Scott's Spotlight #20-- Fall Out Boy

May 20, 2025

Scott's Spotlight #20-- Fall Out Boy

Originally posted to Facebook on February 13, 2025

link to post:

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Welcome to Scott’s Spotlight (#scottsspotlight) issue #20. For more information about this series, please click here:

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This week I am putting the spotlight on “pop-punk” band Fall Out Boy. I know that some of you may be a bit disappointed in me for this one, but I hope you’ll keep an open mind! (They can’t ALL be prog!) For me, the so-called pop-punk bands that emerged from the 90s into the 21st century are just good-ol’ rock and roll bands, with some minor stylistic traits. In my way of thinking, they appeal to the same type of demographic that hair-metal did in the 80s. And just like the hair metal bands, some are better than others; and Fall Out Boy is one of the better ones IMHO.

Fall Out Boy (FOB) emerged from Chicago’s hard-core punk scene in 2001. Bassist Pete Wentz had gained some notoriety by being a dynamic performer in some of the better known bands in that scene. Additionally, he had played with the “metalcore” band Arma Angelus, which had gained a national cult following. He was becoming disillusioned with the Chicago punk scene by 2001 however and started what would become Fall Out Boy as a “pop-punk side band” with lead guitarist Joe Trohman. The concept was to be “easy and escapist.” Patrick Stump, who was then a drummer in a “grindcore” band called Xgrinding processX, overheard Trohman and a friend of his discussing a band called Neurosis at a Borders bookstore in Chicago, and Stump interrupted, saying that he disagreed with the other two’s classification of the band (not sure what all of that means, but, OK). This turned into a broader conversation and Trohman and Wentz’s project was brought up. Stump seized the opportunity and directed Trohman to a website (mp3.com) on which Stump had uploaded some music he had recorded. Upon hearing the recordings, Trohman and Wentz were interested in Stump joining, but not as a drummer (as Stump wanted to do) but as a singer/rhythm guitarist and asked him to bring his acoustic guitar to the audition. He impressed them with some covers he played and sang of the band Saves the Day (which I HAVE heard of!) and Stump was in. Wentz wanted to get a former bandmate, Andy Hurley, to play drums, but Hurley declined at the time as he was in demand as a drummer and too busy.

Their first gig at Chicago’s DePaul University cafeteria was the only one with guitarist John Flamandan which also included drummer Ben Rose was described as “goofy” and “bad” but Trohman believed the band had potential and was determined to make it work. Stump and Wentz got into arguments about the band name, as Wentz preferred long sarcastic band names, and Stump wanted to use lyrics from singer/songwriter Tom Waits. The band made a “short list” of names (which included Fall Out Boy–a character from a comic book on “The Simpsons”) and gave it to friends and associates to vote on. At the band’s second gig, Wentz began to introduce the band by a name that Stump described as “very long” when an audience member (later identified as Tim McIlrath, Wentz’s former Arma Angelus bandmate, then with Killing Tree and later of Rise Against) shouted out “F*ck that! No! You’re Fall Out Boy!” As Trohman and Stump were big Simpsons fans and all three core band members looked up to Tim McIlrath, the name stuck.

After making a series of early demos with gradually increasing quality, and flirting with several independent record labels, the band was eventually signed to an unusual contract with Island Records, (referred to as “the first ever incubator deal”) whereby the first album would be released on the (then tiny) indie label Fueled by Ramen and subsequent albums would be on Island. (One early demo would come back to haunt them later.) In the meantime, the band had several short-tem members come and go, but on some of the later demos, drummer Andy Hurley was convinced to fill-in, and by the time they were signed, he had joined. That first album, called “Take This to Your Grave,” (2003) was moderately successful, and put them on the radar, nationally. Heavy touring also helped them to create a strong fan base. During the recording of the album, Stump had initially written the lyrics, but Wentz was not satisfied with them. After many rewrites and arguments, they were finally satisfied with them. Out of this situation, the 2 principal songwriters came to an agreement that going forward, Wentz would write the lyrics, while Stump would write the melodies. 3 singles were released from the album, including minor hit: “Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy.” Just before the album was released, one of the independent labels they had briefly been associated with before the Island contract, released a rushed early attempt at an album called “Fall Out Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend.” The band actively tried to stop the release, calling the album a “piece of garbage” that was recorded before Hurley’s involvement, but were apparently unsuccessful. Some significant live shows in the wake of the first album include the South by Southwest festival (SXSW), and 5 dates on the “Warped” touring festival. By 2004 the album sold 2,000-3,000 albums a week at Hot Topic stores alone, as they were featured in listening stations in those stores. Fueled by Ramen stated that the band was “tipping toward mainstream success.”

