Guitarist Joe Trohman would fit right in as a character in the Star Wars galaxy. He's already a bit of a character in his own band, Fall Out Boy.
"I mostly play Joe in my band and I'm pretty good at that," Trohman jokes. "Our merch guy thinks I should be Darth Joe, but I told him that doesn't exist. So I suppose I'd probably just be Greedo in the films. After all, I've already been voted most likely to be killed at the beginning of a movie by my whole band."
Though Trohman never became a feared bounty hunter or Sith, he's been a longtime fan of Star Wars since he first laid eyes on the original trilogy as a child.
"In 4th grade I used to hang out with this kid named Frank or Fred, not really sure which," Trohman says. "But I do remember going to his house every Saturday and sleeping over and watching A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back before bed, then Return of the Jedi in the morning. I got pretty obsessed with it after that."
It wasn't just the films that intrigued the young Trohman. He also spent much of his time daydreaming about joining pilot RX-24, otherwise known as Rex, aboard his StarSpeeder to go on an exciting trip to the Moon of Endor.
"I had an obsession with going to Disney/MGM Studios to ride Star Tours as much as I could -- which is very nostalgic for me," Trohman continues. "There was an amazing Darth Vader statue for something like eight grand in the Star Tours gift shop. I've tried to get my dad to get it for me for years."
An impressive statue of the Dark Lord of the Sith might not stand tall in Trohman's home, but that doesn't mean he isn't without a mass of Star Wars collectibles.
"I still collect tons of action figures," Trohman says. "My closet in my apartment is full -- 95% of Star Wars toys. I'm pretty happy about my Target-exclusive Vader. I also really like Darth Tater. He's fun. Someone got me that for my birthday. My Celebration III Vader is also the jam. I have some lightsaber replicas, and I'm also looking to get my hands on some A material original action figures from the '70s with the card and all."
When Trohman isn't busy collecting Star Wars action figures, he's playing guitar for the Chicago-based Fall Out Boy. Forming in 2000, the band consists of Trohman, Patrick Stump (vocalist/guitarist), Pete Wentz (bassist/lyricist) and Andrew Hurley (drummer). Drawing influences from metal, hardcore punk and melody-driven pop punk, the band gained a steady stream of fans with their self-released demo in 2001, following it up in 2002 with a split LP with the band Project Rocket on Uprising records. After their mini-LP Evening Out With Your Girl in early 2003, the band found themselves courted by another label -- Fueled by Ramen -- co-owned by Less Than Jake drummer Vinnie Balzano. After signing with the new label, the band's next release Take This to Your Grave (which Island Records helped finance) was recorded in legendary Butch Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, WI, and released in May of that same year. Impressing music critics and fans at festivals like South By Southwest, as well as non-stop tour dates, the band decided to get right back into the studio to work on the latest 2005 release, From Under the Cork Tree.
"With this record, we've got a bigger focus and a grander idea," Wentz says on the band's official site. "We don't want to disappoint the 200,000 people who are part of a very cult following that hangs onto our every word, and we won't. But we wrote this record for all the people who haven't heard of Fall Out Boy before. When George Lucas did Return of the Jedi, he wanted it to appeal to the person who saw Star Wars, but at the same time, if somebody wasn't born when that came out, they can still go see the movie and have it be a very exciting thing for them. That's the kind of thing we want to achieve."
Fall Out Boy's admiration for Lucas and the saga's effect on fans continues to be obvious as Trohman made sure that he didn't miss out on the final movie installment of Star Wars. This May, Trohman and his friends stood in line with other diehard fans to see the midnight opening of Revenge of the Sith in his hometown of Chicago.
"Revenge of the Sith was incredible -- stunning, if you will," Trohman says. "When Obi-Wan yelled to Anakin, 'I loved you like a brother,' it really hit the ol' heart -- definitely the most moving part for me. And I was really surprised by how the Emperor's face turned from normal to all messed up, like it's supposed to look, from the Force-lightning."
However out of all the scenes that Trohman is excited to pause and replay on the Episode III DVD, the chilling Jedi purge seems to catch his attention the most.
"I love the montage of when Palpatine gives the orders to exterminate the Jedi," Trohman confesses. "That always freaks me out, in a good way. I'm quite excited to be able to watch that over and over."
With the unavoidable dark themes that surround the film's plot, including Order 66, Trohman says that he couldn't help but draw parallels between the Emperor and other powerful historic leaders who manipulated people's emotions to feed wicked ambitions.
"I've always seen the connection of Star Wars movies with World War II and especially with the Third Reich, showing its growing power and the wrong-doings and atrocities committed during that time, but obviously through a veil," Trohman explains. "Episode III isn't really any different in showing that, in my opinion. You have the Emperor, who represents sort of a Hitler-esque person, who blinds the population through propaganda to successfully exterminate the Jedi Order. Anakin/Vader sort ofrepresents Rudolf Hess (Hitler's right hand man), to me. I think it's important for people to see that when watching the movies, but I can understand that viewpoint ruining the fantasy for some people. As much as it matters, people are going to see the movies how they want to."
Of all the characters in the Star Wars saga, including Revenge of the Sith, Trohman has the utmost respect for a certain bearded Jedi.
"I'd have to say Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan was fantastic and probably managed to be my favorite character throughout the prequels and definitely still held true in Revenge," Trohman says. "I think his humor fit well into the films, and still was able to bring out the Alec Guinness in Obi-Wan that we all knew and held true."
Trohman was equally impressed by John Williams' musical score for Revenge of the Sith.
"The music was fantastic for Revenge!" Trohman says. "It followed the story and helped with every climax and surprise that came through in the movie. Every movie uses different kinds of soundtracks to set the mood. The Star Wars films have their own which is really imperative to the feel of the film. If it had music from modern bands I think it would have ruined the feel. If we heard 'Let the Bodies Hit the Floor' [Drowning Pool] while Anakin and the clones were slaying the Jedi, it would've made me laugh for a minute and then just wonder what the hell was going on."
In addition to Revenge of the Sith Trohman says that he loves the Star Wars video games almost as much, playing them whenever he has a spare moment -- sometimes even in the recording studio. So it's no surprise that he's eager to try his skills in the upcoming Star Wars Battlefront II game.
"I've played Battlefront and it rules," Trohman says. "And I'm really excited for Battlefront II. I also really love the Knights of the Old Republic games. In fact, I spent all my time while recording our record playing KOTOR II when I wasn't tracking guitars. KOTOR III needs to come out soon, otherwise I'm gonna explode! I've played the Jedi Academy games, and they rule! Basically, I play them all. The LEGO game was amazing too... seriously... awesome."
Trohman and the rest of his band mates will have plenty of time to play Battlefront II and watch the Revenge of the Sith DVD on their tour bus as Fall Out Boy hits the road promoting their new album, From Under the Cork Tree. To locate tour dates and to read more about Trohman, Wentz and the rest of the band, visit the official Fall Out Boy site here.
Stay tuned to starwars.com for more Star Wars appreciation interviews from some of your favorite bands and celebrities.
