Most other 16-year-olds from the Glenn’s chapel, new Alta Murrieta Ward, carry out substitute side of the congregation and you may state a beneficial prayer along side sacrament towards the Vacations, however, Glenn had stonewalled. “I was not allowed to due to the way I featured – it said I became a beneficial distraction,” he recalls dryly. Glenn papered their bedroom walls which have photo away from Bruce Springsteen and sneaked away from home to try the usual teenage temptations. “I believe I noticed tough regarding the masturbating than just sipping,” the guy acknowledges. ”
Since the his band expanded, Glenn’s torment regarding their sex – whether he would allow it to be societal, otherwise container it getting eternity – arrive at grab their toll
As he remaining high school, Glenn performed a thing that surprised also his moms and dads: He established he was increasing down on Mormonism and you will taking place a two-12 months objective to alter individuals to the latest faith. “I became such as, ‘I’m 18, I am either planning to head to college, that we haven’t any interest in because the I wish to end up being for the musical, otherwise I want to go on a mission,’” he says. Straight away, the guy went regarding a beneficial punk whose locks is slathered and you can spiked with Murray’s pomade so you’re able to a flush-cut proselytizer in a standard-question suit. For a few age, the guy lived just like the a starving 
vegetarian in the Hastings, Nebraska. The guy flower within 6 good.meters. and you can knocked towards doors giving training on the trust and finally baptized 17 anyone. The guy held on to their music ambitions, though: “You are not permitted to tune in to secular tunes, so i perform enter the closet and you will jam,” he states.
Thirty day period shortly after he gone back, the guy in the end offered directly into their urges and you may continued his very first homosexual time, nervously conference the internet connection from the a casino, in which they’d sushi
Just before he left for Nebraska, Glenn got amped throughout the continuous to enter sounds having Allen, which he says is “my partner,” musically. “I knew this new band label, we knew the new voice i desired to pick. It was 2002, therefore the whole post-punk The fresh new Trend issue hadn’t extremely come back but really.” But once the guy came back, 31 lbs lightweight and you will brimming with ideas, the brand new revival was at full move as opposed to your. “Bloc Cluster, the fresh Killers, the new Rapture – I found myself pissed,” Glenn says. “Here is the voice I imagined we possibly may features.”
Dedicating himself to help you Goodness had not removed Glenn’s interest so you’re able to men. “Which had been the 1st time I might ever before kissed a man, and i is instance, ‘This can be what is started forgotten during the a physical relationship,’” Glenn states. In his very early twenties, meeting boys on line was his only choice. “I was within the facts which i usually won’t have ever place me toward, and that terrified myself,” he states. “It got ebony. It had been unsafe.”
In the 2005, like many younger Mormons seeking to such-inclined members of the family, Allen gone to live in Provo (their day job: masseur) as well as the 21-year-old Glenn accompanied, selecting a new begin. Informing a share-hallway proprietor these were the brand new band arranged to try out you to definitely night, Glenn got the group the basic show, and you will Neon Trees turned into part of the brief but energetic Provo audio world; bassist Branden Campbell and you can drummer Elaine Bradley joined following. Campbell know drummer Ronnie Vannucci Jr. of the Killers of high-school, and this started the doorway in order to a hole slot on Las Las vegas ring. Alot more vacation trips accompanied, together with a major-name bargain, following their 2010 first Patterns and you can 2012’s Photo Tell you.
Their secret are compounded of the a fondness however created having good child working closely with the ring. “I’d my personal crushes with the males throughout highschool, it are never an overwhelming matter up until my personal twenties,” he states. “Following I might become relationships girls plus in love using my straight friend, also it is the brand new bad impact internationally.” To the journey starting to your Youngsters for the 2012, Glenn started to score aggressive on unfriendly, bottle-chucking crowds, spitting and you will cursing in the uncontrollable listeners members. Immediately after an especially crude night for the Las vegas, Campbell chewed away Glenn to own their antics and you can Glenn decrease apart. He did not prevent sobbing all the way to Utah, and in case he had household, he felt like everything you simply necessary to prevent.