Prior to recording the follow up album (which would be the first on Island), the band released an acoustic EP/DVD titled “My Heart Will Always be the B-Side to My Tongue.” This was the first FOB release to make the Billboard 200 chart at 153. The album, eventually titled “From Under the Cork Tree,” (2005) was recorded in Burbank, California, where the band was put up in corporate housing. This was their first extended stay in California. While the writing sessions were less contentious, they still ended up scrapping ten songs intended for the album and writing eight others, including their soon-to-be break-out hit, “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down.” Sadly, though, Pete Wentz suffered a breakdown in February 2005, and attempted to take his own life by swallowing a handful of Ativan anxiety pills in the parking lot of a Chicago Best Buy store. Apparently he was quickly discovered and rushed to the hospital where his stomach was pumped. After being released from the hospital, he returned to his parent’s home for a while in a suburb of Chicago. He had been deeply affected by the recent Tsunami that hit India, as well as feeling overwhelmed by pressure to make sure the first major label release was a success, worrying that the album would flop. After a recovery time, he returned in time to rejoin the band before they left for California to complete the album. Wentz needn’t have worried about the album, though. It sold 168,000 copies in the first week, and debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200. Lead-off single, “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down,” hit #8 (after climbing from #93) on the Hot 100, and follow up “Dance, Dance,” also made it to the top 10. The third single, “A Little Less 16 Candles, A Little More Touch Me” didn't do as well, but it mattered not, FOB were now bona fide stars. The album is certified double platinum, and “Sugar…” and “Dance, Dance,” both went triple platinum. A tour that fall included (among other bands) Panic! At the Disco, whom Pete Wentz helped get signed and was featured in an earlier spotlight.

The band’s next album was released in early 2007 and titled “Infinity on High.” It started out even stronger than the previous album by debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart with sales of 260,000 copies in the first week alone. This album saw the band expanding their sound and working with various producers such as Neal Avron, Babyface and Butch Walker as well as Patrick Stump himself. The first single, “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race” spent nine weeks in the top 10 of the Hot 100, including 2 consecutive weeks at #2. Follow up single “Thks fr th Mmrs,” (so titled because the record company thought “Thanks for the Memories” was too long of a title –what??-- so that’s how they shortened it), peaked at #11, but stayed on the chart for 28 weeks. The album has reached Platinum status.

Album #4 appeared the following year in 2008, named “Folie à Deux.” The title refers to a rare psychiatric disorder (aka SDD or Shared Delusional Disorder), in which symptoms of a delusional belief are "transmitted" from one individual to another. The album, although receiving good reviews that considered it to be very creative, did not do as well as its predecessors in terms of sales. The best known songs from this one are “I Don’t Care,” “America’s Suitehearts,” and “What a Catch, Donnie.” The latter one is one of my favorites by FOB, and reminds me of Procol Harum’s “A Salty Dog.” In addition, Elvis Costello and Brendan Urie among others sing on the track. Urie also appears on the song “20 Dollar Nose Bleed.” The album achieved Gold status with 500.000 + units sold. Following the tour, the band released a greatest hits album titled “Believers Never Die” then went on hiatus. Also around this time. Wentz married pop star/actress Ashlee Simpson in May 2008. She gave birth to their son in November of that year.

