“The takeover, the break is indeed over. As you may've read about over the last week, I've got a new band called Black Cards,” the bassist wrote in a post on his new website, blackcardsmusic.com.
Wentz explains that the band was inspired by a family vacation to Jamaica.
“When FOB went on hiatus, I wasn't really sure what to do with myself. I know I wanted to keep traveling the world with my family. We had been to Jamaica recently. I spent a lot of time hanging around the beaches and I started to get inspired again by songs like ‘two sevens clash’ and ‘warriors.’ I'd never heard any of these songs but could imagine them having an everlasting imprint, like people would dance to this stuff forever. I could feel these songs really meant something. Not just in Jamaica but globally, crossing through culture and language.
“I started collaborating via email with my friend Sam, who I knew from working on [Gym Class Heroes’ 2006 album] As Cruel as School Children. He had been listening to a lot of old British stuff and we mashed that with the island vibe in the studio.”
Along with Wentz’ post, the Black Cards’ site includes snippets of two songs titled “Club Called Heaven” and “Beating In My Chest,” which both feature a female vocalist.
The bassist wrote that he wanted to work with a female vocalist because he “couldn’t imagine trying to replace [FOB singer/guitarist Patrick Stump]. Combine all this with my nonsense and ideas. Stuff I could never write or never had a perspective to write from in FOB.”
Wentz invites fans to check out the tunes, noting that “I know this won’t be for everyone but honestly it’s a chance for me to try something different.” He concludes the post by sending a shout out to his old bandmates, writing, “I remain Fall Out Boy’s #1 fan.”
MTV.com points out that the “Sam” Wentz references is Sam Hollander, who is one-half of the production duo known as S*A*M and Sluggo). The site also confirms that the female vocalist featured on the Black Cards tracks is “definitely not” the bassist’s wife, Ashlee Simpson.
In February Fall Out Boy members each separately announced the band was taking a break. After Wentz tweeted, "I can't imagine playing in FOB again. Something would have to change in my head or my heart ... not my wallet,” Stump told Spin, “I’m not in Fall Out Boy right now.”
On his personal blog Wentz added, “I don’t know the future of Fall Out Boy. It’s embarrassing to say one thing and then have the future dictate another. As far as I know Fall Out Boy is on break.”
Click here for Black Cards’ website.