In an act of self-preservation, Jon posted the following message on twitter hours after the Young Veins’ AP interview in which he verbally attacks Brendon and Spencer was published online.

Regarding the AP interveiw: I regret being slanderous and disrespectful. They are creative guys and great musicians. Its time to move on..

Alternative Press interviewed Ryan and Jon for what was mostly an article about Panic! and their reasons for deciding to quit the band. Read: Part 1 – Part 2. Credit goes to stretchmybones @ LJ.

Comments have been disabled for obvious reasons, unfortunately there will be people unable to discuss this without bashing or fighting to prove one is better than the other.

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At this point I’m just glad at least Ryan acknowledges just because they chose to leave doesn’t mean Brendon and Spencer should have too because of it. It’s really sad to see things have come to this.

[...] Hearing Ross speak so highly of his new band makes one wonder how things are personally with his previous bandmates. Singer Brendan Urie and drummer Spencer Smith are currently compiling their third effort under the Panic banner. Ross says he hasn’t spoken much to either since his and Walker’s departure.

“For a while everyone was being polite — ‘Yeah, we’re still friends,’ or whatever — and I guess we still are. But I haven’t talked to them in a really long time. You’re in something for that long with somebody and it’s just gone the next day. I feel like we just need some time for everyone to, like, cool out.”

Whether they manage to reconnect as friends or ever reunite (Bamboozle 2016, perhaps?), Ross says he, Walker and the rest of the Young Veins simply want to focus on their new venture. — Register

From MySpace…

Hey everybody,

I’m sure you guys all know, but The Young Veins released their album, Take A Vacation today. It’s a great summer listen, so do yourself a favor and pick up a copy. We wish those guys the best!

Brendon and Spencer

Ryan Ross and Jon Walker have joined together to form The Young Veins after both of them quit their former band, Panic at the Disco, in July of last year. Despite the fact that the new band features half of Panic’s old lineup, the music from The Young Veins has an entirely different feel.

Compared to the old days, both Ross and Walker now play lead guitar and sing lead vocals. The pair has become quite a well-oiled, songwriting machine as well. To the lineup, they have added Andy Soukal on bass, Nick White on keyboards, and Nick Murray on drums. You can hear for yourself just how this musical adventure sounds on June 8 when their album, “Take a Vacation!” is finally released. I had a lovely conversation with Jon Walker about why Panic really split up, what it’s like going back to square one, and why he and Ross have never been happier.

According to many interviews in late 2008 and early 2009, Panic! at the Disco’s third studio release was the most anticipated. The four of you seemed like you were excited to embrace new ideas and work together. Cue to summer 2009 and Panic was splitting up due to “creative differences.” Was that completely the issue or was there something that broke the camels back? I mean, you all seemed to be really good friends and were working well together.

We were, and really that is what it was. It was creative differences. To elaborate on it, me and Ryan were really excited to work on new stuff, and we were working on new stuff. The majority of the album was written while we were still in Panic touring with them. So, it was more along the lines of feeling like we were doing something that was ours and not having much motivation or contribution from the other side.

It was a really hard decision too because, you’re right, we were really close and we had a good thing going. [It was hard] having to walk away from Pretty. Odd. [Panic’s second album] which was the album I was part of (and even more so for Ryan with both of the albums, he had a big part in writing). With all that going on, I think at the end of it we just realized that our excitement kept growing between us, and it just felt like the right thing to do. It was a really daunting decision to leave all that behind because of such a silly concept as creative differences. It really was disabling for us as a band to continue doing anything that was organic and real. Read the full article »

Former Panic At The Disco member Ryan Ross has admitted that quitting the band felt like “breaking up with a girlfriend”.  The guitarist, who left the group with ex-bassist Jon Walker to form last July, told NME that he walked out on the Las Vegas four-piece because he didn’t enjoy playing anymore.

“Jon and I just realised that we were never going to be happy being in that band because of certain compromises that we had to keep making,” he explained. “When we were writing for Panic whether we knew it or not, having that name over the songs we were trying to do made me second guess things and change things. I started to go against my instincts.

“To most people it would seem a crazy thing to do,” he continued. “But we were just incapable of faking it. We realised what was more important was writing songs and music that we absolutely believe in.”

The pair quit the band after Panic At The Disco released and toured second album ’Pretty. Odd’. Ross said the duo have rarely spoken to the remaining members, Brendan Urie and Spencer Smith, since the split.

