Joe Trohman Comes Back To Fall Out Boy After Brief Hiatus

Fall Out Boy guitarist Joe Trohman has returned to the band after departing in January to take a mental health break, he revealed on social media.

Trohman began his hiatus just days after the band announced the release of their eighth album, So Much (For) Stardust, which was released in 24 March. He revealed that he was "stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell", citing needing to focus on his mental health as the reason for a break.

Now, he’s back. Announcing his return on Monday (29 May), the Sugar, We’re Going Down guitarist revealed, "Hey everyone, I'm officially back! I want to thank everyone for the love and support while I took some time away to focus on my brain and get healthy for my family, my friends and myself."

Trohman will be back on stages within weeks, adding that "I'm stoked to be back in action and I can't wait to see everyone on tour this summer!"

In his statement, he also thanked replacement guitarist Ben Young, Fall Out Boy's guitar tech, calling him a "true gentleman and a scholar".

Fall Out Boy’s tour dates begin on 21 June in Chicago, Illinois.

Trohman's original hiatus announcement called back to Neil Young’s iconic line, “It's better to burn out than to fade away.” But in Trohman’s case, “I can tell you unequivocally that burning out is dreadful,” he wrote.

“Without divulging all the details, I must disclose that my mental health has rapidly deteriorated over the past several years. So, to avoid fading away and never returning, I will be taking a break from work which regrettably includes stepping away from Fall Out Boy for a spell."

So Much (For) Stardust saw Fall Out Boy re-sign with Fueled By Ramen and reunite with producer Neal Avron, who the band worked with on the beloved holy trinity of 2000s-emo: From Under The Cork Tree, Infinity On High, and Folie à Deux.

About working with Avron again, vocalist Patrick Stump said, "Neal not only taught us how to make records, but has a unique capacity to really take time and focus on a record. We thought it was a no-brainer to work with him again, on a record where that was very important to us, and he was gracious enough to agree to work with us."

Bassist Pete Wentz commented, "Our band has been an ongoing art project for twenty years and we know there have been many inception points along that journey. We wanted to create an album that merged those points together – something new, but carved from our foundation. Fueled By Ramen and Elektra seemed like the perfect home for this."

Fall Out Boy began signalling their return in December by taking out a full-page advertisement in The Chicago Tribune newspaper, with "FOB8" - teasing their eighth album - and the phrase "if you build it, they will come" printed. You can listen to So Much (For) Stardust here.