Trash

Album: Excommunication (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Neon Trees frontman Tyler Glenn came out as gay in March 2014. At the time he was also a practicing Mormon, but his views changed after the church said that they would ban members of the LGBT community.

    Glenn's debut solo single and its accompanying video find him reflecting his conflicted relationship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' and denouncing its restrictive view of same-sex relationships. "It's backwards. It's not of God," he told Rolling Stone of the Mormon Church's stance on gays. "I needed to make this statement to artfully show the pain of a faith crisis and the darkness of doubt, but also that there's ways to reclaim what is yours."
  • Tyler Glenn's Mormon Neon Trees bandmates were offended by the video's sacrilegious usage of Mormon imagery. "I understand that, because they still believe in that," Glenn told ABC Radio. "But I would hope that they recognize that there's context; it's not just some shock-value tantrum."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Amy Lee of Evanescence

Amy Lee of EvanescenceSongwriter Interviews

The Evanescence frontwoman on the songs that have shifted meaning and her foray into kids' music.

Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust

Lajon Witherspoon of SevendustSongwriter Interviews

The Sevendust frontman talks about the group's songwriting process, and how trips to the Murder Bar helped forge their latest album.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.

Don Dokken

Don DokkenSongwriter Interviews

Dokken frontman Don Dokken explains what broke up the band at the height of their success in the late '80s, and talks about the botched surgery that paralyzed his right arm.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.