While Fall Out Boy was thought to be on a break, it was bassist Pete Wentz who confirmed the band’s breakup (or atleast his official resignation) this past Tuesday on his personal website, “As much as i don’t have a solo project, i also can’t predict that i’d ever play in fall out boy again. not due to personal relationships as much as a band we grew apart. in this statement id like to include there is the possibility that fob will play again with out me or i will be a part of it when everyone is on the same page. it is no ones fault and there is no animosity about the decision… i am the single biggest fan of fob and if this is our legacy than so be it. i am proud of it.” Wentz went on to tell fans on Twitter that he felt the band was over. “Don’t you get it? A hiatus is forever until you get lonely or old. I don’t plan on either,” he wrote. “I can’t imagine playing in FOB again. Something would have to change in my head or my heart … not my wallet.”
In an interview with Spin.com, lead singer, Patrick Stump further confirms the band’s demise but with a more enthusiastic view. “I’m not in Fall Out Boy right now, but one way or another, the band will always be around. Steven Tyler isn’t in Aerosmith anymore, but his gravestone will probably say something about Aerosmith. Whether we play again or not, I don’t know. If we do, it will be for the right reasons. If we don’t, it will also be for the right reasons.”
As for the other members of FOB, it does not seem that they were aware of what Wentz was posting. Drummer Andy Hurley wrote on his Twitter account, “Nothing is official. I have no idea what’s going to happen. That’s the most direct answer I can give.”
Despite all the back and forth, one thing is for sure, they all have lots of side projects to keep them busy. Stump has a solo album in the works (watch the video here); Wentz has his clothing line Clandestine Industries as well as a collaboration with Blink 182’s Mark Hoppus on a song for Tim Burton’s upcoming Alice In Wonderland, and drummer Andy Hurley and guitarist Joe Trohman are reportedly still at work with the Damned Things, a band they formed in 2008 with Anthrax’s Scott Ian and Rob Caggiano, Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley and bassist David Karon.
This is break up is kind of a disappointment, but I must say that it doesn’t really surprise me. I feel like it was a long time coming and it was inevitable. It seems that any band who have been together for a long time can’t help but tend to grow apart. Maybe it was the commercial success that. When I saw them at Rolling Stone for a luncheon last April, the guys didn’t seem too enthused and it was kind of a bummer.
I leave you with one of my favorites songs off Take This To Your Grave.