Music
5 songs that helped Fall Out Boy reimagine the emo rock genre
Frontman Pete Wentz shares four songs that help him tap into a higher emotional frequency
When listing the bands that epitomise the emo pop-punk genre, Fall Out Boy is a name that comes very close to the top of the list. Formed in 2001 in Wilmette, Illinois, the five-piece provided the soundtrack for alternative culture in the early 2000s and defined the emo rock genre, a hybrid of punk-pop and hardcore. With albums like “Infinity On High” and hits like "Thnks fr th Mmrs" the four piece sold 30 million records and toured stadiums around the world.
Bass player and lyricist, Pete Wentz, has served as the mastermind behind Fall Out Boy for 22 years, leading their forward-thinking and creative perspective on the future of music. Today, the 42-year-old musician directs his focus towards various industries as a full-fledged entrepreneur. While continuing his bass duties with Fall Out Boy, as the band released their eighth studio album, "So Much (for) Stardust," in March, he has ventured into diverse businesses, including dive bars, fashion labels, and record and film production companies.
In this interview, he reflects on his origins and selects five songs that have played a pivotal role in shaping Fall Out Boy's distinctive emo-punk sound.
Guns N´Roses Live And Let Die (1991)
Guns N´Roses Live And Let Die (1991)
© Geffen Records
“Guns N’ Roses was a band that was really impactful on me. Before, I’d listen to whatever my parents were playing, and this was like the first band that I picked for myself. It was this era when they put out “Use Your Illusions” - and “Live And Let Die” is a great song, but also a cover song, so I’m also getting Paul McCartney in there as well. Check it out!”
Metallica Enter Sandman (1991)
Metallica Enter Sandman (1991)
© Elektra
“There’s a lot of Metallica songs that I’d like to play, but I think for me, the album that was inescapable was “The Black Album”. “Enter Sandman” has one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time – just so good. When I was young, this was the song knocked the door down. It really was a big thing for me.”
Gorilla Biscuits Start Today (1989)
Gorilla Biscuits Start Today (1989
© Revelation Records
“Gorilla Biscuits were a big influence on me. Watching them play was the first time I realized that you could really be on stage, because the stage was only like about three inches off the ground. [chuckles] Literally anyone could get on there. But Gorilla Biscuits was an awesome band and a huge musical influence on me. This is one of their best songs.”
Green Day Basket Case (1994)
Green Day Basket Case (1994)
© Reprise Records
“There’s a direct line through Green Day that we wouldn’t have been able to route ourselves without a band like that. And I remember seeing the video for Basket Case when Tré is in the wheelchair, and I just thought it was insane. It was insane to me that this song was on MTV and that a band like this was what they were.”
Jay-Z 99 Problems (2003)
Jay-Z 99 Problems (2003)
© Roc-A-Fella Records
“Jay is someone I really look up to. He was the president of our record label for a while when we were signed to Island/Def Jam. He’s like a poet who has swagger, and he created a whole culture. He somehow found a way to stitch The Beastie Boys and old Jay-Z, like “Blueprint”, all together in one song, and that’s why I love it.”