Lovers and Fighters | Section 22

A man I have found inspiring since childhood is Brendon Urie from the band Panic! At the Disco. He is the only remaining member of the band but continues to release music as Panic!. He joined the band which was founded by his friends while he was still in high school even though he did not have the support of his parents. They kicked him out of the house when he dropped out of school to focus on the band. The first album released after the departure of all other members of the band was written entirely by him and all the instruments were played by him other than the horns. The album was a tribute to him running from instrument to instrument in his garage, trying to figure out songs he’d heard on the radio. One story I find very inspirational is that of the bands first Reading festival. People were not very supportive of the band at first because they did not deem them “punk” enough. Due to this, someone threw a bottle at Brendon’s head, knocking him unconscious. When Brendon woke up he immediately told his band mates to get back on stage and keep performing. This got the band more respect from the punk rock community and their following shows have mostly all been successful. Brendon demonstrates perseverance and dedication and for this I find him inspiring.