Patrick Stump

Early life

Stump was born in Evanston, Illinois to David, a folk singer, and Patricia (née Vaughn) Stumph, an accountant. He is the youngest of three children. He grew up in Glenview, Illinois and attended Glenbrook South High School. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He grew up with a passion for music, later stating, "I was always playing music... it was always kind of present." He originally played the drums in various local Chicago power violence and hardcore punk bands, including Public Display Of Affection, Xgrinding processX, Patterson, and, for two shows, Arma Angelus. His musical idols growing up included Michael Jackson, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, and Nat King Cole.

Fall Out Boy (2001–2009; 2013–present)

Fall Out Boy's founding guitarist Joe Trohman met Stump over a mutual musical interest, and introduced Stump to bassist Pete Wentz. After originally auditioning as the drummer, Stump became the lead singer and later guitarist for the band. Trohman and Stump switch between lead and rhythm guitar in recording sessions and at live shows, although Stump views himself as more of a rhythm guitarist because of his drumming background. He is the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary composer for the band, with bassist Pete Wentz taking lyrical duties. The band's first mini-LP, Fall Out Boy's Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, was released in March 2003 on Uprising Records, while their first full-length album, Take This to Your Grave on Fueled by Ramen in May 2003. In the same year Stump decided to professionally drop the "h" in his surname to reduce mispronunciations.

In 2003, Stump and his fellow band members went on to sign with Island Records, and released the acoustic-based EP My Heart Will Always Be the B-Side to My Tongue CD and DVD in 2004 to hold fans over while the group recorded their major label debut. The EP gave the band a Billboard 200 charting at No. 153. This was followed by their third studio album, From Under the Cork Tree in 2005, which was the band's mainstream breakthrough. It has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA, with a sales total of more than 2.5 million. It debuted and peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, becoming the band's first top-10 album. The chart-topping lead single "Sugar, We're Goin Down" reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 and received heavy airplay rotation at Pop and Alternative radio. The album's second single, "Dance, Dance", also enjoyed mainstream success, peaking at No. 9 on the Hot 100 and becoming Fall Out Boy's second top-10 hit. It won various awards and was certified platinum. The band heavily toured in 2005 and 2006 in support of From Under the Cork Tree, including headlining Warped Tour, the Nintendo Fusion Tour, and the Black Clouds And Underdogs tour, as well as playing a secret show under the name of Saved Latin at a small venue. Fall Out Boy was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy Award in 2005.

Fall Out Boy's third studio effort, Infinity on High, was released to major chart success in 2007. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with 260,000 sales, becoming the group's first No. 1 album and second top 10 release. It also debuted atop other various Billboard charts and charted in the top five worldwide. Infinity was spurred on by the lead single, "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", which hit No. 2. "Thnks fr th Mmrs", the second single from the album, peaked at No. 11. Fall Out Boy toured all year worldwide in support of it, with arena gigs in the US.

Folie à Deux was released in December 2008. Its sales were less than stellar in comparison to Infinity on High, but gave the band its third consecutive top 10 album, debuting and peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 with 150,000 opening week sales. The lead single, "I Don't Care", landed at No. 21 on the Hot 100 and went Platinum. The band was the opening act for Blink-182's reunion tour in 2009. They released their first greatest hits album, Believers Never Die – Greatest Hits, later that year, featuring all of their previous single releases, two new songs, including the single "Alpha Dog", and two rarities. In late 2009 the band took an indefinite break to "decompress", with the band members embarking on various side projects, with Stump going solo, Trohman and Hurley forming heavy metal supergroup The Damned Things, and Wentz starting the electropop/experimental group Black Cards.

On February 4, Fall Out Boy unexpectedly announced their return with a new album entitled Save Rock and Roll, issued on April 12, 2013, and released a new song, "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" as well as tour dates. The band played their first show in over three years on the night of February 4 in Chicago. 'Save Rock and Roll' peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 154,000 copies in its first week, becoming the band's 4th consecutive top 10 album. The band toured heavily throughout 2013 and 2014 on the album, selling out arenas worldwide with bands such as "Paramore" and "Panic! at the Disco"

Their sixth album American Beauty/American Psycho was released in January 2015, preceded by the triple Platinum top 10 single "Centuries". "Uma Thurman" was released to mainstream radio on April 14, 2014 and peaked at 22 on the 'Billboard' Top 100, and were certified as Platinum in August 2015. On November 5, 2015 it was announced that Stump had written and produced a song called 'Trophy Boy' for the soundtrack of upcoming animated film "Charming" to be sung by High School Musical star Ashley Tisdale, Avril Lavigne and G.E.M.

