I think they are trolling as well...but it made me think twice about buying tickets for their upcoming sold-out show in Pittsburgh, PA via StubHub before prices sky-rocket.
I'm pretty sure 2018 will really be the end. They've been saying it since the lyric books first went out. And Jesse said "this isn't going to last much longer." So if this is their last album, 2 years is a normal touring cycle. I can see them just going all out for the next two years with touring and festivals.
I think this would be a level of trolling that would be a bridge much too far, people get mad at bands that go on hiatus for a few years and milk final tours, you can't fake a breakup. That's like the one thing you just don't do.
@owenlongsworth @Jason Tate Brand New has always been the band to do things that would ruin any band, but they always managed to get away with it. It not like Brand New does stuff constantly and a break up would completely change everything. They're so inactive that a break up could be reasoning why they wouldn't release an album for another 7 years. Trolling wasn't the best term because in 2018 they won't write on their Twitter "lol we're not breaking up April Fools," but I don't think its as serious as its being taken.
I've seen Brand New 7 or 8 times now and the one thing that disappoints me is the amount of songs they play. Granted, they do stretch out several of those songs to 6 to 8 minutes, but you'd think at this point they'd be playing 2-hour sets with 20+ songs. I think most times I've seen them, their sets have been about 80 minutes with 15 to 18 songs. Don't see that changing either with the upcoming Modest Mouse tour I'm going to. I'm guessing each band will play 75 to 90 minutes on that tour. (14/15 songs each).
I do think that they're doing this somewhat as a joke as well. I don't know if I'd go as far as trolling though. I think it's IMPOSSIBLE for any band - or any person in any profession - to know how they'll feel about said profession two years from now. I mean, they may release this upcoming album and become the biggest band in the world and they may enjoy that and say 'hey, lets do another one.' And if they hated being a band so much, why wait two years? Just end it now. Basically what I'm trying to say is, who knows what will happen between now and 2018. I think there are a lot of unknowns. That said, the writing has been on the wall since Daisy. I talk about this a lot on this site, but going back to interviews with Jessie since the release of Daisy, he talked about how that may have been their 'last physical release' and didn't know how they'd move forward and whether or not they'd release a full-length again, or just a few songs every now and then. They seemed very tired of being in a band and doing things that were expected of them for being in a band. I think it's clear the band is not their No. 1 priority in life. But to me, it's really impossible for someone to tell 2 years in advance whether or not they're going to be around or not anymore.
The idea of Brand New breaking up makes me sad, but it's been a fun ride. Definitely means I'll be going to both the Dallas and Austin show this year. Gotta get what I can while they're around.
Its the perfect marketing strategy! Damn these guys are great at monetizing their band even though they don't care about monetizing their band.
Hasn't there been speculation that they'd break up when Jesse turns 40 (2018?) for a while now? Sounds tongue in cheek, but I find it funny.
Whoah, so many Australians here! I'm in Melbourne! I saw this on facebook and wondered if the 2018 news has reached this site. Of course it has.
Fair enough. I didn't really follow that whole thing closely. Definitely picked up a Hebrew Natural shirt for myself.
Yeah Dustin basically gave a speech at every show that this wasn't for good, was just an extended break and that Thrice would be back. He even stated it in the Hiatus note when he announced the whole thing.
How very Brand New of them to not only announce a break up two years before they're actually breaking up, but to also do it by selling an "In Memoriam" t-shirt and not releasing any kind of statement.
Someone posted this on Facebook. I thought it was interesting. Referring to the shirt on the left, the letters are Hebrew for the word, Abrahadabra. The numerology of the word is 418, which they mysteriously had labeled on their Leaked Demos album. The word means Beast and appears in a sacred text called The Book of the Law described as the "Great Work Accomplished." My theory is that they are laying 'this beast to rest' (Mene), aka their band. The end of their band in 2018 and all that they have achieved is what I possibly consider to be their 'great work accomplished'.
Makes no difference to me really. To me, they broke up years ago. Looking forward to a new album though.