During the hiatus (which Wentz preferred to call a break), the newly married and new father Wentz did not handle the time off well. He fell into a deep depression and began abusing Xanax and Klonopin. He and Simpson divorced in 2011, and then he returned to therapy. He would go on to get joint custody of their son. Hurley and Stump also had issues during the hiatus, with Hurley saying that he had “the darkest depression I’d ever felt. I looked at my calendar and it was just empty.” Stump, who was weary of FOB being classified as an Emo band and weighed more than he ever had. He would lose 60 lbs and make a true solo album (“Soul Punk,” 2011) in which he played all instruments and sang all parts. However, on the ensuing solo tour, fans yelled insults such as “we liked you better fat.” That comment served as the inspiration for the title of a 1500 word blog entry in February of 2012–”We Liked You Better Fat–Confessions of a Pariah.” In the post, he discussed being considered a “has-been,” and felt that “whatever notoriety Fall Out Boy used to have prevents me from having the ability to start at the bottom again.” During this period, Stump also co-wrote songs with Bruno Mars and All-Time Low, as well as pursuing acting. Wentz formed a musical project with singer Bebe Rexha, called Black Cards, but Rexha ended up dropping out of the project to complete her own solo album, and was replaced by Spencer Peterson to complete the EP called “Use Your Disillusion.” Additionally. Wentz completed a novel called “Gray,” and hosted a Tattoo competition reality show called “Best Ink.” Hurley played with various bands during the break and formed a metal band called The Damned Things with his FOB bandmate Joe Trohman, along with Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano of Anthrax, and Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die. He also managed his record label known as “F*ck City.” Band members were cordial to each other during this time with Wentz even serving as best man during Stump’s wedding. Hurley said that in the end it was good for the band allowing everyone to “figure themselves out,” particularly Trohman and Stump who were quite young when the band started, adding that “Pete is a million times better.”

The first phase of the band reconvening came in early 2012, when Wentz and Stump came together for a writing session after Wentz read Stump’s aforementioned blog post. Wentz felt that Stump was in a “dark place,” and needed a creative outlet. Stump likened the call from Wentz as a call from a former lover who wanted to reconnect after years of acrimony–”I know what you need, you need your band.” However, while the writing session would break the ice, the two felt that the three or four songs they wrote were not the right direction for the band to take going forward and just didn’t feel right, so they quickly shelved them. They got back together again several months later and were more satisfied with the results, feeling like they were in the right direction for the band in its modern form. Hurley returned and then Trohman was the last one contacted, although he was the most enthusiastic to pursue new projects. After a 3-hour phone call with Stump, Trohman agreed to return, only on the condition that he was able to contribute as a writer, with Stump supporting the idea, saying Trohman “needed to be writing more.” The band held a secret, all day meeting in their manager’s office in New York, discussing the direction for the band to take, and ideas for the new album. The band felt that they had to evolve and not try to “do their best impression of 2003.”

The resulting album, “Save Rock and Roll,” was released in 2013, and is one of their most successful albums both commercially and critically. There were several guest vocalists on it including: Foxes, Big Sean, Courtney Love and Elton John. The album was recorded in secrecy with producer Butch Walker instead of Neil Avron, whom they previously employed as producer. Elton John’s involvement came late in the recording process after the band learned that John was a fan of their music, and they joked that maybe Elton would want to record with them. After John indicated that he would work with them, they halted the recording process and Stump flew to Atlanta to record with him. John also gave his endorsement to the album’s title and after listening to the nearly completed tracks, he said that he “loved where this is going.” The band made music videos for every song to give the album a sense of continuity. The entire set of videos were released the following year in 2014 as the “Young Blood Chronicles.” While the band kept their return a secret until the last minute, denying that they were back together, even a week before the planned announcement. The only leak came from rapper “2 Chainz,” who appeared on the song and video for “My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light ‘em Up).” The rapper posted a picture of him and Wentz out to dinner on his Instagram page with the caption “Fall Out Boyz feat. 2 Chainz?” but most found the idea too absurd to be real. There were 4 singles from the album with “My Songs Know…” being the most successful, hitting the top ten on the hot 100. “The Phoenix,” “Alone Together,” and “Young Volcanoes,” had lesser immediate chart impact, but have become FOB staples. The album became the band’s second #1 album on the Billboard 200, and has been certified platinum. The song “The Phoenix,” uses a snippet of Demetri Shostakovitch’s “Symphony No. 7, 4th Movement,” in its introduction. A great line from the song is: “You know time crawls on when you're waiting for the song to start,

so dance alone to the beat of your heart.” I believe that this album may be one of their strongest overall. A successful touring cycle greeted the band’s return. There were actually 3 tours, first up being the “Save Rock and Roll Tour,” which played smaller venues in select cities. That tour was followed-up by the “Save Rock and Roll Arena Tour,” which also included Panic! At the Disco, and Twenty-one Pilots (each of whom have spotlights of their own as well as an album reviewed in #scottssongbysong). The third tour was the “Monumentour” with Paramore.