“It’s been nearly a year now and it’s a tough thing when you’re in touch with people that long,” he said. “I can see us being friends in the future but it’s going to take some time for everyone to get over it. It’s like when you break up with your girlfriend after five years it’s not like the next day you’re best friends with them again, is it?”

Ross also admitted that he was surprised when the remaining members carried on as Panic At The Disco despite their departure.

“When we split I didn’t think anyone was going to take the name,” he said. “I was shocked at the time but I understand it a bit more now because those guys are having a blast being in that band. I couldn’t expect everybody not to be having as much fun.” Read the full article »

Ryan Ross may be the singer of a new band on an indie label, but the 23-year-old is hardly a music industry neophyte. The leader of five-piece rock outfit the Young Veins still spends a lot of time fielding questions about his former band, Panic! at the Disco.

“I’ve talked a good amount about Panic!, but that’s because there hadn’t been much else going on with us until now,” says Ross, whose new group with Panic! guitarist Jon Walker will release its debut album, “Take a Vacation!,” June 8 on One Haven Music. “Hopefully once people hear the album and see us perform, those questions will sort of die down.”

As the main songwriter and guitarist of Las Vegas pop-rock act Panic!, Ross guided its debut album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out,” to platinum sales in 2006. After follow-up “Pretty. Odd.” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in 2008 and the band wrapped up a world tour, Ross realized the group would never be the best outlet for his offbeat songwriting style.

“I just couldn’t keep on trying to please people. It was hindering my creative output, and I had to be honest with myself,” Ross says. He and Walker amicably split from the band last July, then moved to California and began writing songs together. Read the full article »

Ryan Ross briefly discusses the split from Panic! in the latest issue of UK’s Kerrang! magazine. Credit to straight7up @ LJ.

[...] Ryan is also keen to point out that he and Jon are still good friends with their former Panic! bandmates, frontman Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith.

“We just had different opinions on how we wanted to do things, which unfortunately weren’t things which we could change,” he says of the split. “I think different musical tastes had a lot to do with it.

“When you’ve been part of something for so long it can be acrimonious, but Jon and I don’t wish any ill will toward those guys,” Ryan adds. “We’re just happy to be playing music we love.”

From MySpace/Facebook/Newsletter…

The Young Veins Pre-Order

I’m sure you already know, but Ryan and Jon are putting out The Young Veins album “Take A Vacation!” on June 8. Their pre-order starts today with some cool deluxe packages, and they also just announced a summer tour with Rooney! I’ve heard a bunch of songs, and really dig what those guys are doing now- so make sure you listen to the music, pre-order the album, and go say hi to them out on the road- I’m sure they’d love to see all of you!

-Brendon

When Ryan Ross and Jon Walker broke away from Panic! at the Disco last summer they quickly formed The Young Veins, a throw back rock band that wasted no time putting a line-up together and completing their debut album Take a Vacation!. I got to talk with singer/guitarist Ryan Ross, bass player Andy Soukal, and drummer Nick Murray before their sold out Chicago show at the Beat Kitchen about the Panic! rumors, their new album, a summer tour around Bonnaroo and much more.

“It really feels like we are up there trying to win people over, it is challenging” Ryan Ross stated about starting over with his new band The Young Veins. When Ryan Ross and Jon Walker walked away from their popular band Panic! at the Disco, they also thought former members Brendon Urie and Spencer Smith were walking away from the name as well. “I didn’t think that they would keep the name” Ryan explained, “It was a little bit shocking when I heard about them doing these tours and stuff without us. I figured doing your own thing meant doing your own thing.”

After breaking away from Panic! Ryan Ross received a lot of backlash from fans, which is something that surprised him. “It was already bad enough without that having to happen too,” Ryan explains, “I guess when people don’t understand the reasons why it’s easy to get mad at the person you don’t know for something you think they did. It’s weird how some of the fans took it personally. I wish they would understand this is our life and we have to do what is best for us.” The storm is passing and over time fans have come to realize the band really did part ways because of creative differences. “Some people are coming around and saying, maybe it wasn’t the smartest train of thought I was on a couple of months ago. I don’t know, I mean obviously if I was a young kid, a teenager and my favorite band broke up I would be a little bit upset too” Ryan said. Read the full article »