Fall Out Boy is an American pop punk band from Wilmette, Illinois, (a suburb of Chicago) that formed in 2001. The band consists of Patrick Stump (vocals, guitar, primary composer), Pete Wentz (bass guitar, vocals, primary lyricist), Joe Trohman (guitar, vocals), and Andy Hurley (drums, percussion).

Fall Out Boy has won several awards for their album From Under the Cork Tree. Released in 2005, the album has achieved double platinum status after selling more than 2.5 million albums in the United States. In support of the album, Fall Out Boy headlined tours in 2005 and 2006 in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Europe.

In February 2007, the band released Infinity on High to major chart success, reaching #1 on the Billboard 200 and selling 260,000 copies in its first week. The first single, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", reached #1 on the Pop 100 and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. To promote the album, the band performed at the Live Earth concerts July 7, headlined the Honda Civic Tour through mid-2007, and the band performed at the MTV Video Music Awards on September 9. The band just finished the Young Wild Things Tour with the Plain White T's, Gym Class Heroes, and Cute is What We Aim For.

History

Early years

Fall Out Boy was formed in early 2001 by friends Joe Trohman and Pete Wentz. The two had played in various bands in the Chicago area. They decided they wanted to start a band that was more similar to bands they listened to growing up such as Green Day, Descendents, and The Smiths. Trohman met high schooler Patrick Stump in a Borders Bookstore. Trohman introduced himself to Stump when he overheard him talking about the band Neurosis, in which they shared a mutual interest. Stump auditioned as a drummer, but as soon as his vocal range was discovered, he became the lead singer. Two other Chicago musicians were recruited; T.J. Raccine on guitar and a drummer simply credited as Mike. Evening Out With Your Girlfriend CD. Production information. CD Universe. Retrieved on 2007-10-08. The following year, the band debuted with a self-released demo and followed it up with the May 28, 2002 release of Split EP, which featured Project Rocket, on Uprising Records. The group released a mini-LP, Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, on Uprising Records, in 2003.

The band was nameless for their first two shows. At the end of their second show, they asked the audience to yell out their ideas for a name. One audience member suggested "Fallout Boy," Fall Out Boy Interview July 23 2005 Joe Kominowski, DrivenFarOff.com, July 25 2005, Retrieved October 13 2007 a reference to the sidekick of the Simpsons cartoon character Radioactive Man.

Independent success

After the release of their mini-album, Andy Hurley, formerly of Racetraitor, joined the band and Stump picked up guitar, while Raccine and Logan left. During this time, they played many local shows at the The Knights of Columbus Hall in Arlington Heights, Illinois, the site of their first video: Dead On Arrival. The same year, after signing to Fueled by Ramen, they released their first full-length album, Take This to Your Grave, on May 6, 2003. The band received an advance from Island Records to record their proper debut, but the advance came with a right of first refusal for Island on Fall Out Boy's next album. With major financing in place, the recording of Take This to Your Grave took place at the Butch Vig owned Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, with Sean O'Keefe producing.

With singles "Grand Theft Autumn / Where Is Your Boy" and "Saturday" receiving video airplay on FUSE and mtvU and radio airplay on mainstream stations across the country, the album sold very well and eventually achieved Gold status, but only after the success of their next album, From Under the Cork Tree. RIAA search results for Fall Out Boy's Take This To Your Grave. RIAA. Retrieved on 2007-10-16.

In mid-2003, the band signed with Island Records which is a part of the mainstream label The Island Def Jam Music Group, along with Def Jam Records. This was after they picked up the option for their next album. In the meantime of recording their mainstream debut, they released the acoustic EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue on Fueled by Ramen, May 18, 2004. It debuted at #153 on the Billboard Top 200, their first such entry on the chart. The two-disc set included a DVD with videos, more acoustic performances and a fan photo gallery.

Commercial debut

On May 3, 2005, Fall Out Boy released their major label debut, From Under the Cork Tree, which debuted on the Billboard 200 at #9, selling over 68,000 copies in its first week. The album achieved double platinum status and has sold over 2.5 million albums in the US alone. Earlier that year, the band's stability was threatened when Wentz overdosed on the sedative Ativan in a failed suicide attempt. The track "7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen)" from their album From Under the Cork Tree is based upon Wentz's attempted suicide.

Their first single, "Sugar We're Goin' Down", peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, #6 on the Pop 100, and #3 on the Modern Rock Charts. The video reached #1 on MTV's TRL, where it was retired on August 26, 2005. The video won the MTV2 Award at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards, prompting a huge new interest and surge in sales. The band was also nominated for "Best New Artist" at the 2006 Grammy Awards.

The second single off the album, "Dance, Dance", became their second Top 10 Single when it peaked at #9 on the Hot 100. It reached #6 on the Pop 100, becoming the band's highest charting single when it reached #2 on the Modern Rock Charts. The video for the song premiered on TRL on October 11, 2005; it soon reached #1 and was later retired on January 17, 2006. "Dance, Dance" was also featured on the PlayStation 2 version of Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova by Konami.Gerstmann, Jeff (2006-09-29). " Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA (PlayStation 2)": GameSpot editors' review. CNET. Retrieved on 2007-10-06. The third single off the album, "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More 'Touch Me'", was much less popular than both prior singles, but still managed to peak at #65 on the Hot 100 and hit #1 twice on TRL, retiring on June 6, 2006.