Solo career (2010–2012)

In January 2010, Stump announced he was working on a self-written, performed and produced solo album. Later during that year he leaked the title of Soul Punk, which was eventually released on October 18, 2011.

Stump explained that he named the album Soul Punk because he wanted to contribute to the musical vernacular of both. "I'm just as pissed off as I was while screaming in punk bands, but I feel like I'm directing it into something positive and centered around love." He created a video on his website that shows him playing numerous instruments, starting with drum kit then adding more such as synthesizer, cowbell, electric guitar and bass, amongst others. He performed new songs at his debut solo performance at SXSW 2010 in Austin, Texas, including "As Long As I Know I'm Getting Paid" and "Love, Selfish Love", which may have originally been from an earlier version of his solo album, but have since been included as a part of his solo debut EP, Truant Wave.

On November 29, 2010, Stump put up on his website two different versions of his debut song, "Spotlight", one called "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)", and the other "Spotlight (New Regrets)", with download links for both. Stump expressed that after months he still could not decide which version he liked better and asked his fans to vote on a poll for the version of the single they liked better and wanted to have on the album. The polls closed leaning toward "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)", however Stump has since decided to include "Spotlight (New Regrets)" on Soul Punk and put "Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)" on his debut EP, Truant Wave, claiming that the votes were too close and that he felt as if "Oh Nostalgia basically needed its own record", building Truant Wave around it.

He released the first EP of his solo career, Truant Wave, digitally on February 22, 2011 through his own record label, Nervous Breakdance Media. The EP consisted of songs Stump "felt strongly about but didn't have place for within the narrative of Soul Punk" and featured Alph-A-Bit, Om'mas Keith of Sa-Ra, David-Andrew "D.A." Wallach of Chester French, and Driis.

On April 6, 2011, Stump contributed an original song, entitled "Saturday Night Again" to the album Download To Donate: Japan Tsunami Relief.

A month later, on May 6, 2011, he updated his website and also posted to his Facebook and Twitter, announcing "I feel like I'm gonna explode 5.9.11" with a link which led to a video called "Tsar bomba", which was a video of a bomb explosion. The "I feel like I'm gonna explode" phrase came from his song "Explode", which Stump premiered at his live show and ended up on Soul Punk. "Explode" was released on May 9, 2011. NyMag.com commented that the song is "heavily indebted to Michael Jackson and, in good news for FOB loyalists, not totally unlike Stump's old band". The song's video caption read "Soul Punk: coming late Summer". On June 27, 2011, Stump wrote on his Facebook and Twitter page, "Tuesday". The next day (the Tuesday he was referring to), Stump released a remix of a Soul Punk track, "This City", featuring rapper Lupe Fiasco. On July 26, the remix was released as the album's first single to iTunes.

Stump played twelve small shows around the United States in support of Soul Punk and Truant Wave. He visited Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The tour began on April 3, 2011 in Chicago and ended on April 15 in California. It was his first tour as a solo artist. Shows were also scheduled in London (2 dates); Paris and Cologne. His five-piece backing band consists of bassist Matt Rubano (formerly of Taking Back Sunday), guitarist Michael Day, keyboardist/saxophonist Casey Benjamin (who has performed with Mos Def and Q-Tip), and drummer Skoota Warner. With the addition of Janice Cruz Brooks singing background vocals for the New York City shows at Joe's Pub. He performed in a sleek black tuxedo, white moon boots and fingerless leather gloves, and on some songs he played the electric guitar. His setlist varied from show to show, and premiered new songs "Explode", "Allie", "Cryptozoology" and "Everybody Wants Somebody" which turned out to be Soul Punk tracks. Covers performed included "Cupid's Chokehold" by Gym Class Heroes, "All of the Lights" by Kanye West, "Kiss My Sass" by Cobra Starship, "Me and Mrs. Jones" by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, and "Nothing Compares 2 U" by Prince. He played songs from Truant Wave as well as "Spotlight (New Regrets)" which he previously released as a 7" vinyl.

