Fall Out Boy: Two Years On From The “H-Word”

For many British popular-rock fans, Kerrang! magazine is an enjoyable weekly read but two years ago, there was one issue that didn’t exactly put smiles on everyone’s faces. Why? Because the main feature was Fall Out Boy‘s last interview before the ‘H-word’ officially began. Whilst the foursome have still regularly answered the question “What’s the future of Fall Out Boy?”, and still given similarly unsure answers just like they did in 2009, this remains their most recent interview as a band on its second anniversary.

But what did they say then and what actually happened?

Within the article, there’s one quote that Patrick Stump may regret everytime he gets tweeted angrily from a distressed diehard FOB fan or whenever he’s interview as “the singer from Fall Out Boy” rather than the solo “Solo Punk” star and that is “I think Fall Out Boy will play again. Give it two years”.Now after we’ve all given the band “two years”, there is still no sign of a ‘reunion’ (I use the term ‘reunion’ hastily because as Patrick Stump keeps telling us “Fall Out Boy never broke up”). Pete Wentz appears to be enjoying his new career in electropop with Black Cards, Andy Hurley has record and toured alongside Joe Trohman in the supergroup The Damned Things (who are now, like Fall Out Boy, on a break) and Patrick Stump holed himself away in a recording studio to write, play and produce his very own debut solo album (despite stating in this Kerrang! interview that his main plans were to tidy his house and fix his sink).

Joe and Patrick at Lollapalooza earlier in the year

So, what are they saying now?

In general, although the future is still uncertain, the outlook is still positive. Asides from the ill-advised comments Pete Wentz tweeted back in February 2010 about not being able to “imagine playing in FOB again” which seemed to bring the news of the “H-word” from the alternative press to the mainstream media and soon caused a chinese whisper between articles, blogs, TV shows and podcasts which ultimately led to the meaning of “on a break” changing to “split up – forever, and ever and never to return”.

Since then, and after Pete Wentz requested a sarcasm font for Twitter, all members seem to acknowledge their identity as 1/4 of Fall Out Boy. Patrick Stump (who has become the most prolifically interviewed over the two years) constantly reinforces the idea that there may be a future for Fall Out Boy; he doesn’t know when exactly but he’s sure that if it does happen, it will be before he’s 40 (he’s 27 currently). Joe Trohman recognises Fall Out Boy as simply on a pause as oppossed to being fully stopped as he reinforced by stating that he is currently in “2 bands on ice” (the other being The Damned Things). Pete Wentz highlights Fall Out Boy very clearly on his newly designed blog, and although he may place Black Cards before, he also recently revisited Folie à Deux song “20 Dollar Nose Bleed” to exclaim it features his “favorite moment in an FOB song ever” to which Andy Hurley joined in on the conversation, agreeing that he was a “great moment“.

What is the future?

The headline “We don’t know the future of Fall Out Boy” stands as much today as it did two years ago. Some fans may fret that their ‘side projects’ are becoming their main attention, and therefore ‘ruining’ the legacy of Fall Out Boy, but it must be remembered that Fall Out Boy is not just Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman – it’s Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz, Andy Hurley and Joe Trohman together.

Just keep your head up and remember one thing – BELIEVERS NEVER DIE.