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Posted on 07/07/09 at 12:52:01 pm
The departure of Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, guitarist and bassist with vaudevillian emo dandies Panic At The Disco, is being presented by the two remaining members as an evolution of the band, not a 'split'.
"We are all excited for the future, you should be too," read the upbeat official announcement.
This seems wildly over-optimistic, given that Ross was the band's chief lyricist and creative driving force.
The son of a dissolute alcoholic, Ross is a sensitive soul whose early songs were florid, tongue-tripping, and (for someone so young) surprisingly literary, referencing contemporary authors such as Douglas Coupland and Chuck Palahniuk.
He gave Panic At The Disco a measure of depth and nuance. Without him, the Las Vegas band will be just another pop-punk band with a dwindling audience.
We should have seen it coming. Panic's bizarre choice of covers on last year's festival circuit – The Band's 'The Weight' one week, Radiohead's 'Karma Police' the next - suggested a band with radically divergent tastes, running scared from the scene that spawned them, desperate to affirm their 'adult' rock credentials.
Meanwhile, the plinky, tentative manner in which they delivered those songs suggested an inexperienced school band who'd been caught up in a cultural moment – the emo boom of 2005-6 – and weren't quite equipped to deal with the tornado-blast of popularity that followed.
Which is hardly surprising: their debut album 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' was recorded before they'd played a single gig.
The result was a second album, 'Pretty.Odd', that was pig-headed in its refusal to please Panic's young fans. A kaleidoscope-eyed love-note to 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', it was a deeply unconvincing record, neither passionate enough to appeal to emo kids, nor well-crafted enough to gain a new, mature audience.
Predictably, it bombed. A courageous attempt to 'educate' their fans? Perhaps – but Panic's fanbase was not sturdy enough to withstand the shock, and the millions who bought 'A Fever…' simply melted away.
All of which highlights the wider flimsiness of the emo genre. Most of the scene's leading lights are now operating in reduced circumstances. Fall Out Boy are currently supporting Blink-182 in the US. Meanwhile, UK emo fest Give It A Name was forced to downsize in 2009. History may well look back on My Chemical Romance as the only band who truly transcended the limits of the genre.
Meanwhile, Panic At The Disco vow to continue, while the departed members "embark on a musical excursion of their own". This may be true – and good luck to them. But let's be honest: the signs aren't encouraging, are they?
Permalink
therecluse [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 13:59
not a great loss
Luke Lewis [Member] //July 7 2009 at 14:51
Hmm, yes. Judging by the response so far, I'm getting a deafening 'MEH'.
Paul [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 14:51
Good to see Fall Out Boy back where they belong.. Licking blink's shoes!
Good riddance to Panic At The Disco though
markyboy [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 15:00
im 16 and i prefered Pretty.Odd to the first one, it was a better listen, but im not going to lose sleep on them splitting up
hu [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 15:02
what
twistedoodles [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 16:02
I am devastated. Panic ain't Panic without them. Period.
Jamie [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 16:21
The only 'emo' band I have ever REALLY liked. I am actually really sad about this.
Taco [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 16:36
Pretty Odd is a great record. Resplendent with Beatlesque sounds , songs and voices. Quite different from the band's prior outing.
Kat [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 18:03
Um, Jon Walker is the bass player not the drummer of Panic
NO.1 PATD FAN [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 18:06
Panic at the disco are incredible!! no matter what anyone says, I loved them all the way - A fever you can't sweat out, and Pretty. Odd. Their lyrics and music are absolutely amazing. I cannot believe all of this is happening - they announced a follow-up album to Pretty. Od.. Now, who knows what will happen??...I LOVE PATD FOREVER!!!!!!!! :)
thenewwhack [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 20:25
Jon Walker was the bassist, Spencer Smith is the drummer. Anyway... no big deal cos I've never enjoyed Panic's music, with or without an exclamation mark.
Libby [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 20:29
I feel really down about this! Seriously! Panic at the disco are awesome, and I'm sure they'll mnage without Ryan and Jon... They replaced Brent perfectly! I loved Pretty. Odd just as much as A Fever You Can't Sweat Out! They could have made it bigger than Blink and FOB had they stayed together.
dave [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 21:48
hmm...i noticed this a while ago (when fall out boys last album made fuck all impact) but considering the kind of amazing bands that get lumped in with emo (by which i mean pretty much solely Glassjaw but also other amazing post-hardcore types(not FFAF)) maybe the death of this genre needs to be slowed down a bit, especially as what's honestly going to take over? Yup some form of overtly macho rubbish to over compensate for the years of men expressing feelings no matter how beautifully it was at times done.
dave [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 21:56
hmm...i noticed this a while ago (when fall out boys last album made fuck all impact) but considering the kind of amazing bands that get lumped in with emo (by which i mean pretty much solely Glassjaw but also other amazing post-hardcore types(not FFAF)) maybe the death of this genre needs to be slowed down a bit, especially as what's honestly going to take over? Yup some form of overtly macho rubbish to over compensate for the years of men expressing feelings no matter how beautifully it was at times done.
shut up [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 22:01
ahh, be quiet.
