Twenty One Pilots has redefined rock and roll success in the 21st century. The duo have not only experimented with different sounds and styles, but they have garnered massive commercial success in the process. Josh Dun and Tyler Joseph were not the only ones who have contributed to the band moniker, however. In fact, Twenty One Pilots released their first album as a trio.
Joseph co-founded Twenty One Pilots with bassist Nick Thomas and drummer Chris Salih, and released their self-titled album in 2009. By the time they regrouped for their second album, 2013's Regional at Best, Thomas and Salih had walked away. Salih issued a statement upon his exit from the band, which he shared on the Twenty One Pilots Facebook page.
Chris Salih quit Twenty One Pilots in 2011
Salih attributed his desire to put the drumsticks down as a matter of age and shifting priorities. He noted that he was a "few years older" than his fellow band members, and simply felt like the time had gone to pursue a different line of work. Salih also assured fans that he had no ill will toward Joseph or Thomas (who would eventually follow him out the door).
"There are absolutely no hard feeling in this," the drummer noted. "It is purely a financial decision. It is my goal to stay closely involved with Twenty One Pilots in the months and years to come. I will still be living with Tyler and helping in any way I can." And help he did. Salih was actually the one who brought Josh Dun into the mix as his drumming replacement. The rest, obviously, was history.
Chris Salih cited financial pressures
In subsequent years, Chris Salih has maintained that the decision to walk away was not easy, but was absolutely necessary at the time. The drummer admitted feeling pressure due to the fact that Twenty One Pilots failed to garner much success with their debut album, and his parents were helping to pay his way through college.
"For me to continue playing in Twenty One Pilots would have been a middle finger to my parents," Salih said during a 2017 appearance on the Twenty One Pilots podcast. "Because they cosigned on my student loans. It would have been like 'You pay my student loans and I'll play with my band.'" Salih may not have stuck around for the band's success, but he remains firmly etched into its history. Without him, there would be no Twenty One Pilots as we know it today.