My Chemical Romance (The Band)
Created | Updated May 2, 2005
My Chemical Romance are a pop-punk band who have taken the traditionally light hearted style of music (Green Day, Blink 182) and evolved it into something darker and much more angry. Their music has been described as goth-punk, pop-punk, and by the band themselves as "violent, unsafe pop music". Sort of like Alkaline Trio with a more theatrical vibe. But whatever it is, it works. The bands last single ‘I'm Not O.k(I Promise)’ got them mainstream attention for their second album ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’. They take their name from a book by Irvine Walsh; I think it’s called something like ‘Three Tales Of Chemical Romance’. They have toured North America and Europe winning over thousands of devoted new fans all over the world.
The Band
Gerard Way- Lead singer
Frank Iero- Guitar
Ray Toro- Guitar
Mikey Way- Bass
Bob Bryar- Drums
The band formed in the year 2000 when Gerard Way (born 9th of April 1976) and Matt Pelissier (the band’s original drummer) got together to write some songs. Gerard Way asked Frank, Ray and Mikey to complete the band’s line-up as they had all been friends since they went to high school together. The first they wrote was a song called ‘Skylines And Turnstiles’ which is on the band’s first album ‘I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love’, which was recorded in two weeks for the independent New Jersey record label Eyeball Records in 2002. They spent the next two years touring nearly non-stop. During this time, Matt Pelissier was replaced by Bob Bryar on drums. The band released the follow up to their debut in 2004, the brilliant ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’. It was originally intended to be a concept album but the band found themselves writing about their lives and feelings too, which shows in the deeply personal lyrics of songs like 'Helena' which Gerard Way wrote about the death of his grandmother (who was actually called Elanor) who he was very close to. The songs on ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ are fast, hyperactive and aggressive but with a softer melodic side too. Other aspects of Gerard’s life tackled with the albums’ lyrics were his depression and fight to give up drinking. This mix of concept album and personal songs made the end result of an album that is half about making a deal with the devil and half about their experiences as a band, but it’s up to the listener to decide which half’s which ;-)
They have just released their new single ‘Helena’ and have been touring America with bands like The Used, Story Of The Year and Taking Back Sunday. They will be touring the UK in April 2005. All the reviews say they could become big and I think they have the potential. It’ll be interesting to see what happens………
The Band
Gerard Way- Lead singer
Frank Iero- Guitar
Ray Toro- Guitar
Mikey Way- Bass
Bob Bryar- Drums
The band formed in the year 2000 when Gerard Way (born 9th of April 1976) and Matt Pelissier (the band’s original drummer) got together to write some songs. Gerard Way asked Frank, Ray and Mikey to complete the band’s line-up as they had all been friends since they went to high school together. The first they wrote was a song called ‘Skylines And Turnstiles’ which is on the band’s first album ‘I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love’, which was recorded in two weeks for the independent New Jersey record label Eyeball Records in 2002. They spent the next two years touring nearly non-stop. During this time, Matt Pelissier was replaced by Bob Bryar on drums. The band released the follow up to their debut in 2004, the brilliant ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’. It was originally intended to be a concept album but the band found themselves writing about their lives and feelings too, which shows in the deeply personal lyrics of songs like 'Helena' which Gerard Way wrote about the death of his grandmother (who was actually called Elanor) who he was very close to. The songs on ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ are fast, hyperactive and aggressive but with a softer melodic side too. Other aspects of Gerard’s life tackled with the albums’ lyrics were his depression and fight to give up drinking. This mix of concept album and personal songs made the end result of an album that is half about making a deal with the devil and half about their experiences as a band, but it’s up to the listener to decide which half’s which ;-)
They have just released their new single ‘Helena’ and have been touring America with bands like The Used, Story Of The Year and Taking Back Sunday. They will be touring the UK in April 2005. All the reviews say they could become big and I think they have the potential. It’ll be interesting to see what happens………