In May 2011, Stump was the opening act for Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe on their "Hooligans In Wondaland Tour" for four shows. He began his second US tour (first full-length headline tour) August 3, 2011. Prior to that he performed at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan on July 30. As part of his US tour he played Lollapalooza in Chicago. He announced a month-long US fall tour in support of Panic! at the Disco, beginning on October 9. After the tour, he headlined the Metro in Chicago. He has been a guest at many radio shows. His TV guest appearances include Good Morning New Orleans, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Hoppus on Music.

In a blog post in February 2012 after disappearing from the internet, Stump mentioned that he would halt performing. He stated that the relentless criticism he has received from Soul Punk and Fall Out Boy's latest release, Folie à Deux, felt like "some big cosmic sign that says I should disappear" and that although he was prepared for criticism, he was not prepared to accept that people who ostensibly supported something he was involved in would turn into "haters" and attack his ambition and slimmed down image. He went on to write "It's tempting to say I won't ever play/tour/record again, but I think that's probably just pent up poor-me emotional pessimism talking."

On May 20, he returned to blog and offer an explanation of his lack of updates and his music career. Confirming by saying: "I won't ever quit music, I just may not release some of my own for a little bit" and that he may tour to support Soul Punk in the future. He says that in the last 6 months of going silent he has taken acting classes and co-written and collaborated with other musicians. These collaborations include: Escape The Fate, Kat Graham, Amountboyz, The King Blues, All Time Low, Before You Exit, and Yellowcard.

As of February 2013, Soul Punk has sold 23,000 copies in the US.

On November 30, 2014, when asked if another solo album would be made, Stump responded, "There's hope but it will be a minute."

On July 18, 2016, Stump won Best Vocalist at the 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards for his efforts in Fall Out Boy.

Music projects

As a producer, along with a handful of Fall Out Boy tracks, Stump has worked with The Hush Sound on Like Vines, Gym Class Heroes on As Cruel As School Children and Cobra Starship on ¡Viva La Cobra!. He also produced the song "Little Weapon" on Lupe Fiasco's The Cool. He was featured in a song by hip-hop group The Roots originally intended for their 2008 album Rising Down. In 2008, he executive- and co-produced The Cab's Whisper War and Gym Class Heroes' The Quilt, as well as several tracks on Tyga's No Introduction.

In addition to producing albums, Stump has also remixed various tracks for soundtracks or special releases. Among various others, he made a "Queen Of Apology" remix for The Sounds on the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack, a remix of the Fall Out Boy single "Dance, Dance" available on the "Sugar, We're Goin' Down" EP, a "Sugar, We're Goin Down" remix on Fall Out Boy's From Under the Cork Tree special edition release, and "Pace Yourself" for The Higher on their album, On Fire. He also remixed Good Charlotte's "Little Things" for their remix compilation, Greatest Remixes.

On February 1, 2009, Gretsch released the G5135CVT-PS Patrick Vaughn Stump Signature Series "STUMP-O-MATIC" Electromatic® CVT, based on their model body with personal stylings by Patrick Stump such as a "kill switch" and stripes. Also, Stump signed and gave away two of his signature guitars that he used to record Fall Out Boy's fifth album, Folie à Deux. He has another Stump-O-Matic with white and silver stripes, which he used for most of the guitar recording on Soul Punk and at his solo concerts.

Stump appeared as a guest with Daryl Hall from Hall and Oates on Live From Daryl's House, playing guitar on several of Hall and Oates' own songs, as well as on a couple of Fall Out Boy selections, such as "Sugar, We're Goin Down" and "I Don't Care" and, additionally, performing as a drummer/vocalist on a version of "What a Catch Donnie."

During the production of Soul Punk, Stump contributed a cover of Buddy Holly's "Everyday" to the 2011 tribute album, Listen to Me: Buddy Holly to a positive reception. Victoria Asher provided backing vocals. Stump and the album's contributing artists performed at the tribute event at the Music Box Theater.

