With a career spanning almost 15 years and a discography that includes six chart-topping albums, Fall Out Boy is a band that’s deeply rooted in the American consciousness. Some fans have grown up with the band and witnessed FOB’s constantly evolving sound while never missing a beat. Others are new fans, brought into the FOB fold via their 2013 comeback album ‘Save Rock and Roll’. At the helm of the band is lyricist/vocalist/bassist Pete Wentz, whose personal life at times has eclipsed his musical one. With the release of FOB’s sixth studio album American ‘Beauty/American Psycho’ and preparations for an upcoming Boys of Zummer tour with Wiz Khalifa, it seems that Pete is back on top and ready to charge full steam ahead. We had a chance to chat with Pete about FOB’s new album, their upcoming tour, and much more.

 

What’s one piece of advice you’d impart to aspiring musicians?

I’d say do it because you love it. Doing it to get famous or make money – there’s much easier roads to get those things. I think music can be really cathartic and an amazing experience but you gotta do it for the right reasons.

What’s your current favourite TV show?

My favourite TV show is probably ‘Game of Thrones’ but they don’t have anyone on there with accents like mine on there. I don’t think I would watch it if I was on it [laughs].

 

How would you say your songwriting and music in general has evolved over the last six albums? Do you find it much easier or more difficult to write tunes at this point?

Sometimes we write pretty well together and it flows easily and sometimes it takes a little bit more time. It’s never not been that way. Everyone has families and different things in their lives that we all have to work around. That way logistically there’s more to deal with.

Can you tell me more about the inspiration behind ‘American Beauty/American Psycho’?

We’re a band that has an interesting demographic of fans. We have a good group of fans that care about the album, packaging and all that goes with it so it’s important for us to deliver to that. There’s also something to be said about a body of work where it’s a snapshot of that moment in time. I think that ‘American Beauty/American Psycho’ is a take on a modern love story. It’s the idea that we kind of all have these smartphone and social media lives but we’re still disconnected and brightly lit by computer screens.

 

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