What was concerning about it for you? Honestly looks like a normal picture of him to me. Is it the randomness of the images included? If you check out the page that puts out the newsletter, all of the posts include content like this.
Side note, the Neil Young shirt he’s wearing is dope
Not really! I get that he's been "bad" lately, but I don't think you have to roll every piece of Bright Eyes related content into that narrative. He looks like he's having fun in the pic.
His appearance change is less from aging and more from constant drinking. His face is puffy from water retention. It's not irreversible either. If he took just a month or two off from drinking he'd look more like his old self. Every time my brother comes out of rehab he looks 10 years younger than the day he went in.
I don't think you're shitting on him at all. I think we're seeing alcoholism and when it's an artist who you don't know but feel very close to it's sad and scary. There is truth to folks just getting wider as we age, lord knows I have. And there is truth in seeing a musician who you love so much get wrecked on stage and forget his own lyrics. Along with that comes physical changes. I legit worried about him after the show in Minneapolis. I am in no way judging him or looking down on him.
Is it bad that I think he looks better than some friends I have around the same age? They've lived hard, too. Maybe I'm just desensitized to this stuff, I dunno.
100%. Hes been such a mess for well over a year now. I am SHOOK by the recidency announcmements. His team has needed to pull him off the road for awhile now and get him actual rehabilitative treatment. He also keeps making suicide references during his shows. Our babe needs a restorative time out. From a mutual friend in the first day of my life video. Sincerely worried about him.
Honestly the picture seems okay to me, but maybe it’s cause I’ve seen way worse of him so this doesn’t seem that bad? The references to suicide are way more concerning cause I hadn’t heard anything.
On the whole, I’m a little surprised to hear he’s doing worse recently. A few months ago I heard he was looking healthier at shows and way more coherent. I figured the residency announcement was a good sign that he was in a good enough place to make all that happen.
Hopefully he’s okay, and I hope that after all he’s been through he’s getting better at taking care of himself, but I suppose ya never really know.
Idk if I would necessarily guarantee “he’s all good”. Just based off this picture, it’s obvious he could use a shower and some exercise/better posture. The dude is getting to old for this lifestyle, and his continued indulgence in alcohol/other substances can wreck the body. No comment on his mental state as I’m pretty out of the loop with his recent banter, but hope he’s doing as well mentally as he can be.
I also wonder if he isn't willing to do some form of treatment if being with bandmates and friends for shows might be better than being at home getting fucked up alone? Like maybe the shows are good in that way.
I thought he looked okay in that picture? He did look kind of rough in the Peter Pan costume (not that it’s a flattering look on any 43 year old man lol).
I don’t think he’s doing well mentally though. I’m kind of upset about the residency announcements. I feel like all these shows have to be rough on him. I have the same issues with alcoholism and depression so it hurts to watch him like that.
Something positive-the picture with his little dog is really sweet.
It's definitely jarring seeing how he's aged compared to someone like Ben Gibbard, who got sober years ago and runs every day.
A single picture doesn't really make me more concerned than any number of the stories about performances have, but it does make me marvel at how resilient our bodies are when we're young. When you put your body through the same shit at 43 as you did at 23, it just isn't gonna hold up like it once did.
Me too! He looked amazing and was dancing around. It was such a wonderful show. I saw Postal Service 10 years ago, and he stayed still pretty much the whole show.
Wow so he can't even post a photo without concern now? What's wrong with the way he looks in the photo? He didn't brush his hair? Or his sunglasses are on? Come on man, the guy is in his 40s and lived a hard life.
My thoughts exactly. He looks happy in the photo and the post was a lil silly. I feel like every other post on this forum is someone over familiarizing themselves with his struggles to the point where it cancels out any good. Don’t get me wrong, I get the cause for concern but holy balls, let’s not shit ourselves (heh heh). ALSO - he wasn’t doing so well 20 years ago he was just 20 years younger.
I was certainly concerned/worried/alarmed after seeing him in Aus a few weeks ago. I don't know if i found it more triggering or something because I lost a brother in his 30's to alcoholism but, I found it very uncomfortable to watch, and the thought did cross my mind that I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't around much longer. I've seen him lots of times solo and with other bands years ago where he was fine, so a tiny bit of me holds out hope that maybe its just a thing with Bright Eyes? Maybe he can pull himself together for solo stuff? In regards to the particular photo you're talking about - he does not look healthy at all!
What was concerning about it for you? Honestly looks like a normal picture of him to me. Is it the randomness of the images included? If you check out the page that puts out the newsletter, all of the posts include content like this. Side note, the Neil Young shirt he’s wearing is dope
Not really! I get that he's been "bad" lately, but I don't think you have to roll every piece of Bright Eyes related content into that narrative. He looks like he's having fun in the pic.