They will keep going.
Websites like this are over critical, mean and over do the 'witty' remarks on the bands which they do not deem good enough (which is the vast majority, who are either sell outs or inexperienced.)
Bored of all the hate, to be honest.
Go back to reviewing cruddy 'new-indie' bands and leave Panic alone, they will be fine.
Laura [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 22:35
I am unbelievably sad. They were (are) a brilliant band and never quite fitted into the emo genre. Both AFYCSO AND Pretty.Odd. were epic records, so good. No meh reaction here, im going to cry im so sad!
Gregor [Visitor] //July 7 2009 at 23:34
How are Panic emo exactly?
Dondon [Visitor] //July 8 2009 at 01:00
Im more upset than I thought, Knew it would be Ryan who left the band, asshoe =_=
Panic is not the same now, will miss those guys, great music =/
jadeio [Visitor] //July 8 2009 at 09:25
i'm really surprised about the split since they had another album being released soon, these were/are my favourite band who have inspired me for so long, i applauded all there experiments and the fact that they weren't scared to do what THEY wanted to do. I'm pretty excited that there will still be panic, just not as we know it,and i believe they will still have the impact they once/do have now. Panic will not burn out at the disco.
brett [Visitor] //July 8 2009 at 11:51
since i have come of age i can say this is the first genre i have witnessed come and go in the press spotlight, feeling rather nostaligic actually. Having been said, i never believed their sound to be as diverse and offbeat as the liteary influences that inspired it. Sure it will continue in some way, shape or form but maybe your right, its time has passed, how fun it was. 'This aint a scene, its an arms race' no, sorry pete, a scene was exactly what it was.
Jack [Visitor] //July 8 2009 at 13:26
i dunno man, i think emo will continue as long as there are 12 year old girls who think that their lives are awful, and their boyfriends flicking the hair out of their eyes every 10 seconds is 'like, soooo sexy, omgz'
Ciara [Visitor] //July 8 2009 at 23:17
Not a great loss but if patd stop im going to be sooo upset!!! But I don't get how patd and fob are emo!!!!!!!
Samantha Jigger [Visitor] //July 9 2009 at 17:01
Fuck you haters. panic is an amazing band. and ryan is a fucking lyrical genius. so fuck you all
yello. [Visitor] //July 9 2009 at 17:12
grrragrrrrrrrrrr. its not like they're emo anyway so this isnt exactly the death of it 8-)
MMMMMMMAHHAAHAA.
:(
THEYRE NOT GOING TO BE JUST A DWINDLING BAND, cos i will still buy their records even if they're crap which they wont be. obviously. now i like spencer smith more than i eeeeeever did before :O :O
SUPREMEST FAN OF ALL [Visitor] //July 9 2009 at 17:12
lurrrve them more.
Abz [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 06:59
Bring back Fever. We'll love you all the same, just stop with the Beatles-wanna-be-ness.
Amanda [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 10:22
To people who say good riddance and all that other crap, their must be something wrong with you, you probably like rap or something. But how could you say that? Brendon has the most amazing voice any one could have, he can make anything he sings sound beautiful, I think he even has a better voice then Patrick Stump(and he's hard to beat) and Ryan had such amazing lyrics and he was so creative he was the best in the band. And they are not an emo band, never had they talked about killing theirself or anything in their songs. Panic is my all time favorite band and its never going to be the same with out Ryan and Jon.
Marcus [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 16:55
A bit of a shame: I loved Pretty. Odd. as opposed to AFYCSO and part of the reason was that I didn't have to listen to Brendan for the entire album - Ryan's vocals were a welcome change and fitted well with the Beatles-style of the album. Hopefully they can find good replacements and keep making good music and not regress to the BS they started with
Carly [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 18:59
Wow. I lost all liking of them w/ the CD Pretty.Odd, I didn't like IT at all. Hopefully Ross will come out with something good on his Solo Project (or whatever the kid is doing).
Carly [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 18:59
Wow. I lost all liking of them w/ the CD Pretty.Odd, I didn't like the CD at all. Hopefully Ross will come out with something good on his Solo Project (or whatever the kid is doing).
Josefine [Visitor] //July 10 2009 at 22:56
Reading the blog above made me sad and otraged at first. Honestly, he who wrote it makes it sound as though PATD has got no fans at all left after the relese of Pretty Odd.
