{"items":["606f6e70e7edf6001570cddb","60677551ae30670015992ce2","6064c27d3d540d0015f3a9e4"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"max","cubeRatio":1.7777777777777777,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":5,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"rotatingScatter":"","chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCropRatios":"","columnWidths":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":true,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":["SHOW_ON_THE_RIGHT","SHOW_BELOW"],"galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"scrollDuration":400,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":26,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":65,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"jsonStyleParams":"","gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":1000,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_12","value":"rgba(153,153,153,0)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","targetItemSize":1000,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|max|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":26,"externalInfoWidth":0.65},"container":{"width":300,"galleryWidth":305,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}
Reflecting on Dance Gavin Dance's Downtown Battle Mountain II

At what point do we become too “cool” to admit our interests? It was March
2011, my first college spring break. I went into my freshman year of college at The
University of the Arts In Philadelphia with my skinny jeans, long hair, vans, v-necks and
blasting Selfish Machines by Pierce The Veil. Within three weeks my mom was cutting
my hair, I was trading in my v-necks for plaid button ups, bought a pair of Clark’s
wallabys and exclusively listened to WHY? The whole “scene” look(if you know, you
know) felt immature and a reminder of who I once was as an awkward, creative teenager
in a rural town. I was in the big city now, I was growing a beard, I was discussing the
likes of Nietzsche, Marks, and Bergman over lattes from expensive coffee shops and
smoking joints with tweezers.
But it was March and I was back home. No one from Philly knew me here. I
knew Dance Gavin Dance, the first “scene” band I’d ever seen live just three years prior
that catapulted my teenage lifestyle and identity were releasing a new album with
ORIGINAL SINGER JONNY CRAIG AND JON MESS. The drama and lore
surrounding this band may’ve proceeded their music at the time and they were working it
to promote Downtown Battle Mountain II. Had they known they would reacquaint with
Jonny Craig four years after kicking him out due to his drug habits and negligence for the
band? Was it all a huge publicity stunt to generate buzz for this album? I had to know.
I put my Slouchy beanie on. My last maroon v-neck, a color of bravery or
something, I thought? My tightest skinny jeans ripping at nearly every seam from all the
beer weight I was putting on. My toms. Those weird, neon orange sunglasses. It felt
like a costume. As if made for a scene kid’s dream, the album was released for the first
week as a Hot Topic exclusive. I was in and out. I threw out the hot topic bag and hid
the cd in my jacket as I retreated to my car. Like a junkie relapsing I tore open the cd and
for dramatic effect lets say I cut my hand and there was blood on my skinnies. Battle
wounds traversing down the mountain.
Listening to the album right now, I remember it was pretty underwhelming. I
didn’t care, it took me to a place of new nostalgia. 11 really well produced, well written
songs that seemed to lack all of the story, the heart, the anticipation, the artistic trauma a
band must feel carrying on without their founding members. Still, I listened to the album
non stop when I was home. I read every lyric in the liner note and blew my voice out
trying to sing and scream the parts. I returned to college on the train and decided against
a cab for my 12 block walk to my dorm. It was drizzling as I walked with my bags,
blasting DTBM 2 and it was perfect.
Less than a year later Jonny Craig would be out of the band again. More drug
problems and later he’d be called out as an abuser by multiple women. Revisiting the
album ten years later as an “adult” I’m realizing how much of a business the music
industry is. It sounded like the band was having fun recording this album but I’m sure
they were having even more fun swimming in the royal oceans of umm, royalties, okay,
that sounded better in my head.
They’ve got a new singer now. Their top five Spotify songs don’t have any from
this era of the band. Same name. Same brand. Basically same sound. They’ve matured
and are arguably making the best music of their career. They’re bigger than anyone
could’ve imagined a band that’s gone through so many lineup changes would be. I just
have to wonder, with everything they knew about him, all of the abuse he’s put people
through, WHY DID THEY GIVE JONNY CRAIG SO MANY CHANCES? I guess we
all learned a little something about being too cool for what we really need to do.