Monday, March 24, 2014
Mormon frontman of Provo band Neon Trees announces he's gay
Posted By Deann Armes on March 24, 2014, 7:33 PM
Neon Trees lead singer, Tyler Glenn, recently disclosed his sexual orientation after a lifetime of living as a closeted gay Mormon in this week's issue of Rolling Stone: "I had my crushes on guys throughout high school, but it was never an overwhelming thing until my 20s," Glenn says. "Then I'd be dating girls and be in love with my best friend and it was the worst feeling in the world."---
In the article, which can be read March 25 at RollingStone.com, Glenn also discusses the reaction from fellow Mormon band members to his coming out, and his conflicted relationship with his conservative religious community. "We were always taught—and I hate this word—'tolerance,'" he tells Rolling Stone about his church's views on homosexuality. "The only time that felt different was when the Prop 8 things came up."
Glenn's experiences living with hidden sexual feelings are chronicled in many of the songs on the alt-rock/pop quartet's upcoming album, Pop Psychology (due out April 22). "Sleeping with a Friend" seems to be one of them:
It's a risk to even fall in love, so when you give that look to me, I better look back carefully, 'cause this is trouble/ I'm scared, but if my heart's gonna break before the night's gonna end, I said ooh, ooh we're in danger/ sleeping with a friend.
A growing surge of public figures coming out of the closet is an inspiration for Glenn. "I really love all the sports figures that are coming out recently," he tells Rolling Stone. "I appreciated how Michael Sam was like, 'I want to be able to go to the movies and hold hands with my boyfriend. Even hearing him say 'boyfriend,' I was just like, that's cool."
The Neon Trees will be returning to Utah for a show at The Complex on June 14.
Photo via Rollingstone.com
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