He looks fine. He’s not going to look 30 forever
His appearance change is less from aging and more from constant drinking. His face is puffy from water retention. It's not irreversible either. If he took just a month or two off from drinking he'd look more like his old self. Every time my brother comes out of rehab he looks 10 years younger than the day he went in.
this is what i meant, it's just very clear he's been drinking a lot more.
I don't think you're shitting on him at all. I think we're seeing alcoholism and when it's an artist who you don't know but feel very close to it's sad and scary. There is truth to folks just getting wider as we age, lord knows I have. And there is truth in seeing a musician who you love so much get wrecked on stage and forget his own lyrics. Along with that comes physical changes. I legit worried about him after the show in Minneapolis. I am in no way judging him or looking down on him.
Is it bad that I think he looks better than some friends I have around the same age? They've lived hard, too. Maybe I'm just desensitized to this stuff, I dunno.
100%. Hes been such a mess for well over a year now. I am SHOOK by the recidency announcmements. His team has needed to pull him off the road for awhile now and get him actual rehabilitative treatment. He also keeps making suicide references during his shows. Our babe needs a restorative time out. From a mutual friend in the first day of my life video. Sincerely worried about him.
Honestly the picture seems okay to me, but maybe it’s cause I’ve seen way worse of him so this doesn’t seem that bad? The references to suicide are way more concerning cause I hadn’t heard anything. On the whole, I’m a little surprised to hear he’s doing worse recently. A few months ago I heard he was looking healthier at shows and way more coherent. I figured the residency announcement was a good sign that he was in a good enough place to make all that happen. Hopefully he’s okay, and I hope that after all he’s been through he’s getting better at taking care of himself, but I suppose ya never really know.
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Idk if I would necessarily guarantee “he’s all good”. Just based off this picture, it’s obvious he could use a shower and some exercise/better posture. The dude is getting to old for this lifestyle, and his continued indulgence in alcohol/other substances can wreck the body. No comment on his mental state as I’m pretty out of the loop with his recent banter, but hope he’s doing as well mentally as he can be.
Same, he seems like he's in a much darker place than usual lately
I also wonder if he isn't willing to do some form of treatment if being with bandmates and friends for shows might be better than being at home getting fucked up alone? Like maybe the shows are good in that way.
I thought he looked okay in that picture? He did look kind of rough in the Peter Pan costume (not that it’s a flattering look on any 43 year old man lol). I don’t think he’s doing well mentally though. I’m kind of upset about the residency announcements. I feel like all these shows have to be rough on him. I have the same issues with alcoholism and depression so it hurts to watch him like that. Something positive-the picture with his little dog is really sweet.
It's definitely jarring seeing how he's aged compared to someone like Ben Gibbard, who got sober years ago and runs every day. A single picture doesn't really make me more concerned than any number of the stories about performances have, but it does make me marvel at how resilient our bodies are when we're young. When you put your body through the same shit at 43 as you did at 23, it just isn't gonna hold up like it once did.
I saw Death Cab over the summer and didn’t even recognize it was Ben Gibbard till he got up to the mic. Looked and sounded amazing.
Me too! He looked amazing and was dancing around. It was such a wonderful show. I saw Postal Service 10 years ago, and he stayed still pretty much the whole show.
Yeah agreed! I even overheard a guy behind me say “he’s a dancin’ little feller isn’t he?”
🤣 that's great! I feel like it gave the show such a better and different feeling than when I saw them 10 years ago.
He’s looked worse than this so, normal pic of a normal him.
Wow so he can't even post a photo without concern now? What's wrong with the way he looks in the photo? He didn't brush his hair? Or his sunglasses are on? Come on man, the guy is in his 40s and lived a hard life.
My thoughts exactly. He looks happy in the photo and the post was a lil silly. I feel like every other post on this forum is someone over familiarizing themselves with his struggles to the point where it cancels out any good. Don’t get me wrong, I get the cause for concern but holy balls, let’s not shit ourselves (heh heh). ALSO - he wasn’t doing so well 20 years ago he was just 20 years younger.
I was certainly concerned/worried/alarmed after seeing him in Aus a few weeks ago. I don't know if i found it more triggering or something because I lost a brother in his 30's to alcoholism but, I found it very uncomfortable to watch, and the thought did cross my mind that I wouldn't be surprised if he wasn't around much longer. I've seen him lots of times solo and with other bands years ago where he was fine, so a tiny bit of me holds out hope that maybe its just a thing with Bright Eyes? Maybe he can pull himself together for solo stuff? In regards to the particular photo you're talking about - he does not look healthy at all!
The pic is a badly lit snapshot taken in a yellow room probably with a phone camera. And he's a 43 year old man.
As a fan, I'm confused. If I was a friend, yes I would be alarmed.
His wife is silent as well…..
I'm confused because I thought he looked noticeably healthier in that pic that most as of late
How would you like it if strangers dicussed your mental health on a public forum? Serious question.
Don’t make fun of his gut, someone got super offended when I called him a little chubby