Anthology

Listening: Major/Minor by Thrice.

*Editor’s note: it’s been a significant amount of time since my last post. Those close to me understand why I haven’t had the urge to write recently. The subject of this post is about one of the only topics that I could sink my teeth into, as you’ll soon see (that is, if you get through the whole thing). So thanks go out to Thrice, as well as Ray Kurzweil, who I am currently reading, for getting me back in the game.

With the passing of the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, and the subsequent social media eruption of “where you were/what you were doing/who you were with”[1] when it happened consisting of statuses and posts and tweets, another event recently transpired that had me thinking “Where was I?” My favorite band ever[2], Thrice, released their 8th studio album, Major/Minor, yesterday. I’ll get onto the album and all its awesomeness soon enough, but the purpose of the segue was to explain exactly where I was, both literally and personally, the first time I heard what would be my favorite, as well as one of the most underrated bands of all time. It was freshman year of high school, and a young, 14 year-old punk rocker who refused to take the bus was getting a ride home from my good friend Jay Schwartz at the time. I believe another buddy in my grade, who shares the same birthday as me (which is today; Happy Birthday Dave!) was also in the car. At the time, I’m fairly certain the goings on in my CD player consisted nothing more than the early NoFX CDs, Bouncing Souls Self Titled album [3], maybe Youth of Today, and a slew of local bands the likes of Death B4 Disco, Lint, Worthless, and Jay’s band Almost Brave (which was a tape). I got in his car, and on the way home I heard what I knew to be the next band I’d look into, but not what I’d stay into for more than a decade. He had just gotten Identity Crisis. How so many people in New Jersey caught wind of a release from a largely unknown SoCal band still mystifies me to this day; but I’m thankful for it.

I caught a grilling from both Jay and Dave for never even hearing of Thrice. If I had to guess, I pulled the old “I’ve heard of them, but never actually heard their stuff” trick, to not let me punk cred drop too low. Jay was quick to rectify this, assuring me that, Steve, you are going to love this band.[4] He started the CD, and the opener sounded cool enough; raw, good riffs, lyrics that made you actually think, and an ending that kept you on your toes. Then Phoenix Ignition came on, and it seemed like Jay put the pedal to the metal right as it started to pick up, because I was blown away. At the time, that was what I needed; a band that could do it all, even on their debut CD[5]. A band as heavy as they were melodic; as angry as they were gentle. A band that would play a show where people would kill each other in the pit, and then donate their proceeds to charity. I can’t remember if I made Jay let me borrow his CD to burn, but I ended up buying it soon enough anyway (which is ironic, thinking about the Major/Minor release), but I know that it couldn’t have been more than a day or two before I owned Identity Crisis. Fast forward 13 years, and I still get as excited as when an album drops as that day; a fact that has everything to do with their next release.

When ranking my favorite albums of all time, Illusion of Safety gets the #1 nod every time. Dark Side of the Moon, Exodus, The Opposite of December, and the Souls S/T CD all make the list, sometimes in different succession, but Illusion always takes the cake. By the time it came out I was a junior or senior. Needless to say, in the circles I hung out with, this was an insanely anticipated release. Everyone got their albums at different times, and the ones who got it first were sure to fill the late-comers in on what exactly they were missing. At the time of THIS release, things like Poison the Well, Red Roses for a Blue Lady, Boysetsfire, Killswitch Engage and Throwdown, etc were in my repertoire. They all knelt before the almighty Illusion. From beginning to end, the CD is perfect. To this day, I never skip a song when I listen to it. They amped up the heaviness, amped up the energy, and amped up their talent level. The outcome was song after song (hit after hit, as far as I’m concerned) that would either kick your ass or nod your head for you. They went from A Subtle Dagger to See You In The Shallows, then back to The Red Death. They went from Trust to To Awake and Avenge the Dead, then into So Strange I Remember You. If you know these songs, you know the contrast. Yet the album didn’t seem to jump around; it was all perfectly placed[6], perfectly timed, and perfectly executed. It probably only took a couple months for The Beltsville Crucible to start scratching on the disc, because when the CD was finished I’d just push next to start it over. And over. And over.

I remember they did a tour for that album. I wish I remembered more of that show, and I WISH I could find the set list; it’s probably a Thrice purist’s wet dream with Identity and Illusion all over it. Maybe Send Me an Angel or something was thrown in there, too. All I remember is me and my friends leaving Birch Hill (RIP) saying it was one of the best we’d ever seen, and we couldn’t wait for the new album to come out. Thrice’s schedule is usually an album every 2 years, so it would appear that I’d have to wait to go to college for them to release their 3rd album. This is the part of the story where half the fans get mad at me. But this is how it went down.

