Joe Trohman has returned to Fall Out Boy.
The 38-year-old guitarist took a break from the ‘Dance Dance’ group in January to focus on his mental health, but he’s now thanked fans for their support during his break and confirmed he is “officially back” with the band.
Sharing a photo of himself on stage, he wrote on Instagram: “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.”
Joe went on to pay tribute to Ben Young, who has been performing live with the band alongside Patrick Stump, Pete Wentz and Andy Hurley in his absence.
He added: “I also want to thank Ben Young for stepping up and filling in on the shows I missed – He is a true gentleman and a scholar.
“I’m stoked to be back in action and I can’t wait to see everyone on tour this summer!”
The ‘Centuries’ hitmaker previously explained his mental health had “rapidly deteriorated” so he felt it was important to step back from the spotlight.
In a statement on the band’s Instagram page, Joe said: “Neil Young once howled that it’s better to burn out than to fade away. But I can tell you unequivocally that burning out is dreadful. 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.”
The rocker has vowed to return to the band in the future but insisted it was “necessary” to put his “mental health first”.
He added: “It pains me to make this decision, especially when we are releasing a new album that fills me with great pride (the sin I’m most proud of). So, the question remains: Will I return to the fold? Absolutely, one-hundred percent. In the meantime, I must recover which means putting myself and my mental health first. Thank you to everyone, including my bandmates and family, for understanding and respecting this difficult, but necessary, decision.”