15 things we learned about twenty one pilots today

While promoting their upcoming fourth studio album, Blurryface, twenty one pilots engaged in a Reddit AMA with fans today—and we learned a whole bunch of new stuff about the duo. From Chipotle preferences to the meaning behind their red armbands, read some of the best responses from vocalist Tyler Joseph (TJ) and Josh Dun (JD) below.

1. We learned what their favorite new tracks on Blurryface are.
JD: Mine is “The Judge.” Or “Lane Boy.”

TJ: I would say there's a difference in my favorite song to play live versus favorite song to listen to. I think my favorite song to play would be “Lane Boy,” my favorite song to listen to would be “Goner.”

 

2. We learned how they like their Chipotle burritos.
TJ: Oh, pfffbbt! We rotate between bowls & burritos.

JD: I've been getting tacos lately…

TJ: Don't say that!

JD: White rice!

TJ: Oh, come on!

JD: Black beans… chicken AND steak… all of the meat… usually a little hot salsa, corn, cheese, lettuce, sour cream.

TJ: Okay, I'll go with my burrito. I do go with white rice on the burrito. I do half chicken, half sofritas. Because the sofritas gives you a flavor that no other meat option will give you. Then no beans. I go with the pico. Extra sour cream. Cheese and lettuce. You're welcome.

 

3. How their faith influences their music.
TJ: It's never been Josh & I's goal to stand up on a stage with a microphone and tell people what to believe. That being said, what I do believe is very important to me, and absolutely is going to always be present whenever i create something, whenever I'm working through something. I think what someone believes can define them, even if it's that they don't believe anything, and for me and my faith, it will always be a big part of my music, whether it's directly or indirectly.

 

4. The best concert moment they’ve ever had.
TJ: We've had a lot of weird moments. I had to stop a show one time because I saw a guy punch a girl, so we all collectively all kicked him out of the show. Festivals are fun, cuz you see all kinds of crazy things in the crowd. I remember one time in particular, no one was really watching us onstage, and I don't blame them, because a guy in a gingerbread man costume was being crowd-surfed to the front…

JD: When Tyler knocked Tyler's piano over by jumping over it.

TJ: Say “a bunch of times.”

JD: Because you're punk rock… I never really get anxiety about Tyler climbing on things, until I watched GoPro footage after a show, and for the first time, I was nervous for my bro.

 

5. How they feel when they get the whole “your music saved my life” speech.
TJ: There are artists that I am fans of that have helped me through a lot. And because I know what that feels like, to be on the receiving end of something that someone created, I understand the weight and the importance and the honor in someone saying that our music has helped them in that same way. There's nothing more important in our career than hearing that.

JD: I feel a heavy responsibility to continue not only creating or playing music, but also working on my own life, and trying to be a person that's worthy of somebody looking up to, I guess.

 

6. Their favorite video games.
TJ: Super Smash Brothers Melee for the Gamecube… number one game of all time. MarioKart 64.

JD: I don't really game, so…I did play Zelda for 64, both of 'em. Metal Gear Solid. Tony Hawk games.

TJ: WCW versus NWO for 64.

JD: Lester The Unlikely for Super Nintendo. That game was SO fun.

TJ: Donkey Kong Country for Super Nintendo. Donkey Kong Country 2 and 3.

JD: Bomberman for Super Nintendo.

TJ: NBA Jam.

JD: Frogger!

TJ: Dude, I love Frogger.

JD: It's so good.

 

7. What type of hair dye Josh uses.
TJ: He hasn't found a good brand either, because all of the towels that he uses end up red!

JD: I do it myself. I think it's called Splat. And it's like $12 for a whole entire box of stuff.

TJ: Splat? Sounds like an ol' Nickelodeon…

 

8. Do they miss playing smaller venues?
JD: Oh yeah.

TJ: Yes, absolutely. I think smaller venues – it's more of a controlled environment where Josh and I can address the crowd better, talk to them, even take questions. We used to do that a lot with smaller crowds.

JD: I'd say that every band wants to get to a point where they're playing large venues, but as we do that more and more, I realize how much I miss the personality of small rooms, and more of a connection with the people in them.

 

9. The meaning behind the red armbands they wear.
TJ: The more and more I got to know the character Blurryface, the more I realized that the color blue was not a part of who he was. And because of that, red represents him on this record.

10. The meaning behind the Blurryface cover.
TJ: There are so many layers- both literally and in the meaning of the album cover – that are so important to Josh & I. We've worked very hard on it. We can't wait for you guys to discover it once you get your hands on it. But every element was very thought-through, and very intentional.

 

11. What artists they are currently listening to.
JD: I like the Skrillex and Diplo album.

TJ: I always listen to whatever Death Cab for Cutie puts out.

JD: Cashmere Cat…

TJ: I'm going to say Sigur Ros.

JD: I've been listening to Kishi Bashi. I've been listening to a lot of electronic music. Oh, Madeon!

 

12. “Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?!”
JD: We've asked this question a lot.

TJ: I'm going to go with 100 duck-sized horses. I feel like you could just kick them across a field. I imagine a lot of showdowns going on.

JD: I'll go with the opposite. Because all I have to do is feed it some bread, haahhaaha!

 

13. They’ve bumped into fans in the bathroom.
TJ: Um…I've been trapped in a bathroom a few times. And at that point, you just gotta be like “Thanks for liking my band! I just took a dump!” There are times when Josh will get recognized and i won't, and he'll feel really bad for me, and I LOVE when Josh feels bad for me.

 

14. What the writing process was like for Blurryface.
TJ: This time around, there were a lot more ears and opinions around it. And that can get pretty tough, knowing that there's this expectation of people waiting to hear it, that there are fans & other people who want to support us, whether it's management, label, booking agencies, and there were several moments where we felt overwhelmed. But every time we'd finish a song, the one thing that gave us the confidence that we needed is that Josh & I would ask ourselves the question – do WE like this?

 

15. Will Josh ever be featured vocally?
JD: For rapping… I have really been practicing.

TJ: He's been practicing every night. He's not quite there yet, but maybe with some more work.

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