I’m not sure anything the band put out after Illusion of Safety would have lived up to the hype surrounding it in my head. They had sent one out of the park, and were now 2 for 2 on great albums. I expected way too much, and way too similar to Illusion for my own good. This is some serious foreshadowing for how they would treat each release in their catalog, but at the time, I took The Artist in the Ambulance as a slap in the face. First, my context: I was probably spinning the likes of Norma Jean, Evergreen Terrace, and Unearth freshman year of college. I leaned heavier and heavier, which made the release of Artist resonate less and less. Second, their context: they had just released the album of a lifetime on SubCity, it got rave review after rave review, and they switched labels to Island. Island was bigger. Island bands got played on the radio. Island bands couldn’t go that heavy, as far as I understood; and Artist didn’t do anything to convince me otherwise.[7] The songs all had structure, and the structure was pretty similar throughout. At the time, I couldn’t conceivably accept this release to follow up an album that ultimately changed my life. It had its bright spots, but as a whole I couldn’t get into it. When talking with my friends on the matter, the highest marks it got was somewhere in the “I like it… It’s not Illusion, but it’s pretty good.” I wasn’t buying it. I started hearing All That’s Left on the radio. Stare at the Sun was in karaoke books. I was convinced they sold out. Label change + radio play + heavy mindset at the time = my loyalty to Thrice was dwindling. To this day I still cringe a bit when someone says that Artist is their favorite album, or that it’s the album that introduced them to Thrice, or that Stare at the Sun is their favorite song. We’d always have Identity and Illusion, but nothing could change my mind from the fact that they had lost their way. I moved on, with my music preference getting a little heavier on the spectrum before calming down some end of sophomore/beginning of junior year.[8] I’d still constantly listen to Illusion, but refused to give Artist my time of day. I’m not even sure if I saw them on the supporting tour for it; the fact that I’m not sure makes me think that I probably didn’t.

You would think with me calming down in the music selection a bit, and things like Jack Johnson, OAR, Sublime and 311 (being re-introduced to both; had the Blue Album in 6th grade), that Vheissu would have been a warm welcome to my ears. They made an album with some heavy songs (The Earth Will Shake; arguably their best live song), some soft, experimental songs (Atlantic, and Red Sky, which at one point was the only song I’d heard off the album), and just some good rock songs like Of Dust and Nations. I was still bitter about Artist, and hearing Vheissu, when I eventually gave it a listen, was just further confirmation that they grew away from how I knew them/what I perceived them to be good at(shows how much I knew; obviously they’re good at everything). Sort of the way Eighteen Visions deteriorated from Until the Ink Runs Out to Obsession. Too far gone to make it work; not interested. I was at a Warped Tour one year and they happened to be playing and I had no idea; I was so far away from the stage, and because the song didn’t sound ANYTHING like when I had last seen them, that when I found out it was them, the set was over. I chalked it up to a loss. The reviews on Vheissu were good/better (not that I have ever really listen to reviews), but the word amongst most of my friends was that it was good. I guess time flew after that, because the next thing I knew, they had some NEW project they were working on; some sort of 4-element concept double-album. Now I knew they had totally lost it.

Then I heard The Alchemy Index; or, as I refer to it: the grappling point. I had built up so much speed going past the mark of their sound, that when I finally did get pulled back in, it was twice as fast. I listened to the Fire and Water discs over and over and over and over and over again. Each song was better than the last, and each album was better than the last. Fire and Water came out in October of 2007 I believe, and even the wait from then until April 2008 (when Air and Earth came out) seemed like an eternity. Fire had a sound and a genre of rock that I was desperately looking for at 23 and working; not hardcore, but not pop either, just some heavy rock songs, good riffs, interesting lyrics, and of course killer drums.[9] Firebreather is an awesome opener (I wish they would open with it more in the live show instead of All the World is Mad to be honest; or even better, The Lion and the Wolf into Firebreather like on the DVD), and The Messenger is too short for how awesome it is. The Water disc, for all intents and purposes, I owe for not only turning me back into a whole-hearted Thrice fan, but also making me give the two previous albums one more shot. When I first heard all the songs, I thought for sure that Digital Sea and Open Water were the best (or, my favorites). The more I listened, the more I realized the heart of that album lies in Lost Continent, Night Diving, and The Whaler (I’d LOVE to see any of those live; especially Lost Continent. So glad they put it in The MySpace Transmissions.). I would leave Water on repeat for long drives, much like I would have for Illusion. The way each song’s sound and lyrical content captured the albums elements is just proof that even when put in separate rooms to make music as a whole, these guys are on point with each other. I think, overall, with the consideration of Major/Minor (and Illusion), that The Alchemy Index stuff is their strongest music, and a good indicator that they can really do whatever they want and it will still sound amazing. The release of Air and Earth didn’t do anything to refute that.

