Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! is the fourth studio album by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco. The album was released on October 8, 2013 on Decaydance and Fueled by Ramen. Recorded as a trio, the album was produced by Butch Walker, and is the only album to feature bassist Dallon Weekes since he officially joined the band in 2010. This was also the final album to feature drummer Spencer Smith, thus making this Panic!'s final album as a rock band, with further releases being made as a solo project fronted by Brendon Urie.
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!
October 8, 2013
November 2012 – March 2013
32:32
Described as a "party record",[1] Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! was preceded by the singles "Miss Jackson" and "This Is Gospel", with "Girls / Girls / Boys" and Nicotine EP following after its release. The album's overall aesthetic is influenced by dance music, electronica and hip hop.
Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, earning the band their second career number two after Pretty. Odd. (2008). The song "Vegas Lights" would later be used as the Vegas Golden Knights' goal song.
Promotion[edit]
In August 2012, the band's last tour cycle, it was announced during a show that a new album was in the works. Soon, pictures of the band busy in the studio were posted on the band's Tumblr, Facebook, and Instagram. On July 15, 2013 the band announced Too Weird To Live, Too Rare to Die! for a release date of October 8 as an addition a new single "Miss Jackson" and music video. On July 18, 2013 a small tour was announced to support the album with New Politics opening for them, starting on August 1, 2013, and ending August 22, 2013. It was also announced that they would go on the Save Rock and Roll tour with Fall Out Boy. In support of the album release, On October 11, 2013, the band played a release show in Las Vegas at the Cosmo Pool. On October 14, 2013, 6 days after the album was released, the band announced a Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! tour, starting on January 14, 2014, and ending on February 16, 2014. The band continued to tour until May 13, 2014, and announced a new tour, titled, The Gospel Tour beginning on July 18, 2014, and ending August 31, 2014.
Artwork[edit]
The album's cover art features a black and white photograph of vocalist and guitarist Brendon Urie smoking a cigarette emitting rainbow-colored fumes. Drummer Spencer Smith and bassist Dallon Weekes appear in photographs within the album's supplemental artwork. Regarding the decision to feature a photograph of himself on the cover, Urie noted, "I love being the center of attention, I'm shameless about it. And being the lead singer, everyone thought it made sense, for me to be front and center. It felt right, since I was so close to these songs."[17] In another interview, Urie said "[the album] really was just about times I had growing up in Vegas. I wanted to create that character. The person I am on the cover is not who I am. Even the smoking cigarettes — I’ve quit since then. But when I was a kid, that was the guy who ran around Vegas and owned it. He had a Liberace jacket and he was smoking a cigarette. He was owning the desert, he didn’t give a fuck, and the smoke was colored — that to me was the quintessential Vegas guy."[18]
Commercial performance[edit]
In the United States, the album made its debut on the Billboard 200 at number 2, on the chart issue dated October 26, 2013, selling 84,000 copies.[19] In its second week of selling, the album fell 17 spots, from number 2, to 19. After 108 weeks of charting on the Billboard 200, the album fell off.[20]
The Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League have used one of the songs from the album, "Vegas Lights," as their goal song since the team's debut in 2017.
Panic! at the Disco
Additional musicians
Recording personnel
Artwork