This melodious pop-punk band was formed in 2001 in Chicago’s suburbs by friends Pete Wentz and Joe Trohma, each of whom had been in other bands in the area. A young man named Patrick Stump met Trohma in a Borders bookstore and auditioned to be the drummer for Trohma and Wentz’s project. Upon hearing his vocals and sensing a strong stage presence, the friends enlisted him as the singer and decided to name the band after a character from The Simpsons. After recruiting two temporary members to fill out the group, they recorded and self-released a demo in 2001, and an EP the following year. Soon, Andy Hurley joined on drums and Stump took on guitar duties. Their full-length debut, Take This To Your Grave, was released on indie label Fueled By Ramen and snagged mainstream airplay. Widespread success came with the release of 2005’s Under The Cork Tree, which debuted at number 9 on the Billboard chart and went double platinum. Its singles “Sugar We’re Goin’ Down” and “Dance Dance” were huge MTV hits, spurring even greater interest in the band, which was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2006 Grammies. After debuting the first single from their third album at the American Music Awards in late 2006, the band continued their ascent in 2007 with the release of Infinity On High. “This Ain’t A Scene, It’s An Arms Race” was a hit in both the U.S. and Great Britain, and powered Infinity On High into the top 3. This year also saw the band headline the Honda Civic tour, perform at the MTV Video Music Awards, and participate in Live Earth. In addition to Live Earth, the band supports Invisible Children, Inc., an organization that draws attention to the struggles of Northern Ugandans, as well as PETA and the Half Of Us suicide prevention campaign. The band has collaborated with artists including John Mayer, Timbaland, and Kanye West. Bassist, lyricist, and backup vocalist Pete Wentz, often presented as the face of the band, has garnered even more media attention for his relationship with singer Ashlee Simpson. In addition to his paparazzi-baiting lifestyle, he has launched his own film production company, New York nightclub, record label (which signed Panic At The Disco), and book and clothing distribution company. After cutting his fashion design teeth for DKNY in 2007, he’s signed on with upscale retailer Nordstrom to design a line of casual wear set to appear in stores in spring 2008.