The first thing that stuck out to me when hearing both Air and Earth was Daedalus. One of my favorites. Dustin is so intrigued by this story, and his ability to look at it from both points of view, as well as write two kick ass songs about it, seriously baffles me (how awesome would Daedalus into Melting Point of Wax be live?). The entire Air album is incredible; A Song for Milly Michaelson is so perfect, even their live rendering of it came out great. It also has the best of the four sonnets (Silver Wings); or at least a tie with Child of Dust. Earth is piano heavy, which I will never complain about. Teppei is nothing short of a prodigy at this point with his ear for music. Every song on that one is amazing as well; and that sealed it. This band put out 24 new songs within 7 months of each other. Read that sentence over again. And they ALL rocked. Some bands wait 3 years to put out one 10 song album that sucks. With my pretentious fit over, and a brand new understanding for the band, I went back and gave both Artist and Vheissu some more shots to impress. And slowly but surely, each did in its own way. The live show was better than ever, they had a sick DVD that looked like a CRAZY show to be at, and the rumblings of a new album were fresh in our minds; anticipation for Beggars was back at a high level.

Aaannnddd it leaked early. Way too early. Watermark/sound bite early. Embarrassingly early, unfortunately. The statement they put out was so pure, gracious, and humble, but you could tell they were bummed. I downloaded the leak not because I intended to distribute it, but because I was so amazingly impatient to hear the record.[10] When it comes to Thrice, not buying the album is not an option. I want to hear it as early as possible, and this is the world we live in now. I’m sure they’d rather I didn’t; for that, I apologize. I make up for it by constantly spreading the music to new people, seeing 2 shows a tour minimum (without screaming things like “A TORCH TO END ALL TORCHES!!!”), and buying every album they release. That being said, Beggars didn’t blow me away. It kept me interested, for sure; it has some great songs (In Exile, Doublespeak), some soft ones that are great to chill to (Circles, Wood & Wire), and was very stripped down and honest. I understand the want to put out that record for them. As much as I love the Alchemy stuff, that seems to be their tipping point as far as how experimental they wanted to go. They proved they could do it, and now wanted to get back to how they started writing music; the four of them in a room jamming. Beggars isn’t all that high on my favorite albums list, but that’s like saying you’re last place at the Olympics; you’re still an Olympic athlete. That being said, the supporting tour for Beggars was incredible; I saw them three times, and as usual, the Irving Plaza, NY show was the best of the three.

This brings us to Major/Minor. The reviews are in, and no one can say enough about this album. Beginning to end it has that sound that just exhumes progression. The songs bounce from style to style in such a flow that I’m not sure they’ve had before. It’s not overly heavy, but not menacingly sappy either. For me, it has some slow, lower parts to get through, such as Blur or Listen Through Me, but you’re never more than one song removed from a moving, soaring epic that you can feel pride seeping out of. Words in the Water is my favorite track on the album; I’m glad they chose that one to go over 6 minutes on. The imagery of Dustin’s lyrics combined with the emotion and pace of the music is just mind-blowing. Anthology is next; who can argue that? It stands as a testament to their catalog, the meaning of their music to themselves, their families, and their fans. Blinded is #3 as of now; this one hits close to home for personal reasons (as in why I haven’t posted since April). Beautiful tones, a chorus that grips you in, and a great message to boot; I wish that one was longer. The next set includes Yellow Belly, Promises, and Disarmed; and I assume if I listen to it enough, Call it in the Air will make it in there as well.

