Twenty One Pilots duo fly high with dynamic electro-punk

Fusing rock, punk, hip-hop, electronica and piano, Twenty One Pilots have created a niche for themselves.

Some call it punk-rap, others have ventured at piano-rock, but duo Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun have their own nifty label. “It’s electro-dance-tronica,” smiles Josh.

Straight outta Columbus, Ohio, the bass-loving ‘Buckeyes’ (as Ohio residents are known) have acquired cult status for their dynamic shows – and their penchant for hiding their identity. Both men regularly sport masks or balaclavas on stage. “The shroud of mystery has always been appealing to us,” says Josh. “My favourite is the alien mask.”

This coming week, the pair start their first ever UK tour to showcase songs from their third album Vessels – their first for the influential Fueled by Ramen label. The nine-date tour, which follow an impressive performance at last year’s Reading Festival, sees them pitch up at the O2 Academy Oxford on Tuesday.

So, leaving the tricky issue of genre aside, who and what are Twenty One Pilots?

“We are just two dudes who love Levi 510s and Redbull,” says Josh. “I play the drums – and games on my phone – and whine about food. And Tyler does the same thing.

“We met through friends, then became mega friends ourselves.”

Starting off as a three piece, consisting of Tyler and college friends Nick Thomas and Chris Sali, the band took their name from the Arthur Miller play All My Sons – which tells the story of a businessman who caused the death of 21 pilots during the Second World War by selling faulty plane parts.

The band self-released their eponymous debut in 2009.

When Nick and Chris left two years later, Josh was enlisted, and the three-piece became a duo – releasing their second album, Regional at Best, the same year.

“Self-releasing is the way to go,” says Josh. “It gives you the most creative flexibility.”

So how has the band changed since Nick and Chris left? “It just got better,” he says, perhaps predictably.

He is right though. Musically they have flourished, with songs spanning the sonic gamut. “We play a little bit of everything you might find on your iPod,” says Josh. “I don’t think there are a lot of bands who can play a hardcore show one night or a hip-hop show the next night and know that it will work.”

At the heart of it all though is the killer, if unusual, combination of drums and piano. “We are really enjoying experimenting with this combination right now,” he says. “But it still all starts with a drum beat.”

Admitting they started off by “sleeping in the van at truck stops”, life has become a whole lot more comfortable since signing to a major label. Josh says they are enjoying the opportunity to tour – and to “chill really hard” afterwards.

The strength of their appeal lies in their dynamic live shows.

“Every show, we play our hearts out because, where we come from, you have to grab people’s attention and make sure that they never forget you,” says Tyler. “In our case we were able to build up a fan base – one that walked with us – to grab the attention of the music industry outside of our hometown. This eventually opened up the doors that have led to so many opportunities to take our music around the world on what is an amazing journey.

“To our fans we say ‘we never got our big break, you created our big break. Thank you.’”

Josh agrees. “We want our fans to leave all of their problems at the door and immerse themselves in the music when we perform live,” he says. “In the end it’s a giant release for everybody.”

Have they ever suffered any injuries as a result of their dynamic stagecraft? “Nope, just sore ankles,” says Josh who urged fans to psyche themselves up for their show by drinking Red Bull.

So, with a label deal, new album and tour under their belts, what comes next for this DIY duo? Do they have any particular ambitions? “Yes,” says Josh. “To be good boys... and grow to be good men!”

CHECK IT OUT
Twenty One Pilots play the O2 Academy Oxford on Tuesday.
Tickets are £10 from ticketweb.co.uk