With their new album Mania now on shelves, we spoke to Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz about how it all came together...
With their new album Mania now on shelves, we spoke to Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz about how it all came together...
How did you want Mania to move on from American Beauty/American Psycho?
"I think of Save Rock And Roll and American Beauty/American Psycho as almost a single album cycle. Mania is our attempt to move the ball forward. I think we have always been that band within pop music that is always slightly askew, just off. Weird and on the outside. I think this is our greatest magnification of that."
You worked with a range of different producers on the album, how did you go about deciding who to work with?
"I think everyone served the greater part of the album as an idea. You don't hire a plumber to do the locksmiths job, you know?"
"Butch Walker is really good at being the Fall Out Boy whisperer, he is the guy that refocuses the whole thing. Dave Sardy was great for some of the more rock stuff and Illangelo was instrumental in getting the record back on course with 'Last Of The Real Ones'."
There’s a collaboration with Burna Boy on the album, how did that hook-up come about?
"I'm a big fan of the scene that's happening with hip-hop in Lagos, with him and Mr Eazi. So we hit him up and just let him know that we are fans. The rest came together pretty easily."
What kind of album is this lyrically? Do you think there’s a theme running through it?
"I think the focus is on the way all of our flaws actually make all more human and thus a part of humanity at large..."
Which song on the album took the longest to get right?
"That would be 'Stay Frosty', for sure. It just went through a few different mixes to get it right."
And which came together most quickly?
"That would be 'Last Of The Real Ones', that just came together on the spot..."
When did you settle on Mania for the title? Were any other titles in contention?
"I guess we always think of a few ideas for titles but once Mania was spat out, it was the one..."
How’s your live set coming together? You’ve got seven records to choose from now...
"Oh man! The setlist is becoming harder and harder to figure out with so many potential songs. but to me in the best possible way. it is something that is constantly evolving..."
Fall Out Boy’s new album Mania is out now and available here in hmv’s online store.