I have yet to hear one person say something bad about Major/Minor. Is this because not many have heard it yet who aren’t fans? Is it because I only talk to people about it who are fans? Is it because the album is literally too factually good to even be spoken about negatively? All of these things are possible, and a combination of all three is possible, too. It’s tough to try to explain how good Thrice is (re: how much you like them) to someone who isn’t familiar with them. It’s even harder to explain it when that person IS familiar with them, but only on a small scale (such as, “Yeah, I remember Artist, but not much since then,” or “I wish they’d play Deadbolt live more”). The truth is, the VAST majority of Thrice’s loyal army of fans grew up with the band; their taste of music changed with Thrice’s want of a different sound with each subsequent record. It’s not like these loyal fans have some expectation or new sound of music that they’re hoping the band writes on their next album; it’s actually the exact opposite. The band decides what good music is by writing it. Their taste in music, their writing dictates what the next style of music is that their fans (and really, fans of any music, if they’re smart) are going to enjoy hearing. They write it for themselves, and somehow it resonates time and time again with more and more people. And that’s just the music aspect of the band. Theoretically, the music is all an artist should be judged by. But Thrice fans know that there are the intangibles about the band that move them into another stratosphere of not only musicians, but individual people you can be proud of supporting.

The recent article from OC weekly puts this phenomenon pretty well. Thrice is a band in the truest sense of the word. There has never been any ego problems or internal conflicts; “creative differences.” Hell, there has never even been a lineup change. It’s always just been the four of them, and it’s always been about putting out the best music possible that the four of them could come up with. I can only remember once that they even finished a tour or played a show with one of the four not able to make it (anyone want to refute me on that? I’d love to be wrong here…); if one can’t play, they all can’t play. Tour cancelled; family, health, etc are more important. And the fans will understand each and every time, because they know that loyalty is a two way street.  They (Dustin) have rarely, if ever cursed on record; he sings about wholeness, that path to being a better person, world problems as he sees them, and his stance on them. As a fan, you don’t always have to agree with it (personally, I’m not a religious person by any means; but I respect religion’s place in peoples’ lives, especially when it can inspire such creativity, as it has in Dustin and Teppei[11]), but you get the feeling that they just know more than you, more about you, than you could yourself, and they’re giving you the clues right in the music to find out. What is it about this band, this album, this song, this lyric that I like? Why do I like it? These are questions you don’t have to ask yourself when Hinder comes on the radio, or if you hear the new Ke$ha single. There is no humility in music anymore; no humble beginnings, thankful to be where you’re at, grateful for everything already achieved. These are the things that my, and many others’, favorite band brings to the table with every show, every album, every site post that they create. As Dustin put it in the Red Bull stream, there is a two-way trust between the fans and the band; the band will make the most honest music to them, despite what’s wanted to be made, and the fans will listen with open ears, and usually get behind it full force. Thrice fans are spoiled by every aspect of their existence…

…which is precisely why the end of that OC Weekly article haunted me so much. The article has quotes of some big shots in the punk music scene saying how devastating it would be to the “community” (punk, indie, music as a whole?) if Thrice decided to disband, take a break, what have you. Odds are if you made it this far into this post, you would be too. For some, they’re the only thing you can get behind; the only band you can share without any hesitation, or “buts” involved; no explanation necessary. It’s hard to explain to someone exactly what Thrice is; it’d be that much harder to explain to someone what Thrice was. Imagine no new record; no more touring. It’s going to happen at some point, that’s a certainty. I think the fans are just hoping it’s not now; after arguably their best album to date. Ending on a high note is common in the entertainment industry, but you can’t help but wonder if Dustin, Teppei, Riley and Ed could really call it quits after being so high on this latest album release. A hiatus I could see; although I don’t want to. All I know is I’ve got my tickets for 2 shows on the upcoming tour, and am contemplating getting a third (based on availability with my work schedule and their set lists of the earlier shows). The truth is, they’ve earned the right to do whatever it is they wish, and have always been honest with their fan base. On top of putting out 8 pretty good – outstanding albums, what more could we as their loyal, “super-fan” base can we ask for?

Besides A Torch to End All Torches live…

RANKINGS
I’m somewhat of a nerd when it comes to things that I either enjoy greatly or know a lot about. Things that come to mind are fantasy football, snowboarding, hockey, and Thrice, to name a few. I’ve always wanted to list this out for myself, to see if I could. It requires decision-making and taking a stance. So, listed below, in order of my favorite to least favorite, is every Thrice album, ordered by favorite song to least favorite song per album (with song # in parenthesis). Yes, seriously. B-Sides will be excluded, as not only do they not count as an album, but the only one really high ranked is That Hideous Strength (and if you want to count The Beatles covers, those, too). Oh, and the Alchemy stuff is by disc, not album, even though I count the entire series as 2 albums.

