briefly mentioned in the episode "You Gotta Fight for Your
Right Not to Party" of the hit Disney Channel Show Hannah Montana. Jackson
Stewart says that he is taking his date to a Panic! at the Disco concert.
* The band also appears in a video by the Gym Class Heroes for their song
"Clothes Off!"
References
1. ^ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be
specified. Pulse Music Board. Retrieved on 2006-08-10.
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1534131/20060612/panic_at_the_disco.jhtml?headlines=true]
4. ^ Panic! at the Disco Sued by Former Bassist. Altpress.com. Retrieved on
2006-08-14.
5. ^ Carsten (2006-08-25). Panic! At The Disco Frontman Collapse On Stage.
PunkBands.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-27.
6. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_uPNRKqvjQ
7. ^ Carsten (2007-05-11). For The Record. MTV.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-13.
8. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1554066/20070307/panic_at_the_disco.jhtml
9. ^ http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=141546
10. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556222/20070403/panic_at_the_disco.jhtml
11. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1559829/20070517/panic_at_the_disco.jhtml
12. ^ http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1559829/20070517/panic_at_the_disco.jhtml
13. ^ http://www.patdonline.com/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1183934303&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&
14. ^ http://www.patdonline.com/index.php?subaction=showcomments&id=1183530783&archive=&start_from=&ucat=&
15. ^ http://www.patdonline.com/lyrics/
16. ^ http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/1689011
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