On September 23, 2012, Stump contributed lead guitar and vocals for a performance of "Black Hole Sun" with Robert Glasper Experiment at the London iTunes Festival. He later contributed vocals to the track "I Stand Alone", on the album Black Radio 2, which premiered September 23, 2013.

He created his own version of the theme song for The CW's TV series, One Tree Hill, featured on the third episode of season 8, The Space in Between. He provided a song for Season 5 Episode 3 Big Trouble in Little Clerks 2 of Adult Swim's Robot Chicken in which he parodied James Cameron's Avatar.

In late 2014, he appeared on reality TV shows The Voice as an advisor and on The Sing-Off.

On November 5, 2015, it was announced that Stump had written and produced Trophy Boy for the soundtrack of upcoming animated film "Charming" to be performed by Ashley Tisdale, Avril Lavigne and G.E.M.

Stump composed an original ride score for the on-ride audio system for the enhanced Incredible Hulk Coaster, a roller coaster at Islands of Adventure theme park in Orlando, which re-opened on August 4, 2016.

In early 2016, he was revealed to be contributing to Blink-182's fifth studio album, California. Stump was later given songwriting credits on two songs off the album, Sober and San Diego. He also co-wrote 10 Victoria's Secret Angels for MAX's studio album Hell's Kitchen Angel, who MAX described as 'one of his favorite collaborations'.

Stump has song writing credits on Black Veil Brides frontman, Andy Black's, debut solo album The Shadow Side, contributing to the album's leading single, "We Don't Have to Dance".

Vocal style

Stump possesses a high-lyric tenor vocal range and a falsetto that spans three octaves and eight semitones. His range extends from E2 to C6. In his early career as Fall Out Boy's vocalist, all the way up until Folie à Deux, he had a bad habit of overusing his chest voice when he belted higher notes, causing the lyrics to sometimes be rendered near incomprehensible. As time has gone on, his pronunciation and diction while singing have improved drastically.

Acting work

In January 2008, Stump was a guest star on the television crime-drama Law & Order. He appeared in the second episode of Season 18 as Marty Dressler, a lowly employee of an electrical company, who is suspected in the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of an executive. The episode, "Darkness", aired on January 2, 2008, on NBC as part of the two-hour series season premiere. There was a rumor that he was not paid for this episode, but he has debunked that and said that he was paid well for his appearance.

Stump made a short film in 2009, Moustachette which has been shown at film festivals. It stars Stump himself, Pete Wentz, and Yellowcard's Ryan Key. It was released online in September 2011.

Stump guest-starred as a lab technician on an episode of House in the episode "We Need the Eggs" (season 8, episode 17), which aired on April 16, 2012. He also made a cameo appearance in the 2008 film Sex Drive along with his Fall Out Boy bandmates.

Alongside his live-action appearances, Stump has partook in a few voice acting roles, particularly in a handful of Robot Chicken sketches and, most recently, providing the voice for the character Ruberiot in the Disney XD cartoon Star vs. the Forces of Evil, where he also provided his vocal talents for the song "The Ballad of Star Butterfly".

He has also appeared in The Young Blood Chronicles, Fall Out Boy's eleven-part music video story to support the band's 2013 album Save Rock and Roll with bandmates.

Personal life

Stump married his longtime girlfriend, Elisa Yao, in 2012. They live in Chicago together.

In March 2014, Stump sang 'Let's Get It On', originally by Marvin Gaye, as the first dance at his step-brother's, from his father's second marriage, wedding.

Stump announced in September 2014 on KIIS-FM radio he and his wife were expecting their first child. On October 13, 2014, they welcomed their first child, Declan.

Stump lost 65 pounds when Fall Out Boy went on hiatus, due in part to growing health issues, including asthma and pre-diabetes, with which he was diagnosed. He suffered from high cholesterol and high blood pressure as well.

In 2012, Stump was elected a member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences's Chicago Chapter Governors.

Influences

Stump has been influenced by many artists, including Michael Jackson, Prince, David Bowie, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, who are reflected specifically in Soul Punk. Stump has been influenced by bands including The Beatles and Green Day and has been influenced by individuals including Elvis Costello, John Cage, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Tom Waits, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Sergei Prokofiev, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, John Williams, Danny Elfman, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and Jerry Goldsmith.

Discography

Fall Out Boy

Studio albums

Extended plays

With other artists (selected list)