I CAUGHT up with Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz to chat live shows, festivals and life in one of the hottest bands from the United States right now. Pete was quick to point out how much he and his band members enjoyed their recent performance at Tennent's Vital.
“We had a really great time at that show, we really did. The crowd were really lively and the atmosphere was really cool. It was good to be on the same bill as the Chilli Peppers too since they are such an iconic band. We had a great time.” the bassist reflects.
“I really like the whole festival thing because in many ways you aren't playing to your own fans. OK, I 'm sure there are plenty of Fall Out Boy fans in attendance but it's a great challenge to try and win over fans of other bands.
"Hopefully people see you do your thing and then leave the show being into what we do and then maybe becoming fans of our band too.”
Fall Out Boy sound even better live than they do on their records – something on which they focus intensely.
“The live thing is everything to us. That's what we have worked so hard on over the years.Yeah it's fun to record in the studio and make records and write songs but when we actually get on stage as a live band that's when everything totally clicks into place for us. It's like exercising a completely different muscle. But it's the one that gives me most satisfaction. It's what brings you together as a band."
Fall Out Boy's current album American Beauty/American Psycho contains some of their finest work to date. Songs like Centuries and Irresistible are killer rock songs with huge choruses and according to Pete they stemmed from ideas that led the band in different yet positive direction.
“Centuries was a strange one. Patrick [the band's frontman] had this idea of a big strident rock song but using elements of that chant from the [Suzanne Vega] song Tom's Diner and at first I was like 'OK, where's this going?' and I wasn't convinced. But once we got into it it made perfect sense and it's now one of our favourites on the record as well as a highlight of our live shows.
As for Irresistible, we kept thinking as we were creating it that it needed a female vocal in there so we called up our friend Demi Lovato who ended up adding her vocals on a remixed version."
The band seem to be in a very good place right now: strong spirit and unity within their ranks are apparent.
“We're having a great time right now. We're touring an album we're happy with and our live shows are going really well. Everyone in the band is feeling positive about what we're doing right now and for the future," Pete concludes.
