Rock groups land contracts

Photos courtesy of Fueled by Ramen Records Fallout Boy (from left to right): Joe Trohman, Andy Hurley, Patrick Stumph and Pete Wentz, recently signed a deal with Fueled by Ramen Records. Their next album is set to be released in April.

By Eric W. Alexy
Contributing Writer

After making considerable noise on the local scene, two of Chicago’s premier rock acts, Fallout Boy and Spitalfield, have signed recording contracts with prominent independent record labels.

Fallout Boy, who came together in 2001, has inked a deal with Fueled By Ramen Records (Gainesville, Fla.), while Spitalfield, formerly of Sinister Label, has signed with Chicago-based Victory Records.

Formed from the ashes of hardcore acts Arma Angelus and Race Traitor, Fallout Boy features members Patrick Stumph, vocals/guitar; Joe Trohman, guitar; Pete Wentz, bass, and Andy Hurley, drums. To date, the act has two releases under its belt: a self-titled three-song demo (2001) and a split release with Project Rocket on Uprising Records (2002). The quartet will be releasing a nine-song LP entitled Fallout Boy’s Evening Out With Your Girlfriend through Uprising Records on Feb. 25.

Numerous labels courted the band before they signed with Fueled by Ramen. Wentz said, “We definitely had some interest from really big labels to smaller ones, but in the end we had to go with the label that was the right fit for us and who saw where we wanted to go with Fallout Boy.”

Fueled By Ramen is co-owned by John Janick and Vinnie Balzano, drummer of Less Than Jake, and has been in existence since 1996. The label’s current roster includes Kissing Chaos and The Pietasters, among others.

“Fallout Boy’s clever song writing first attracted us to the band and we see a lot of potential in them,” Janick said. “Their determination and work ethic goes above and beyond anything a label can ask for. We are all really glad that they are now part of the Fueled By Ramen family.”

Spitalfield vocalist/guitarist Mark Rose, who along with band mates Dan Lowder, guitar/vocals; bassist T.J. Minnich; and drummer J.D. Romero officially signed with Victory Records on Jan. 3, explained that “Victory just impressed us with how personal they were, and how hard working the staff was. There’s obviously a lot of factors that go into a decision like [signing a record deal], and Victory had an edge on most of them.”

Victory Records, home to bands like Voodoo Glow Skulls, Snapcase and Atreyu was established in 1989 and is located in Chicago’s River West area. Several of the label’s acts, including Thursday and Hatebreed, have gone on to sign with major labels.

Spitalfield is currently recording its 11-song Victory Records debut with producer Sean O’Keefe (Motion City Soundtrack) at Smart Studios in Madison, Wis. The album will be mixed at Chicago’s Gravity Studios and is set for a June release.

Fallout Boy recently finished recording its forthcoming Fueled By Ramen release Take This To Your Grave, which is set to be released in late April. The album was also produced by O’Keefe at Smart Studios and will feature 12 tracks, including “Light On In Chicago” and “Nailed to the eX.”

“I think [the new release] will surprise people who expect something different from us,” Wentz said.

In addition to Fallout Boy’s recently completed tour with label mate Punchline, the band toured with Spitalfield last summer and has opened for the likes of OKGo and Taking Back Sunday. The four-piece is currently touring with Less Than Jake and Madcap.

Spitalfield performed alongside Allister (Drive-Thru Records) as part of 94.7 The Zone’s First Contact at the Metro on Feb. 6. The band intends to tour in the coming months, though no specifics are available as of press time.