It made me sad because here I am, feeling like thier flair and brilliancy is going to make me explode with happiness every time I hear their uniqe music, or thier strong lyrics, or Uries´ beautiful voice! But then, look at what all of these comments. They say quite the contrary of what the blog says. There are loads of PATD fans who feel as strongly aboute them as I do, maybe even stronger! PATD is going to be fine! And I know that at least I am going to support them!
mitch [Visitor] //July 11 2009 at 03:01
1stly, p!atd and fob are not emo bands. not. period. with both ryan and jon leaving the band, i don't believe it's a great loss. look at their recent shows, ryan and jon ain't into p!atd anymore. brendon is the one who is pushing the band. to all fob haters, they have garnered support all round since starting out small like how any other bands do, and now, they're producers of other bands that create the music you might like. suck it man. patrick is the musical genius he is and pete is the marketing and lyrical genius. they may not have the solos that makes a chill run down your spine, but they fit into the pop rock genre.
mitch [Visitor] //July 11 2009 at 03:01
1stly, p!atd and fob are not emo bands. not. period. with both ryan and jon leaving the band, i don't believe it's a great loss. look at their recent shows, ryan and jon ain't into p!atd anymore. brendon is the one who is pushing the band. to all fob haters, they have garnered support all round since starting out small like how any other bands do, and now, they're producers of other bands that create the music you might like. suck it man. patrick is the musical genius he is and pete is the marketing and lyrical genius. they may not have the solos that makes a chill run down your spine, but they fit into the pop rock genre.
Frank [Visitor] //July 11 2009 at 06:03
I really dont like them. and as far as "emo" goes, they aren't emo at all? they have a video where they are walking around in pj's? maybe gay but not too emo. i just wish they would quit already and leave the blink tour so that someone good can fill in there spot.
[Visitor] //July 12 2009 at 07:30
kind of lame for fans to love an album then instantly leave because the second is radically different. I loved the second album. I listen to music because I enjoy it, not because of what genre it is. Anyway, kind of sucks that they split. My first recent favourite band split! Er, that was somewhat convoluted but I'm kind of sad. Guess it won't be the same, eh.
RichieRich [Visitor] //July 12 2009 at 22:43
YAWN. Who Cares? Seriously.
Elsie [Visitor] //July 13 2009 at 02:38
To be honest, the writer has no idea what he is talking about. Go out and ask PATD fans if they liked pretty.odd and majority of them do! I LOVE Panic and I prefer pretty.odd. + they haven't disappointed all their 'emo' fans and yes! they did attract new fans with pretty.odd! So sorry to say, but you have no idea what in the world you are talking about! PATD were and remain to be my favourite band!
=/ [Visitor] //July 13 2009 at 17:22
Serioously??
Haters need to back the fuck off.
Everyone loves panic at the disco.
And if you don't then GO SOMEWHERE!
Ryan is amazing, and its sad that him and jon left.
and ryan basically wrote all the songs,
):
They're not the same anymore ):
randomerwithoutacause [Visitor] //July 13 2009 at 20:01
I love Panic but if it wasn't meant to be and the band were unhappy, it would have been the music that would have suffered so maybe its for the best. I wish ryan and john the best of luck.
//Mazy// [Visitor] //July 17 2009 at 22:37
i cant believe people are ssaying its not a great loss, its a HUGE loss i love panic! at the disco and fall ouy boy are amazing XD
Jade [Visitor] //July 19 2009 at 15:55
hummm, i think your being overly sceptical. i was a massive fan of "a fever..." but as most kids do, i grew out of the 'emo' scene and when "pretty. odd." came out i found it had matured along with me. which i loved! I realise that their music will now change, and i hope i enjoy it, but rest assure, Panics fan base remains strong and i wish both the band and its former members the best of luck for the future. i think you need to look more closely at the people you are trying to represent here, because (as you can see from the comments) youve miss judged them. i (and most panic fans) will await new material with high hopes =D
Allie [Visitor] //July 19 2009 at 19:33
I think this is a good point. I thought emo was going to be an endlessly renewable genre - there are always going to be miserable tweens, who think Ryan Ross or Pete Wentz's lyrics "speak" to them, after all - and even when the last crop grow out of it, a new one rolls in... but it seems like a lot of "emo" bands are growing out of it too, finally. I'll be curious to see what Walker and Ross put out. It might be the best indication for what emo might evolve into after its inevitable (and imminent) demise.
Somebody [Visitor] //August 1 2009 at 02:05
I really miss their old music and the old Ryan, but if it's what they must do, then I guess it's just for the best. The newest members are actually not good-looking to tell the truth.
You can't be young forever
But we still have our memories.
RIP
Charlotte [Visitor] //August 9 2009 at 16:25
You know what? This sucks, So bad.
- [Visitor] //August 29 2009 at 18:34
I love panic forever...but no one writes lyrics like ryan
without ryan theyre songs actually make sense...and thats not panic
Clare [Visitor] //September 5 2009 at 19:18
I have never even listened to a Panic At The Disco song (no, I don't know why I read the article either). I just think it's ironic when there are comments saying, for example, 'To people who say good riddance and all that other crap, their must be something wrong with you, you probably like rap or something...they are not an emo band, never had they talked about killing theirself or anything in their songs'. So that's speaking out against the stereotypers, and then stereotyping. Twice. Gotta love the Internet!
Natalia [Visitor] //October 3 2009 at 13:49
i am so gutted i loved both albums i absolutly loved ryan too, i wasnt too impressed with the second album but i'm not sure how this is gonna effect my i-pod. i really want to know how well ryan and jon do though.
shears [Visitor] //October 7 2009 at 02:03
I really disagree. Pretty Odd did appeal to the mature audience, and has gained a new (reluctant) fanbase.
It is the best album of 2008
I'm looking forward to The Young Veins.
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