Pete Wentz interview: Is Fall Out Boy's new greatest hits also its swan song?
Band co-founder discusses his group, his label and playing video games while drunk
Pete Wentz
Credit: AP Photo
Fall Out Boy released “Believers Never Die” on Tuesday, but the last person to ask if the best-of collection spells the end of the emo band is co-founder Pete Wentz.
He’s as in the dark as the rest of us. The band is on hiatus and the future is unclear: “It’s so hard for me to say. I think the biggest thing is that people want us to give a definitive [answer to] when we’ll go on tour again or when we’ll put more music out-- and there just isn’t one,” he told me during a recent interview for AOL. “If I said one, that would be a lie and if I said that there wasn’t going to be one, that would be a lie too because I don’t really know.”
Wentz also admits there’s a back story to the collection’s new tune, “From Now On We Are Enemies,” but he wants fans to do a little digging around on their own to find it. “It is in quotes for a reason: it’s a quote. It’s really hard to find,” he says. “It’s an interesting story. The closest thing that comes to explaining that are the lyrics are the thoughts of two different men and the perceptions of each other.”
While he decides FOB’s future, Wentz is busy raising his child with wife, Ashlee Simpson Wentz, and continuing to run his label, Decaydance, whose roster includes such acts as Panic! At the Disco and Gym Class Heroes. But he’s found out that being CEO and overseeing over musicians’ careers is really short-hand for playing poppa.
“Boys in bands are more difficult to deal with than one-year-old babies,” he says with a laugh. “I’ve been one of them and I am one of them, but it is the truth. Boys in bands are just big babies…I think I gave everybody too much room to call me at 3 a.m. and whine about this or that and I’m always talking them off the ledge. At the end of the day, we’re more of a gang than a label, but I end up being kind of like, not the godfather, I kind of end up being everybody’s big brother. Everybody calls me up and goes “This thing’s happening; it’s the end of the world” and I’m like “It’s not the end of the world because your record’s leaked, every one’s record leaks now... “
He’s also spending time playing video games: FOB appears in Activision’s new “Band Hero” game and he’s a gamer from way back, who recently got back into playing. “When we did the Nintendo Fusion tour and Nintendo sent us these Wiis and we didn’t know anything about what they were, but I just fell in love with it. I threw my back out playing tennis…The best thing with the Wii is I play it when I’m semi… I’ve been overserved a little bit and I’m in my own house and there’s no paparazzi there. It’s great. Whenever I go play tennis, I’m always in some dumb outfit and get some stupid picture taken of me. You gotta do it sober. Not as fun.”
News From Our Partners
-
'Dark Knight Rises' TV Spots: A Lighter Side Of Batman
Emma Stone Nabs First 'MTV Trailblazer Award'
One Direction Hit 'MIB 3' Premiere Armed With Toy Guns
-
Critics Consensus: Men in Black III Is Solid Fun
Five Favorite Films with Director-Producer Oren Peli
Cannes 2012: Critics Scorecard
-
'Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 2': Edward, Bella And Jacob Character Posters (PHOTOS)
Russell Crowe, Elvis Costello, Sing Elvis Presley And Johnny Cash In London
'Men In Black 3' Unscripted: Josh Brolin Doesn't Know Will Smith's Song 'Summertime'
-
Brandi Glanville Claims She Hooked Up With Gerard Butler
Charlie Sheen Talks Ladies – Onscreen & Off
Jonah Hill ‘Overwhelmed’ By ‘Moneyball’ Supporting Actor Nomination
-
Catherine McKenzie: The Bachelorette Games
'Idol' Continues Downward Ratings Spiral
'Idol' Winner Inspires Nation After Enduring 8 Surgeries During Season
-
Gateways To Geekery: There’s more to Russ Meyer’s films than breasts, though those are pretty important
Interview: Men In Black 3 director Barry Sonnenfeld on creating character and managing 3-D
The Walkthrough: 30 Rock showrunner Robert Carlock walks us through some recent series highlights
-
The Dandy Warhols Celebrate 18 Years Together
Lady Gaga Turns Yellow For The Simpsons
Dance Music Vocalist Susana Releasing New Album
-
The Telefile - Today's TWoP News: Thursday, May 24, 2012
The Telefile - Modern Family: Best Lines of the Season 3 Finale
The Telefile - Today's TWoP News: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
About This Blog
Melinda Newman is the former West Coast Bureau Chief for Billboard Magazine with more than 15 years of experience in the music industry. She covers music and entertainment for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Associated Press, MSN, AOL and other outlets. Recent interviews include Taylor Swift, Pink, Brad Paisley, Foo Fighters, Jonas Bros. and Snow Patrol.
Get Instant Alerts on The Beat Goes On
Latest Posts
-
What happens when we show our true selves?Thursday, May 24, 2012
-
Stark depiction matches song's messageThursday, May 24, 2012
-
Listen to new single, 'Legendary Child'Thursday, May 24, 2012
-
Static chart sees little to no movement from last weekWednesday, May 23, 2012
Comments
Option 1
Comment instantly as a guest GuestOption 2
Option 3
Login or create a HitFix account Login Signup