The band headlined the Nintendo Fusion Tour in the fall of 2005, joining The Starting Line, Motion City Soundtrack, Boys Night Out, and Panic! at the Disco on a 31 city tour. Due to their increased success from their MTV Video Music Award, the group headlined the Black Clouds and Underdogs Tour, a pop/punk event that featured All-American Rejects, Hawthorne Heights, and From First to Last. The tour also featured The Hush Sound for half of the tour and October Fall for half. They played to 53 dates in the US, Canada, and the UK.

Continuing prosperity

Fall Out Boy's latest album is titled Infinity on High and was released on February 6, 2007. The lead single, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", debuted at the 2006 American Music Awards. The video debuted on MTV on Tuesday, December 19, 2006. In the album's opening week, Infinity on High reached #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 260,000 copies.

"This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race" peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart on February 4, 2007, making it their most successful song in the UK to date. The single also peaked on the U.S. Hot 100 at #2 and the U.S. Pop 100 at #1. "The Carpal Tunnel of Love" (the second single released from the album) reached #81 on the U.S. Hot 100 by way of digital sales alone. "Thnks fr th Mmrs" was released on April 9, 2007, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #12 on the UK Singles Charts. On July 9, 2007, the third single from the album, "The Take Over, the Breaks Over", was released.(2007) Billboard.com. "Fall Out Boy: 'The Take Over, The Breaks Over'". Retrieved on August 8 2007.

Fall Out Boy was the headlining act of the Honda Civic Tour. The U.S. portion of the tour was originally scheduled to start April 18 and end on June 11. However, due to personal issues, it was postponed until May 11 and ended July 2 in Anaheim, California. The tour is now continuing in the United Kingdom and is scheduled to end in Africa to support Invisible Children Inc. They are working with Reverb, a non-profit environmental organization, for the tour. They performed on the MTV Video Music Awards on September 9 2007.Montgomery, James (August 7 2007). " MTV VMA Race Is On: Justin Timberlake, Beyonce Lead Nominations". MTV.com. Retrieved on August 8 2007.

Showing their versatility, Fall Out Boy has collaborated with rappers Kanye West, and Timbaland and toured with Paul Wall. West produced and is featured on the remix of "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race". They also worked with Timbaland on his new album Timbaland Presents Shock Value, where they are featured on the track "One & Only", for which Stump and Wentz both contributed in writing. Stump was featured on two songs with Gym Class Heroes (also signed with Fueled by Ramen), including their hit single "Cupid's Chokehold". He also was a guest vocalist on Motion City Soundtrack's single, "Everything is Alright". The band is headlining in the Young Wild Things Tour with Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T's and Cute Is What We Aim For, which began in October with a sold out show in Columbus, Ohio. "Columbus Show Sold Out"

Future projects

According to a recent interview with Billboard, the band already has an album's worth of material ready to put out, but has yet to record. Graff, Gary (October 22 2007). " Fall Out Boy Saving 'Bizarre' Tunes For Next CD." Retrieved on October 22 2007. Patrick Stump told the magazine, "There's lots of really bizarre ideas on there, everything from folk to ... actually, I was experimenting with piano phases, like Steve Reich, the composer. There'll be some weird stuff, but at the end of the day, it's probably just gonna be a pop record." Also, according to Wentz's journal on the group's website, the album is going to be "raprock". Fall Out Boy's Website

Musical style

While widely considered to be a pop punk and rock band,
Pete Wentz refers to the band as "pop punk". Fall Out Boy is often described as emo. Take This To Your Grave and From Under The Cork Tree are both said to have pop punk as well as hardcore punk sounds and influences, and their latest work, Infinity On High, features a wide range of styles and instrumentation, including orchestral and choral arrangements ("Thnks fr th Mmrs", "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave") and a slower piano ballad ("Golden"). Moreover, a central part of Fall Out Boy's sound is rooted in the band's lyrics, mainly penned by bassist Pete Wentz, who commonly uses irony and other literary devices to narrate personal experiences and stories.

Philanthropy

Fall Out Boy have stated that they are supporters of Invisible Children Inc., and Pete Wentz has participated in Invisible Children's Displace Me Campaign.The band also performed at the American leg of Live Earth on July 7, 2007.

Controversy

Although drummer Andy Hurley is vegan and has done promotions for PETA, Fall Out Boy has received criticism from animal rights groups for their use of chimpanzees, an orangutan and a monkey in the music video of "Thnks fr th Mmrs". Despite objections from these groups, the band?s bassist Pete Wentz brought a chimpanzee to the Kerrang! Awards and was pictured at the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards with a black and white monkey.

Discography

Awards

2005

• MTV Video Music Award - MTV2 Award for "Sugar, We're Going Down"

2006

• MuchMusic Video Award - People's Choice: Favorite International Group for "Dance, Dance"
• Kerrang! Award - Best Video for "Sugar, We're Going Down"
• Teen Choice Awards - Rock Track for "Dance, Dance"
• Teen Choice Awards - Single for "Dance, Dance"
• Teen Choice Awards - Rock Group
• MTV Video Music Award - Viewer's Choice

2007

• Kerrang! Award - Best Video for "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race"
• Teen Choice Awards - Single for "Thnks Fr Th Mmrs"
• Teen Choice Awards - Rock Group
• MTV Video Music Award - Best Group