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Tyler "Telle" Smith of the Word Alive on staying positive when surrounded by negativity

The Word Alive are currently on the All Stars Tour with a plethora of other top-level metalcore acts trekking across the country. While on the road, frontman Tyler “Telle” Smith will be keeping AP up-to-date on his musings about life.

First off, I have to say thank you for all of the positive responses to my last blog on AP.  I'm very happy to share my thoughts with everyone! 

I'm currently a little more than a week into the All Stars Tour, Suicide Silence, I See Stars, Winds Of Plague, Stick To Your Guns and more. If you've come out already, you know it's been a great time.  We're playing four songs off our new album Life Cycles, and so far the reaction has been great.  Some of the bands on the tour haven't had it easy, and it is a really big bummer to see some of the negativity coming from fans. I understand not every person is going to appreciate or enjoy all 14 bands. However, I think it is strange how freely people hate these days. What is the purpose behind it? Does it make someone feel better about themselves? I'm not totally sure.

Our friends Memphis May Fire have a song called “Generation: Hate” on their new album, and I think that song title describes this new generation very well. Blunt, but appropriate, in my opinion. There's a line that says, “Waste your days complaining,” and realistically, that is what is happening. I hope if you're reading this, [that lyric] it doesn't apply to you. I believe we can change a lot in this world just by standing up against those who think it's cool to be the bully. Those people are the minority, so why not prove that?

In the community of music, I think there are a large amount of bands doing this for the right reasons. They might not play the music you like, dress how you would or believe in the same things you do, but when it comes down to it, we're all human beings. Everyone has feelings, and that is okay. The golden rule applies here: Do to others, as you would have them do to you. I've found that being the bigger person will lead to a lot more positive results.  At the end of the day, most musicians are struggling. They might travel hundreds of miles just to get enough money to get to the next show. If you don't like their music, that is okay. Walk to the back of the room, go for a smoke break or go to the merch table and support a band you do like. 

For me, I feel I can take the criticism pretty well.  People have called me every name in the book, but I learned I'm doing what I love after years of taking things to heart. I'm not afraid to admit that it took me a while to get to this point. Nobody wants to be subjected to hate on a daily basis. One of these days, I hope people realize that there is so much power in positivity. Why bring someone down when you could bring them up or, at the very least, spare them the verbal beat down?

We have a lyric on the title track of our new album that says “I'd rather die for what I believe than live a life without meaning.” I'm talking about stepping up to the plate and living a life worth remembering. I'm talking about being something more than average or taking the easy way out. Look around you and be the change. Look to inspire positivity and there's nothing you can't do. The music industry and the music scene could accomplish so much more if there was a positive unification and mutual respect level.  This needs to start with my fellow musicians and our fans—hopefully then it will spread. 

All I ask is that you look at the bigger picture. Five, 10 or 20 years from now, the positivity you present to others in your life could inspire someone to be their best. We've been blessed with living in a country where we have the freedom to choose the way we act.  Don't waste your life complaining or being full of hate. Show the rest of the world that our music scene can be a powerful asset to the community. Tearing someone else down for doing or saying what they love or believe in doesn't make you a badass.