Pete Wentz

Pete & wife Ashlee Simpson (www.people.com)

Pete Wentz: Fall Out Boy’s front man, who married with Ashlee Simpson, is a father, musician, writer, composer, humanist, TV host, award winner. Yeah, he’s that & more.

Peter Lewis Kingston Wentz III (artistic name Pete Wentz) was born on June 5, 1979 on Wilmette, Chicago, Illinois. He went to the New Trier High School and North Shore Country Day School, where he was an all-state soccer player (his number was #12). While being a freshman in high school he convinced his parents to send him to a boot camp to straighten him out. In his stay there, Pete developed a love for music and started to write songs to ease his frustrations. He continued through his music during his high school being part of small band in the rock scene of Chicago. Some bands that he was part of: First Born, Arma Angelus, & Project Rocket (with his fall out Boys: Joe Trohman & Andy Hurley).

After graduating from high school in 1997, he attended DePaul University where he studied political science, dropping out one semester shy of graduation to focus more on music. After quitting college he called one of Arma Angelus' old friends: Joe Trohman. Pete talked about having a big idea of a rock-punk band. That’s when Trohman & Wentz decided to found Fall Out Boy. Trohman called Arma Angelus’ old drummer Andy Hurley. In that while Pete was FOB’s singer until Joe Trohman met Patrick Stump on the library commenting on their love for David Bowie. Patrick tried out for drummer, but Pete chose him as a singer & guitar. Fall Out Boy was completed, & along with them came their successes.

Pete’s life isn’t just music & fame. Pete had a secret hidden through all his life. "Pete was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in February, 2005, Wentz attempted suicide by taking an overdose of ATIVAN", anxiety medication, after that he spent a week in the hospital. With this tragedy came 2 songs “Seven Minutes in Heaven” & “Hum Hallelujah”. In an interview he commented: “I was isolating myself further and further, and the more I isolated myself, the more isolated I'd feel. I wasn't sleeping. I just wanted my head to shut off, like; I just wanted to completely stop thinking about anything at all.”

Another problem came to Pete when his naked pictures were loaded into the Internet on the Live Journal “Oh no! They didn’t!” He declared those pictures were stolen from his T-Mobile Sidekick & then he said: “feeling badly about this for about 24 hours, I am now ready to get back to laughing.”

After all those things Pete found Ashlee Simpson, the girl he’d marry. The couple started dating on April, 2007, posing as “just friends”. One year later the couple announced their engagement, due to the fact of Ashlee being pregnant. Though the rumors were immediately dismissed, Ashlee seemed to start gaining weight, then she had to admit: “Yes, Pete & I are expecting our first child”. 3 months later they married at Pete’s Santa Monica’s mansion. On November 20, 2008 Ashlee gave birth to their first son, Bronx Mowgli Wentz, & along with son Bronx, came Fall Out Boy’s album “Folie á Deux” with impressive hits like: America’s Suitehearts & I don’t Care.

I know you will think when you finish reading this: What has he done that is heroic?

Well, Pete is no Batman, Spiderman, or Superman, but for me he is way better than any super-powered hero. He represents success to me. His lyrics are somehow an inspiration source. When I listen to FOB’s music I feel his life through his lyrics & his music. I know he is not a role model, but he is the best person I could think of when someone says: My Hero. I mean sometime Mr. Wentz screws up with things, but he is a hero to me.

Fall Out boy, 2008 (www.falloutboyrock.com)