Background
On February 11, 2020, Mike tweeted, "let’s try this. you can now text me at 310.935.0302." He had set up a new Community.com contact list of fans after posting an Instagram photo at Community earlier in 2020. The first message fans received stated, "HI THERE! thanks for texting me. this is an autotext to let you know I got your message, everything else will be from me directly. just click the link and you'll be added to my phone" followed by a link to add yourself to his community list."
Upon adding themselves, fan got a follow up text saying, "thanks- i added you. i'm planning to experiment with texting people some fun stuff. what should i send?"
If you were one of the first 1,000 to text Mike, you got one final series of texts that included "Thank you for being one of the first people to text me! Yes it is me. I'll be occasionally replying to people, and maybe doing some experiments via text. Feel free to tell a friend." Fans then got a selfie from Mike on his birthday followed by one final text - "By the way, you're one of the first 1000 people. So cool"
When calling the number, fans were greeted with a voicemail message from Mike.
Finally on the 11th, Mike sent fans a video clip of a new song he was working on. He added, "that's a track i'm working on today" & "No name for it yet but we'll see what happens" Later that night, he did a "textcast" with Bobby Kim aka Bobby Hundreds. He said, "Guys. I'm with my friend Bobby Hundreds. We have an idea: a very short podcast via text. A "textcast!" Text me a question with the hashtag #MikeAndBobby and maybe we'll answer yours" On February 21st, Mike sent a message via Community to fans to say hello and that they had a good week.
On February 26, 2020, Mike posted a photo on Instagram saying, "aren’t we all just looking for open doors?"
Later that day he sent fans a message with three demos, asking which one he should continue working on by saying, "which demo should i work on today? 1, 2, or 3"
He then sent a second message saying that fans voted for all three demos and that he had combined them to one song, including a clip of the track for everyone.
On February 29th, Mike sent a message that read, "Happy Saturday. Thanks for helping me with that song. I had a bunch of ideas at random times. Whenever stuff comes to me, I record it in my Voice Memos on my phone... we'll see how these ideas start to come together this week" He included a photo from his iPhone Voice Memoes, listing demo names, "open door new verse 0:36", "open door verse needs transition at end 0:34", "New Recording 329 0:24", "New Recording 328 0:23", "open door chorus 0:37", "post milan cactus chorus 1 - open door 0:57", "cactus forest 0:59", and "New Recording 327."
On March 7th, Mike messaged fans a demo clip of the track in progress. His message with the demo said, "Remember the beats I mashed together? Still toying with that track:"
On March 16th, Mike's text to fans said, "Greetings from lock down in Los Angeles. Hope you're making the best of this weird situation. We decided to be conservative and stay in. The good news is, I'm getting pretty good at Fortnite. Take care of yourself and your loved ones"
On March 17th, Mike went live on Instagram for over thirty four minutes to discuss the Los Angeles coronavirus quarantine and new music. During the broadcast, he asked fans for help on writing the bridge of the demo that they had heard before. He played guitar, chopped it up, and edited the bridge while talking to fans and then explained that he would send an mp3 of the full demo once he mixed it quickly.
In the message he sent fans, Mike wrote, "As promised on IG etc., here's a new song :) It's called "open door." it's just a demo. Feel free to share it with friends. be safe out there!" The album title in the .mp4 file Mike sentwas labeled, "the coronavirus session 3.17.20" and Mike said on Instagram, "open door, now available if you know someone who’s got it"
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
Studio
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open Door | 3:20 | 2020 | March 17, 2020 |
|
Live
Personnel
Lyrics
Yeah
They tell you that you should quit trying
You were too small and you were too young
They tell you the chance is too slim
The world is too big, but you say "How come?"
I'm ready to light a new fire
Raise a new flag to cross a new sea
And if I'm ever the one in your way
Then put your head down and run right through me
Why keep settling for so much less
Don't take what's given just demand what's next
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
Someway to get out of here
A plot twist that we didn't see coming
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
And when we get out of here
We'll, no, no we'll never stop running
There's something like a shadow in the valley colossal
Open up your eyes young one and be watchful
Behind closed doors trying to write a new gospel
They are not God, they're not even apostles
I come with the gun drum banging you breathless
Enemies freeze, left dead and defenseless
Straight for the chest of anybody against us
The more they resist it
The more that they tempt us
Why keep settling for so much less
Don't take what's given just demand what's next
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
Someway to get out of here
A plot twist that we didn't see coming
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
And when we get out of here
We'll take off and never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
When we get that open door
No, no, we'll never stop running
So why keep settling for so much less
Don't take what's given just demand what's next
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
Someway to get out of here
A plot twist that we didn't see coming
We're looking for an open door
Someway we didn't see before
And when we get out of here
We'll take off and never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
When we get that open door
No, no, we'll never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
No, no, we'll never stop running
When we get that open door
No, no, we'll never stop running