Pete Wentz on saving rock
by Sarah Rodman
Fall Out Boy roared back into action earlier this year with its first new album in five years, “Save Rock and Roll.” Following a spirited show at the House of Blues in May, the quartet returns to the area for a sold-out show Friday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell with their old pals Panic! At the Disco.
We got on the horn with Fall Out Boy bassist-songwriter Pete Wentz recently to discuss the five things he believes will help save rock ’n’ roll.
1. The Internet “The Internet, social media, and globalization has leveled the playing field. It doesn’t matter where you’re at, if you have a good idea or a good voice you are part of it now,” he says, pointing to 16-year-old New Zealand upstart Lorde and her song “Royals” as an example.
2. Rappers and DJs embracing rock ’n’ roll as a concept “The idea that Kanye West can be a rock star and is running around in a leather kilt or that a guy like Skrillex can play to 40,000 people in Italy. I have friends who are probably not much older than me that say, ‘That stuff sounds like a bunch of noise.’ And that’s what our dad’s dad’s were saying about the Beatles, so that is rock ’n’ roll.”
3. The kids “People say kids don’t like music, but that’s not true. When I meet people in line they are buying vinyl and making music of their own and we have to believe in those kids. The kids are all right.”
4. Video games “Things like ‘Rock Band’ and ‘Guitar Hero’ allow people to be involved in what I call iconic rock ’n’ roll. Maybe you’re not actually going to be able to play guitar in a stadium, but you can do it in your living room and participate in the idea.”
5. The spirit of the music “It’s something that exists in the ether and every once in a while someone will tap into that,” he says pointing to acts such as Panic! at the Disco, Fun., and Gotye.
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Fall Out Boy roared back into action earlier this year with its first new album in five years, “Save Rock and Roll.” Following a spirited show at the House of Blues in May, the quartet returns to the area for a sold-out show Friday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell with their old pals Panic! At the Disco.
We got on the horn with Fall Out Boy bassist-songwriter Pete Wentz recently to discuss the five things he believes will help save rock ’n’ roll.
1. The Internet “The Internet, social media, and globalization has leveled the playing field. It doesn’t matter where you’re at, if you have a good idea or a good voice you are part of it now,” he says, pointing to 16-year-old New Zealand upstart Lorde and her song “Royals” as an example.
2. Rappers and DJs embracing rock ’n’ roll as a concept “The idea that Kanye West can be a rock star and is running around in a leather kilt or that a guy like Skrillex can play to 40,000 people in Italy. I have friends who are probably not much older than me that say, ‘That stuff sounds like a bunch of noise.’ And that’s what our dad’s dad’s were saying about the Beatles, so that is rock ’n’ roll.”
3. The kids “People say kids don’t like music, but that’s not true. When I meet people in line they are buying vinyl and making music of their own and we have to believe in those kids. The kids are all right.”
4. Video games “Things like ‘Rock Band’ and ‘Guitar Hero’ allow people to be involved in what I call iconic rock ’n’ roll. Maybe you’re not actually going to be able to play guitar in a stadium, but you can do it in your living room and participate in the idea.”
5. The spirit of the music “It’s something that exists in the ether and every once in a while someone will tap into that,” he says pointing to acts such as Panic! at the Disco, Fun., and Gotye.
Source