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The title of Fall Out Boy's fifth album, Folie à Deux (out December 16th), is a psychiatric term that translates to "the shared madness of two." "When two people with independent neuroses come together, they can become exponentially crazier," explains the band's 24-year-old singer and guitarist, Patrick Stump. "A whole new type of crazy." Over the disc's 13 tracks of intricate, punk-infused pop, the emo superstars explore themes of adultery, materialism and vanity, and how stardom can make people go completely mad. "It's about the way pop culture pumps up our desire for useless crap," says Stump. "It's our first real statement."
Before you were born, your father was involved in the
Chicago folk scene.
He tried. My dad was kind of a peripheral character to Sixties and
Seventies players like John Prine and Steve Goodman. The world does
not know the name of David Stump! He was always playing around the
house — like a greatest-hits jukebox. As I go through bands'
catalogs, I hear songs and I'm like, "That's not Dad? That's the
Eagles?"
I heard you are a great vocal mimic.
I got into singing by accident, because I was an impressionist. I
started out by doing a bitchin' Elvis Costello impression. I can do
a good Tom Waits and a good Prince. I was totally bashful about
singing in front of people, but when you're making a joke of it,
it's a completely different story. I remember the first Fall Out
Boy show. I couldn't even sing, I was so horrified.
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On the new album, do you attempt to impersonate
anyone?
On "What a Catch, Donnie," I sing really deep, and I was like,
"Wow, I'm just impersonating Bowie." All of a sudden I had a
British accent.
Obviously you've become more comfortable
performing.
When we were nominated for a Grammy [in 2006], I remember being
there and saying, "I don't belong here." Elvis Costello was sitting
across from me, and Stevie Wonder was up onstage, and I said, "I
need to step my game up, just so I don't feel disrespectful." After
that, I started practicing a lot. I'd sing along with records.
Who inspired you the most?
Otis Redding going balls-out, when he's really going for it. He
also had incredible dynamics. Otis wasn't always in key, but he was
always singing the right way. "These Arms of Mine" is one of the
most perfect recordings ever. That's the kind of stuff you might
get once in a lifetime.
What are your favorite Pete Wentz lyrics on the
album?
"I will never believe in anything again" — I think it came
from when Bush was re-elected. I love the complexity of a line that
simple.
I thought you guys were all straight-edge, but I
recently saw a photo of Pete drinking alcohol.
Pete got older, and I'm legal now, but we're still not a partying
band. I'm too busy to get drunk. I'll have a glass of wine at
dinner, but that's about it. I've still never gone up to a bar and
ordered a drink. I have a crippling fear of doing it because I
don't know the basic social conventions of doing it. I've only seen
it in movies.
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No way! Have you ever smoked any weed?
Once I was hanging out at a friend's house, and he and his brothers
had a "family" bong. One Saturday night they said, "Hey, let's whip
it out." I had no interest, and I tried to make excuses, but my
friend shoved it in my face and lit it. We did a few rounds, I
snuck out and drove home. I looked at my speed — I was going
20 in a 50 zone.
Then what?
I don't want my mom to know I'm stoned, so I race up to my room.
Now, I know this is blasphemy to so many people, but I was never a
huge Pink Floyd fan. But I had a copy of Dark Side of the
Moon, and I was like, "If I'm ever going to do this, it's
right now." It's the only time I've ever listened to that record.
It was amazing!
After Kanye West released "Love Lockdown," you recorded
your own version of it that was pretty impressive.
I was just dissecting it. I do it all the time. I'll do a Kate Nash
song or a Warren Zevon song. Kanye West is the best thing happening
in pop music right now. He's the Prince of his generation. He's
doing whatever the fuck he wants, dragging pop music with him
kicking and screaming. McCain says he's a maverick. No, Kanye's the
maverick. Kanye is like "highway to the danger zone" — he's
going to do another flyby.
You acted in an episode of "Law & Order" last year,
and you weren't wearing a hat. What's up with that?
Patrick wears hats. My character, Marty Dressler, didn't.
I always thought the hats just hid your bald
spot.
No. It goes back to that naked feeling of singing. Once I have my
hat on and take my glasses off — so I can't see past the
first row — I can relax.
What goes through your head when you read Pete Wentz
quotes like, "I want Fall Out Boy to be the biggest band in the
world"?
That's not a goal of mine. But I don't want to be the guy that
holds Pete back from what he wants.
[From Issue 1067 — December 11, 2008]
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