Illusion of Safety
My favorite album ever. Nostalgia is the deciding factor here I think; when it came out, it was exactly what I was looking for. I can’t believe Jason Tate says he doesn’t listen to this anymore. Almost every fan I know wishes they would play more from this album live; I would easily take a show without Deadbolt if they’d throw in So Strange I Remember You and The Red Death.

So Strange I Remember You (12)

To Awake and Avenge the Dead (11)

Deadbolt (5)

Kill Me Quickly (1)

See You In The Shallows (3)

The Red Death (7)

A Subtle Dagger (2)

In Years to Come (6)

Where Idols Once Stood (9)

Betrayal is a Symptom (4)

A Living Dance Upon Dead Minds (8)

Trust (10)

The Beltsville Crucible (13)

Alchemy – Water
This one was the only CD in my car for months on end; and that was perfectly fine with me. The flow (pun intended) is astounding;

Lost Continent (3)

The Whaler (5)

Night Diving (4)

Open Water (2)

Digital Sea (1)

Kings Upon the Main (6)

Alchemy – Air
This album is seriously underrated. Every song is great. I think this one was the biggest indicator of where they were heading next; even though Beggars is a little closer to Earth.

Daedalus (4)

A Song for Milly Michaelson (3)

Broken Lungs (1)

The Sky is Falling (2)

Silver Wings (6)

As the Crow Flies (5; this is my least favorite on this album, and I love this song)

Major/Minor
Talent exemplified about as well as it can be, this album is just growth stacked on growth. You can feel the emotion throughout, signifying that they really did write this record despite all the hardships they were going through. The result is one of their best-reviewed and strongest albums yet, despite any semblance of heaviness. The old Thrice fan in me would have never thought I’d say that.

Words in the Water (8)

Anthology (10)

Blinded (3)

Disarmed (11)

Yellow Belly (1)

Promises (2)

Call It In The Air (5)

Treading Paper (6)

Cataracts (4)

Listen Through Me (9)

Blur (7)

Alchemy – Earth
Stripped down with nothing but acoustic instruments and a mic in a hardwood-floored room, Earth is the proof that no one needed that they can really do anything they put their minds to.

The Lion and The Wolf (4)

Moving Mountains (1)

Digging My Own Grave (2)

Child of Dust (6)

Come All You Weary (5)

The Earth Isn’t Humming (3)

Alchemy – Fire
Why can’t more bands put out rock songs like these? Heavy in their own right, but not veering far from the path, as well as totally capturing a fiery feel. I love this record.

Firebreather (1)

The Messenger (2)

Burn the Fleet (5)

The Arsonist (4)

Backdraft (3)

The Flame Deluge (6)

Identity Crisis
The one that started it all. This one, I have to rant about a little bit. The band as a whole has seemed to shun this album from their memories (until recently, when they played Identity Crisis on it’s 10th anniversary). Besides that, they refuse to play any of this album live. I understand they wrote it when they were very young, and they might not think that the songs are indicative of the type of band they are now, but to distance yourself from your past instead of embracing it doesn’t sit right with me. It’s not just the fact that I love most of the songs on this album; it’s moreso thinking about where the band would be if this album never happened. Unfathomable to think about. No matter when they wrote it, some of these songs are seriously great songs, and I’m hoping that on this tour at least one squeezes its way into the set list (though I won’t hold my breath), including my favorite Thrice song of all time…

A Torch to End All Torches (8)

Phoenix Ignition (2)

As the Ruin Falls (6)

In Your Hands (3)

To What End (4)

Identity Crisis (1)

Ultra Blue (5)

Madman (11)

Under Par (12)

T&C (10)

Unquestioned Answers (9)

The Next Day (7)

Vheissu
At first listen this album didn’t do it for me, but after hammering it home time and time again, it’s a really good collection. Not to mention, it’s the perfect bridge from Artist to Alchemy, so I can’t hate it that much. I guess Dave Schiffman really knows what he’s doing.

The Earth Will Shake (3)

Of Dust and Nations (9)

Between the End and Where We Lie (2)

Atlantic (4)

Image of the Invisible (1)

Red Sky (11)

Music Box (7)

Like Moths to Flame (8)

For Miles (5)

Hold Fast Hope (6)

Stand and Feel Your Worth (10)

Beggars
I wish I liked this album more. I respect it, but it just doesn’t live up to the other stuff for me. It’s a combination of really good songs, but few great (re: my favorite) ones. That’s the best way I can describe it I think.

