15. They are named after a song by The Police.
Walk The Moon named themselves after the song “Walking on the Moon” by The Police. Lead vocalist Nicholas Petricca said that they used The Police to name themselves because of their mystery and playfulness.
14. They wrote songs in a Kentucky Masonic lodge
Walk The Moon spent six weeks in an old Kentucky Masonic Lodge that was being turned into a commune for artists. While they were there they wrote several songs that made it onto their album.
13. They usually wear face paint at shows.
The band revealed that they wear face paint at most shows to emphasize the Peter Pan-esque vibe and playful aspect of their music. It became a tradition for them when fans began showing up wearing face paint.
12. “Shut Up and Dance” has a special meaning.
Their hit song “Shut Up and Dance” is important for them because it represents a turning point. The single was, for them, a symbol of how far they’ve come.
11. They view “Shut Up and Dance” as a dork rock anthem.
Writing the single was sort of like their shout out to people like them. “We kind of wanted to write a dork rock anthem for all of those poor souls like us.”
10. “Anna Sun” was written about a professor.
Petricca and singer/songwriter Nick Lerangis wrote Walk The Moon’s first hit “Anna Sun” toward the end of Petricca’s career at Kenyon College. The song is actually named after their professor and is supposed to symbolize the idea of youth.
9. They are influenced from artists from different eras.
Petricca has said that artists from different decades inspire them and their sound.
8. They are not biased by genres.
Walk The Moon has covered all sorts of different genres, including Disney music, Fleet Foxes, and Jimi Hendrix. They have also covered Talking Heads, Prince, David Bowie, and The Killers.
7. Their goal is to make you dance.
Walk The Moon’s ultimate goal is to make their audience dance to their music. They especially focus on the idea of “preserving the inner child, no matter how old you are.”
6. They are really involved with their music.
Petricca has his name on the writing credits for every song in TALKING IS HARD. Petricca said that it is extremely important for he and his band members to be able to connect with what they sing about.
5. They have had the same lineup since 2010.
Though Walk The Moon have gone through several changes – most notably coming to fame – the lineup of the original band in 2010 hasn’t changed at all.
4. They will try anything.
Especially when it concerns the type of music they play, Walk The Moon are open-minded to just about anything and they are not afraid to experiment with tender, emotional music and heavy rock in the same album.
3. Half of the band is left-handed.
Though only 10 percent of people worldwide are left-handed, half of Walk The Moon are lefties!
2. They support LGBTQ rights.
In 2014, Walk The Moon donated all profits from their merchandise sales to an LGBTQ organization in response to the Westboro Baptist Church protesting one of their concerts.
1. They want to send a message.
Many of Walk The Moon’s songs are about “empowerment and just celebrating people’s differences, ”The best lyrics are when people just dance and forget about taking sides.”
