Whatever Happened to Fall Out Boy?
Don’t roll your eyes: before the members of Fall Out Boy hit the top 40 airwaves (or “sold out,” however you choose to look at it), they were just another Chicago punk rock band that’d spent its first few years pumping out EPs in true indie fashion and touring the country in a cramped little van. Bassist Pete Wentz and guitarist Joe Trohman had known each other for years through the hardcore punk scene, and lead singer Patrick Stump initially auditioned to be the drummer, whose shoes were later filled by former Racetraitor drummer Andy Hurley. FOB skyrocketed to international fame after releasing From Under the Cork Tree on major label Island Def Jam, subsequently leading to three more albums (four if you count the ‘Greatest Hits’ release), half a dozen tours and an endless assortment of merchandise. With its Hollywood status achieved, the band’s sound evolved from gritty punk to pop/rock/R&B after collaborations with Kanye West, Pharrell and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Last year, Wentz announced an “indefinite hiatus” of the once-underground band, but later noted a future Fall Out Boy reunion wouldn’t be impossible.


FOB spun off into a few new acts: Trohman and Hurley joined The Damned Things, an effort with Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley and Anthrax’s Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano; Wentz created Black Cards, a duet with newcomer Bebe Rexha; and Stump opted to fly solo and self-record a debut album. The Damned Things has FOB’s old-school punk sound, thanks to the former members’ thrash-loving, mosh pit-inspiring way of playing. Listen to “Friday Night (Going Down in Flames)” for The Damned Things’ new sound. For Wentz, the only qualities of his former band linger in Black Cards’ witty, emo-derived lyrics. Otherwise, his new act is a complete departure from FOB – the Cards’ sound is an odd combination of circus/disco/funk, and Rexha’s unusual style and Ashlee Simpson vocals makes one wonder why Wentz didn’t choose to work with his wife anyway.

By far, my favorite FOB spinoff project is Stump’s solo album, on which he is writing, singing, producing and playing multiple instruments all by himself. He describes his new sound as ‘soul punk,’ which is apparent in the funky ensemble of guitar, bass, synths and horns in the video below. While Wentz was FOB’s main lyricist and public frontman, Stump was the driving force behind the band’s sound, which earned a Grammy nod in 2006. He debuted his solo act at SXSW last spring (click here for a review from the L.A. Times). Watch out for this one – from the looks of the video below for his upcoming album, it’s clear Stump has only gained steam since Fall Out Boy broke up.
Patrick Stump’s album is nearing completion. Black Cards recently played a few shows in the U.K. and has two songs up on MySpace. The Damned Things will release an album, Ironiclast, on December 14.
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