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Band history
Early years
Trohman and Wentz met each other through mutual involvement in the Chicago music scene. The two decided to start a band which differed from their musical roots, but were more similar to bands that they listened to growing up such as Green Day and Descendents. In 2001, Trohman met Stump at a convention bookstore, later introducing him to Wentz. Stump originally auditioned to be the band’s drummer, but became the singer, although he had no prior experience. Wentz later recruited friend Hurley, whom he had played with in past bands, on the drums. The name of the band reportedly came from when the band asked the audience at a college show what they should be called, and an audience member yelled out “Fallout Boy,” the name of superhero Radioactive Man’s sidekick on the animated TV show The Simpsons. However, the band reports that the name Fall Out Boy is not a reference to the cartoon character.
2002-present
The band released the EP Split with Project Rocket in 2002 on Uprising Records. The band released then the EP Fall Out Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend, on Uprising Records in 2003 [1]. Throughout this period Fall Out Boy built their following playing in Chicago, but especially the surrounding suburbia, which had become a popular area for punk/hardcore/and emo music. One venue of particular significance and influence was the Knights of Columbus Hall in Arlington Heights, IL. This was the site of many early Fall Out Shows. The Fall Out Boy “video for Dead on Arrival” was shot at the Knights of Columbus as well as serving as a site for several “secret shows”.
Drummer Andy Hurley joined the band after the EP was released. That same year they released their first full-length album, Take This To Your Grave, on Fueled By Ramen, with singles such as “Grand Theft Autumn (Where is Your Boy)” and “Saturday̶ 1; receiving airplay on FUSE and mtvU. The album achieved Gold status. In 2003 the band signed with Island Records. They released the acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue, on Fueled By Ramen, which included a DVD, in 2004.
In 2005, the band’s stability was threatened when Wentz overdosed on the anxiety medication Atavan in an apparent (but disputed) suicide attempt. On May 3, 2005, they released their major label debut From Under The Cork Tree,[1] which debuted on the Billboard charts at #9, selling over 70,000 copies in its first week, and soon achieving Double Platinum status. Their first single “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down,” peaked at #8 on the Billboard “Hot 100″ charts and reached #1 on MTV’s TRL, where the video was retired. The video also won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards. The band was nominated for “Best New Artist” at the 2006 Grammy Awards.
Bands that Fall Out Boy have toured with include Taking Back Sunday, the Academy Is…, Panic! at the Disco, Midtown, Hawthorne Heights, The All-American Rejects, October Fall, and From First To Last.
Discography
AlbumsYear Title Lab el(s) Certification
2003 Take This To Your Grave Fueled by Ramen Gold
2005 From Under the Cork Tree Island Double Platinum
2006 From Under the Cork Tree (Includes Five Bonus Tracks) Island and Fueled By Ramen Unknown
EPsYear Title Label( s)
2002 Fall Out Boy/Project Rocket Split EP Uprising
2003 Fall Out Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend Uprising
2004 My Heart Will Always Be The B-Side To My Tongue Fueled By Ramen
Awards & Nominations
“Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” - MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards - Won
“Dance, Dance” - Favorite International Group at the 2006 MuchMusic Video Awards - Won
“Fall Out Boy” - Best New Artist at the 2006 Grammy Awards - Nominated
Trivia
While Patrick Stump is the lead singer, Wentz tends to take on the traditional role of “frontman̶ 1; by being the band’s chief spokesman and creating the banter on stage. Stump is quoted as saying “With Pete, I get to be the anti-frontman.” ;[2]
While Wentz is the chief lyricist for the band, Patrick Stump is its “musical engine, (hence the engineer’s cap)”[2] putting Wentz’s lyrics to music and arranging the tunes.
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