Twenty One Pilots aim for global impact

Twenty One Pilots drummer Josh Dun says he and Tyler Joseph’s dream is for their music to resonate across the world.

And he says while performing live is always a challenge, it’s something the duo relish.

Dun tells the Houston Press: “We’ve both always wanted to be a part of something that has some sort of impact on the world.

“There’s a lot of music that doesn’t say or do much. And that’s OK – there’s a time and place for it, and I listen to a lot of it too. But, at the same time, there are people who are looking for something a bit more than that.”

Dun refers to walking on stage as a “battle” but insists it’s an experience he and Joseph always look forward to.

He adds: “I think that the moment when I walk onstage and I don’t feel like there’s anything to overcome, that’s when I might just want to be done.”

He points to their track Trees from 2013’s Vessel as a highpoint in their live set. “By the end, I hope to walk off and have no energy left to give because it’s all been put out there,” he says. “But when that song starts there’s something about it that makes me feel refreshed, and I feel like it’s the beginning of the set again.

“I look at the entire show as this performance that is me and Tyler giving off and sharing with everyone in the room, it’s all of us together. But when I play Trees, that one’s for me. That’s when I internalise everything and use the song as a therapy.”

Twenty One Pilots are currently on tour across the US and return to the UK in February in support of fourth album Blurryface.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald newspapers, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.