Paramore has been on a tumultuous ride these past five years. From the messy departure of Josh and Zac Farro in December of 2010, to long-time bassist Jeremy Davis’ exit in 2015, these events created an uncertain future for the band. But, as always, Paramore proved critics wrong and confirmed that they were making a fifth studio album. With fans anticipating the new LP, the band dropped another bombshell: former drummer Zac Farro is back.

Early Thursday afternoon, Paramore posted, on their official website and their social media accounts, about new merchandise: a t-shirt of a young Zac Farro with the captions “I’m back”. Unsurprisingly, this announcement set Paramore fans into a frenzy, me included. In turn, many questioned if Zac really was returning to the band. And, the answer is yes! Paramore has not said anything official about the return. There have been no tweets or comments, aside from the occasional appreciation post from Hayley Williams. However, the fans are still ecstatic and are now even more hyped for the upcoming album. The return of an original band member makes this four year music drought worth the wait.

Honestly, Paramore has been my favorite band for years, and this announcement still took me by surprise. The breakup was rough, and Josh Farro’s letter calling Paramore a “manufactured” band did not make the situation any better. In addition, Zac’s indie side project, Halfnoise, just released a new album called “Sudden Feeling” that shows off his drumming and vocal abilities. So, I was expecting tours, album signings, and TV appearances from Zac with Halfnoise, which would have made it difficult for him to work with Paramore as their studio drummer. Ultimately, however, Zac’s return tells fans that front woman Hayley Williams and guitarist Taylor York have reconciled with their old friend.

With Zac’s return, Paramore will surely give us a memorable, long awaited tour complete with throwbacks, fan favorites and new songs. I and many other fans cannot wait until the tour dates are announced, as well as the new LP. I am excited to hear Paramore’s upcoming projects and wish them well in this new era.

Deuces,

DJ Ricky P

Featured Image retrieved from http://infectiousmagazine.com/watch-halfnoise-ft-ex-paramore-zac-farro-mountain-music-video/