Fall Out Boy on Download slot: 'We started in hardcore'

Fall Out Boy have defended their billing at this years Download festival, claiming that despite their heavy pop leanings they are at heart a metal band.

"I think that one of the things our band has always kind of been is like when we play more pop shows we're uh-oh, like Slayer and when we play heavier shows..." said Wentz. "Interesting thing with our catalogue now I'd say like 'The Phoenix' and songs like 'Thriller' and 'Sugar', we have a bunch of songs that are probably leaning towards our heavier side and we're able to play those."

"Then the guys in Linkin Park are friends of ours and to go over there and try and earn some of their fans will be cool. We grew up in the hardcore scene so we're no stranger to a mosh pit."

"At the end of the day I think it all just matters how you play it," said Patrick Stump. "I've seen bands with two acoustic guitars go up against metal bands and totally fit in because when you play heavy, when you play with that amount of passion everyone gets it."

"Because we started in hardcore we never lost that kind of mentality in terms of the way we play, it's just the music doesn't sound like our hardcore records anymore. It's not like that part of us just stopped you know? In sound check it's pretty much us playing metal right up until we have to play our songs."