In Exile (5)

Doublespeak (4)

Wood & Wire (7)

All the World is Mad (1)

The Weight (2)

Circles (3)

The Great Exchange (9)

Beggars (10)

Talking Through Glass (8)

At the Last (6)

The Artist in the Ambulance
My least favorite record by them. I’ve explained it. I should mention, however, the reason the title track is so high is because the live version is all I’m worried about. They sped it up, which it definitely needed. If it wasn’t for the album version, there’d be no live version.

Silhouette (4)

The Artist in the Ambulance (10; live version)

The Melting Point of Wax (8)

Paper Tigers (6)

Under a Killing Moon (2)

Hoods on Peregrine (7)

Cold Cash and Colder Hearts (1)

Don’t Tell and We Won’t Ask (12)

The Abolition of Man (11)

Blood Clots and Black Holes (9)

All That’s Left (3)

Stare at the Sun (5)

Footnotes:

1. I was a senior in high school in my second period foods class when the principle came on the loudspeaker and said a plane hit Tower One. Next period, third period Psychology class, she came on and said the other plane hit Tower Two.

2. I always used to say that Pink Floyd was my favorite band of all time, but since seeing them live is pretty much an impossibility now, and with the release of Major/Minor, they have been overthrown. Thrice fo’ life. Funny enough on the live stream today Dustin said he was never that big of a fan of Floyd. That was a bit disappointing. You don’t need to trip to enjoy it Dustin! It helps though…

3. I actually saw the Souls play both Maniacal Laughter and their Self-Titled albums (as well as The Good, The Bad, and the Argyle and Hopeless Romantic) live earlier this year on their For All The Unheard tour. They’ve still got it despite getting up there. I still listen to Self-Titled a good amount.

4. I can’t thank my buddy Jay enough, to this day I still respect his opinion, not only on music, but as a person in general. Great, funny guy. But most Thrice fans are. Even that Benji guy on the forum.

5. I guess I should say something about First Impressions. I feel like first impressions is the album Thrice should treat like they treat Identity Crisis. However, All Eyes and Better Days are still good songs; I’d be interested to see them play one of those, too. But now I know I’m pushing it.

6. I do remember everyone saying when Illusion came out that TAAATD should have definitely been the last song on the album instead of The Beltsville Crucible. It’s not a bad thought.

7. When I look back on Artist now, I can’t help but think that they knew what they were doing too. Sure, it wasn’t Illusion, and it had the radio songs that they were trying to implement. I get the idea that, if this is your livelihood, if this is how you’re making your money, you need to try to maximize that. They never veered too far, though, and I see that now. They put All That’s Left in between Under A Killing Moon and Silhouette. They put Stare At The Sun between Silhouette and Paper Tigers. To me, these stood as messages to the fans that they recognized this aspect of these songs and surrounded them with heavy songs. The radio could get the scraps; if you had the album, you got the meat and potatoes.

8. Probably around the time that everyone’s favorite little green plant was introduced into my life.

9. I need to say something about Riley. With all the praise he’s getting for Major/Minor, I feel like everyone is stealing the thunder that I’ve been saying since at least the first Alchemy Index album came out; if not all the way from Illusion. Riley is an INSANELY talented drummer. For someone who started playing the drums senior year in high school, his timing is unbelievable, and the stuff that he writes just gets better and better. It’s easy for drummers to play it safe with beats and let the music ride over them; it’s another thing to interact with the rhythm as well as he does (they say the relationship between a bassist and drummer is key; good thing Ed found someone who he understands just a bit more than most). He is constantly pushing himself to be more technical, ever improving. My favorites by him include The Sky is Falling, Where Idols Once Stood, Broken Lungs, Between the End and Where We Lie, Doublespeak, and Yellow Belly; but really, he owns on all songs. Easily one of the most underrated drummers out there. And he’s also pretty funny, as well as a good writer. Follow him here: http://hermitology.com/.

10. I wish I could convey how unlike me it is to be impatient. I consider myself a VERY patient person, and most people who know me I would hope would agree. My last name literally translates into patience, or “to wait.” Any other aspect of life and I can wait as long as it takes; when a Thrice album is coming out, get the fuck out of my way.

11. Now, I have to say something about Teppei. Teppei Teranishi is a straight up BEAST. The music he writes is just flawless. From Identity Crisis to Major/Minor, his riff game is a step above anyone else I’ve heard this side of Slash. He just has that ear for scales that he can ride up and down, constantly writing new, catchy, emotional material. He has the most to do with my liking of the band, as obviously the stuff that he writes catches my ear just right. He can do no wrong. Follow him here: http://newgrass.wordpress.com/.