The next album (#6) was released in January of 2015, although some of the lead up singles appeared in 2014, and is titled “American Beauty/American Psycho.” The “Beauty” portion of the title came from the Grateful Dead album title as well as the movie of the same name. The “Psycho” part comes from the book/movie of the same name. The lead-off single “Centuries.” was released in September of 2014. The song was a runaway success, eventually becoming certified 8X platinum with sales of 8 million. Other singles include the song “Immortals,” featured in the Disney Animation Studios movie “Big Hero 6,” “Uma Thurman,” which includes a sample of “The Munsters” theme song and got permission from the actress to use her name, and "Irresistible.” The album equaled its predecessor’s success by reaching #1 on the Billboard 200, and being certified platinum. A successful touring cycle followed, along with headlining festival slots and several TV appearances.

Album #7 appeared in January of 2018 after a brief respite following the tour, although it was originally set to come out in September of 2017. The delay was blamed on the band not being satisfied with the results and wanting to make some improvements. As such, some of the pre-album singles were released several months ahead of the album’s release. The album, titled “Mania” was the band’s third consecutive #1 album on the Billboard 200. Interestingly, however, none of the album's 5 singles broke into the Hot 100. The album was certified gold, while the two previous albums went platinum. The songs I am most familiar with from the album are “The Last of the Real Ones,” and “Wilson (Expensive Mistakes),” which contains one of my favorite FOB lyrics: “I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.”

Following the Mania tour, which included an event outside the venues called the “Mania Experience,” FOB announced the “Hella Mega Tour: in 2019, to take place in the summer of 2020. It was to be a giant stadium tour shared with 2 co-headliners– Weezer and Green Day. As one might guess, however, 2020 was NOT the year to have a stadium tour, and it was delayed until 2021. I had tickets for my family and myself to travel to Atlanta to see it, but the re-scheduled 2021 dates would not work for us logistically so we ended up selling the tickets back to Ticketmaster. Even in 2021, FOB had to duck out of a couple of dates in New York and Boston due to a member of their “team,” testing positive for COVID-19.

The follow up would not appear until 2023. Following the completion of their Island Records contract, the band signed with Fueled by Ramen (who had released their first album in 2003 under the “incubator deal” with Island) to release their eighth and most recent album to date “So Much (for) Stardust.” The band also reunited with their earlier producer, Neal Avron and returned to their pop-punk roots. Stump, however, refutes the notion that it’s a throwback album. He explains as an imagining of “what would it have sounded like if we had made a record right after “Folie à Deux” instead of taking a break for a few years. It was like exploring the multiverse. It was an experiment in seeing what we would have done." The album peaked at #6 on the Billboard 200, and has not yet reached gold certification to my knowledge. The lead-off single “Love from the Other Side,” was released on January 18, 2023. On the same day lead guitarist Joe Trohman announced that we would be taking a break from the band to focus on his mental health. He does not appear in the video of “Love from the Other Side.” In his place is a man in a furry raccoon costume on guitar. In the video for the next single, “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” the plot revolves around Stump, Wentz, and Hurley, pretending to kidnap Rivers Cuomo of Weezer (who appears in the video). Rivers is “in” on the prank, but flips on the band and shouts “Oh my God. It’s Fall Out Boy … and they’re trying to kidnap Rivers Cuomo! F–ck those guys!” The rest of the video involves FOB being chased by an angry mob. At the beginning of the video, the band members joke about, “Hey, where’s Joe?”, etc. At the end of the video, however, Joe Trohman makes a brief appearance on a telephone, telling the band that the concert they were trying to get to is actually a week later. A third single and music video of the song “Hold Me Like a Grudge,” was a continuation of the video for the earlier song “This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race.” The tour for the album was announced in January 2023, but didn’t begin until June, by which time Joe Trohman had rejoined the band. The tour wrapped in May of 2024. At around the time that the tour began in June 2023, FOB released a wonderfully updated version of the Billy Joel classic, “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” with lyrics referring to news events since 1989 when the original was released through early 2023.

While FOB may not have a lot to offer prog-rock fans, they have released a lot of wonderful rock songs over the past 2 decades. Call them pop-punk, emo, pop-rock or whatever, to refer to Billy Joel again, “It’s still rock and roll to me.” So if you just want some catchy, fun rock songs to enjoy, I hope you’ll check out some of my links for listening, below. Thanks!

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Links for Listening:

From “Take This To Your Grave”:

“Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy”

https://youtu.be/GZb_mqH2zJY

“Saturday”

From “From Under the Cork Tree” :

“Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down”

https://youtu.be/uhG-vLZrb-g

“Dance, Dance”

https://youtu.be/C6MOKXm8x50

From: “Infinity on High”: