With everyone hastily figuring out what to do on Friday night, don't worry about Pete Wentz and his wife, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. The rock couple have already been in the books to host a private New Year's Eve celebration with Ciroc Vodka at the Hard Rock Hotel in his hometown of Chicago. I recently caught up with the Black Cards frontman and bassist to get his thoughts on his big post-Fall Out Boy project, his new brother-in-law, son Bronx, 2, and his surprising resolution.
Us: So tell me about this Ciroc New Year's Eve partnership? Did you get involved through Diddy?
PW: I guess. I mean we've hung out a couple times before and it was good time. We went bowling and he's pretty nice guy. But the thing that it was like one of the coolest thing is that because it's happening across the nation I was able to go to my home town, which is really rad, so I'm going to Chicago. I haven't done a New Years in Chicago in a while so that's pretty exciting to me!
Us: That's going to be a lot of fun being back right?
PW: Yeah, it will be awesome. I can't wait to see my family and like old friends. We used to do New Years there like all the time.
Us: Are you going to bring the family with you?
PW: Yeah, the wife and the baby will be there. The baby will stay with my parents on New Years but the wife will be there for sure.
Us: What are you going to be doing?
PW: I'll be hosting. Maybe I'll get behind the bar and make a couple Ciroc Countdowns, the drink of the evening, which seems like a pretty simple drink to make. Just some Ciroc, Ginger Ale and a little lemon. I can actually do that I think. I can pull off that drink I think. But mostly I'm just going to have a good time. I feel like, a lot of times people put too much thought into New Years and you over-think it and think it's whatever. I'm just going to have a good time and welcome in the New Year.
Us: Do you guys have any resolutions?
PW: Well, I took off my hat for the first time in three months yesterday. I was like, 'wow, your hair is out of control,' so I'm thinking I'll probably get it cut for the New Year. Let me think what other real resolutions I have. I think one thing I'd really like to do in general is go on a trip with my family somewhere that we all haven't been, I think that'd be cool.
Us: You have a little time now, not being on the road so much with Fall Out Boy?
PW: Yeah. I think I'll have a little bit of time, but the stuff that we're doing with Black Cards is going to pick up next year so before that happens it would be good to go somewhere relaxing. Maybe.
Us: Tell me about the Black Cards anyway. Do you have any idea when the album is going to be out?
PW: No specific date yet, hopefully early this spring. I'm really excited about it, we're like mixing songs right now and putting up little webisodes and I got some shows planned. None that I can announce yet just because I haven't locked them in yet but we'll be doing some touring next year so that's pretty exciting. And then two new songs that I think are expressive of where we're at now, which is pretty cool for me.
Us: How has life been?
PW: It's been really good. It's interesting starting a new project where like, on one hand it's kind of strange because you've been playing with music with the same three people, the four of us total, for the past seven years of my life so it's like a little bit odd. But there's something that's refreshing about it where there's not an expectation and I think that one of the traps you can get into is that every next thing you do, the next tour, the next album has to be bigger and better, and this is just different and refreshing.
Us: Is there anything else you got coming up next year?
PW: Yeah we've got the Ready Set, the label is got some new songs coming out. We have this new band Drugs. We have a new Panic! At The Disco record coming out. Busy with that. Busy with the bar, Angels & Kings. Busy with my family. Which is good. Got our own Christmas tree. We've got our own Christmas traditions now which is exciting to actually have. I think Bronx understood Christmas a little better this year so that's exciting.
Us: You're sister-in-law Jessica Simpson. What do you think of her fiance, Eric Johnson?
PW: Eric's awesome. I think the main thing that I really like about Eric is that he makes Jessica happy, you know? Genuine happiness. So it's like I welcome anyone that brings that to her life. Me and him get along pretty well.
Us: Yeah he seems like a cool guy.
PW: Yeah, he's very mellow and easy to get along with.
Us: Do you think they will have kids too?
PW: I have enough trouble with everyone speculating about my own, like what I'm doing, where, I don't want to start any speculations for anyone else.
Us: You're good buddies Joel Madden and Nicole Richie just got married. Thoughts?
PW: Then I'd definitely like to say congratulations. They are a great couple and it's really nice to know other people that are really down to earth, you know like when we hang out as families, it's really cool to have somebody who's similar in age, but are really a normal family.
Us: Any more kids for you guys by the way?
PW: Um. I mean we're always thinking about it you know, I think ultimately we're probably one of those things where it will happen when it will happen. We're focused on Bronx right now and both of us are focused on our careers. We'll see, you know?
Us: And you and Ash are doing great as usual?
PW: Absolutely. We got to watch Black Swan last night actually, which was awesome.
Us: Amazing. Although a weird date movie!
PW: I was under the impression that I was going to a movie about ballet, so I thought it was going to be pretty chill, but I'm like so jumpy that I'll always grab Ashlee when the jump parts come.
Us: What did you do for the holidays?
PW: We stayed in L.A. and had Christmas out here with her family. We had my entire family out for Thanksgiving. It's interesting, it's cool when you become a part of someone else's family, like you celebrate their traditions and you bring some of your traditions and mix it in. And then right after that we jump to Chicago for New Years so Bronx will be spoiled by both sets of grandparents probably.
Us: Anything else you want to add?
PW: No. I'm excited to celebrate the New Year. One thing that I definitely think is important with the Ciroc campaign is they are really encouraging everyone to make sure that they celebrate safely. So I want to encourage that as well. You want to be able to kind of decide your designated driver before you start the night and make sure you get home safe.
By Ian Drew for UsMagazine.com. To read more of Ian's blog, click here, and don't forget to follow him on Twitter.
