Questions
When and where did Fall Out Boy form?
The band formed in 2001 in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.
Who are the members of Fall Out Boy?
Patrick Stump (vocals and guitar), Pete Wentz (bass), Joe Trohman (guitar), and Andy Hurley (drums).
How did the band get its name?
It comes from a character in The Simpsons. Reportedly, at their second show an audience member yelled that they should be called Fall Out Boy, and the name stuck since the members were die-hard Simpsons fans.
How did Pete Wentz and Patrick Stump meet?
They met at a Borders bookstore in Wilmette, where Stump interrupted a conversation between Trohman and Wentz about the band Neurosis. Stump had been eyed as a drummer, but Trohman encouraged him to bring his guitar instead.
Did the band really come out of the hardcore scene?
Yes. All four members were part of Chicago’s hardcore scene, with Wentz playing in groups like Arma Angelus and Racetraitor. They started Fall Out Boy as a pop-punk side project, once describing themselves as hardcore kids that couldn’t quite cut it as hardcore kids.
Who writes the songs?
Pete Wentz writes the lyrics and Patrick Stump composes the music and sings. This split was formalized on From Under the Cork Tree, the first record where Stump created all the music and Wentz wrote all the lyrics.
What was their big breakthrough?
Their major-label album From Under the Cork Tree (2005) went double platinum on the strength of the singles Sugar, We’re Goin Down and Dance, Dance. It sold over 2.7 million copies in the United States.
What was their first number one album?
Infinity on High (2007) debuted at number one with 260,000 first-week sales and produced the worldwide hits This Ain’t a Scene, It’s an Arms Race and Thnks fr th Mmrs.
Did Fall Out Boy ever win a Grammy?
According to the article they have been nominated but not won, including Best New Artist at the 2006 Grammys and Best Rock Album in 2018 for Mania.
What did the members do during the hiatus?
After 2009 the band went on hiatus. Patrick Stump made a solo album called Soul Punk, Pete Wentz formed the electronic duo Black Cards and wrote a novel called Gray, and Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman played in the heavy metal band The Damned Things.
How did they announce their comeback?
On February 4, 2013, at Comiskey Park, they were photographed around a bonfire burning copies of their own back catalog, a nod to 1979’s Disco Demolition Night. Their statement read, This isn’t a reunion because we never broke up.
How big was the comeback song?
The 2013 album Save Rock and Roll debuted at number one, and its lead single My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up) was certified 8 times platinum.
What is the story behind the llama lawsuit?
In 2019 Furry Puppet Studio reportedly sued the band, claiming their llama puppets were licensed only for the Young and Menace video but ended up used at live shows, on merchandise, on TV, and in multiple music videos.
Have they collaborated with Taylor Swift?
Yes. Fall Out Boy is featured on the song Electric Touch from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), released in 2023.
Did they ever headline a stadium in their hometown?
Yes. In September 2018 they played their first headlining stadium show at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
