Unfortunately for all the fans hoping to keep Fall Out Boy as their back pocket band, “From Under the Cork Tree” also gained attention from every radio DJ in the land and singles like “Sugar We’re Going Down” and “Dance, Dance” turned the scene’s biggest secret into everyone’s new guilty pleasure.

There was no escaping the height, their faces were plastered everywhere from MTV to J-14. Success also brought new endeavors to the members of the band. In the process of recording “From Under the Cork Tree,” Wentz began a clothing line (Clandestine Industries) and an imprint label (Decaydance), which he started to sign Gym Class Heroes and Panic at The Disco, and had added The Academy Is…before their sophomore album made it to stores.

Stump was beginning to experiment with a behind the dashboard role in the studio while Hurley and Trohman both had side projects back at their prospective homes. While the crowds at their new headlining U.S. tours had grown exponentially, behind the chants of emo heroism was the accusing chorus of “sellout”.

But the band went back into the studio even more ambitious than ever. The feeling of being on top of the world that came with “From Under the Cork Tree” was a feeling they wanted to keep, so Fall Out Boy’s third album, “Infinity On High,” came with even more catchy radio anthems. The hard-hitting guitars from “Take This To Your Grave” were barely present with the new R&B inflected sound.

Fans expecting the rough melodic punk riffs from the earlier albums were instead greeted with Jay Z cameos and soft piano anthems (“Thriller,” “Golden”). Instead of heartbreak tributes, “Infinity On High” came with tongue in cheek replies to a once-embracing underground scene (“This Ain’t A Scene It’s A God Damn Arms Race”) and judging fans who helped spread Wentz’s nude pictures all over the internet (“Thnks Fr Th Mmrs”).

Despite the vast difference between “Infinity On High” and “Take This To Your Grave,” which had wormed Fall Out Boy into the hearts of so many, the band continued with its growing success.

As more and more exposure and accolades rolled in, just as much backlash and bitterness of old fans came with it. It seemed that even though Fall Out Boy was on the fast track to becoming pop icons, they were hated as much as they were loved.

In the center of it was Wentz, who had been deemed frontman of the band for being the most outspoken, even though Stump still held down lead vocals. He was blamed for sound changes and overall deterioration of integrity of the band due to his public relationship with pop princess Ashlee Simpson.

Stump became involved in producing other records for label mates Gym Class Heroes and Cobra Starship, while Hurley and Trohman had to stomach accusations of “just being along for the ride”.

The pressure began building on all four members, giving them a lot to think about on their return trip to the studio to make their fourth album, “Folie A Deux,” which hit stores last month.

What arose was a mutual decision to attempt to return to a place that had allowed them to write “Take This To Your Grave” without neglecting everything they had learned up until that point.

Stump took responsibility for the musical decisions made on “Infinity On High” that Wentz was crucified for, and both Hurley and Trohman stepped up with more of an active role in the music writing, wanting to prove themselves as more than just extras in the Pete Wentz show featuring arrangements by Patrick Stump.

Wentz claimed in their recent cover issue of Alternative Press that lyrically he tried to write from the perspective of his band mates about their current situation as well as commentary on the world at large. All four members proclaim the album is the fruit of all their labors, created by the entire band as one entity, Fall Out Boy, as a culmination of everywhere they’ve been.

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About The Author

Megan Vick is a Blast editor-at-large

One Response

  1. Calysta

    Thank you for this article. I really liked how you traced their progression as a band. I especially appreciated your focus on the music.

    Reply

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