Fall Out Boy were inspired to launch their own ‘Flappy Bird’ app after spending time in Japan.
The band decided to create their version of the game – called ‘Fall Out Bird’ – which will be available later this week – after the original app was downloaded more than 50 million times.
Bassist and singer Pete Wentz told Rolling Stone: "We were over in Japan, playing Flappy Bird when it went crazy."
Because of jet lag, the band – also made up of Patrick Stump, Joe Trohman and Andy Hurley – would all wake up about 4.45am and then discuss Flappy Bird and wonder if the makers were just pulling a stunt.
Pete, 34, said: "It seemed genuine that this was not the kind of attention that he wanted. There’s a million Flappy Bird memes where it’s ‘I hate this fucking game.’ It took me a while to realize that’s how the Internet tells you it’s thinking about you. You have to think about how in Internet culture, everyone that’s loved is hated."
The musician can relate to the issue because he can only now play songs from Fall Out Boy’s 2005 breakthrough record ‘From Under the Cork Tree’ and not worry about being accused of being a sell-out.
He admits: "I had so many neuroses in my twenties."
Asked what he thinks the band’s legacy is after 13 years, Pete said: "At some point, Metallica stopped being called a thrash-metal band, or the ‘Black Album’ band — you just think of them as Metallica. I know our band’s not there yet, but it’d be cool to get to that point, where the best descriptor is the name," adding, "Just surviving is a big part of being an artist."
Fall Out Boy to create Flappy Bird app
