Since most people are only aware of the pop rock music that made the band famous, it is not well known that most of the members' backgrounds were actually in either punk or metal music. Before Fall Out Boy, bassist Pete Wentz used to be in the metalcore band, Arma Angelus, along with Tim McIlrath from Rise Against. Drummer Andy Hurley also played in a metalcore band called Racetraitor, and overall, the two were in three other bands together until the much more successful pop-punk group was formed in 2001.
Even in the early years of the band, Fall Out Boy was a part of the punk rock scene in Chicago. In fact, the band performed several times at the iconic Fireside Bowl where other famous punk rockers started their musical careers like Rise Against, Alkaline Trio, and the Smoking Popes. When reminiscing about these early gigs, Pete Wentz says, "The Fireside Bowl holds the warmest memories of my entire life. It was a sanctuary, and it served its purpose perfectly."
The bandmates grew up listening to punk bands like the Descendants and desired to emulate their idols, says Today. However, the band quickly realized that they did not really belong in the hardcore music scene, so Fall Out Boy started making their own sound and achieved great success. Yet the love of hard rock would never truly leave some members, as guitarist Joe Trohman and Hurley would later join the rock supergroup, The Damned Things, featuring members of Anthrax, Every Time I Die, and Alkaline Trio.
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