I have taken it upon my liberty to write a short blog on everyone’s most loved / hated rock band in recent memory, My Chemical Romance, purely in defence as to why I believe it is a bad thing that they have broke up.
Now before you get of on your high horses and start to guffaw with the “OMG BBZ LMFAOROFLCOPTER, they are well shit lolz” comments, as well as any kind of pointlessly negative drivel to give your flawed criticism the fire-power it needs, I suggest taking the time to make yourself a couple of slices of toast and a cup of tea. Or if you are really rebellious and think that PG Tips is for wusses and you have a party animal reputation to live up to, why not pour yourself an extra strong Southern Discomfort with a mixer of arrogance. But with no ice though, because YOLO (in other words, ‘you only live once’, if you actually are comprehensive with the English language, or have received a C grade or above in said subject).
Now, let us look at a couple of facts….
My Chemical Romance formed back in 2001 in New Jersey, USA. Over the years they released four critically acclaimed albums, which they also released three out of the four of them whilst signed to Reprise Records. Additionally, ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’, ‘The Black Parade’, and ‘Danger Days…’, all achieved platinum status. Pretty good going, huh?
Secondly, MCR are definitely NOT my favourite band by any means. Myself, I am an overt fan of hardcore punk, old school hip-hop, classical, 90s acid rave, shoegaze, experimental metal, and Japanese folk music. So i am in no way accustomed to sticking to one genre by any means. I am merely but just making a non-bias evaluation.
Now I can remember the first time I heard of My Chemical Romance, was in 2003 through an old friend who was maniacally obsessed with The Used, or particularly Bert McCracken. You know how it is… the lacklustre flamboyant male make-up, the ‘I have not washed my hair for two weeks’ look, plenty of black and pink clothing attire, and extremely low self-esteem.
Anyway, he put me on to them by recommending a track called ‘Headfirst For Halos’, whilst I was DJing at my local alternative club The Lido back in the day. When I played it, it was suffice to say that I was quite impressed with it. Not entirely enough to convince me that they were a forced to be reckoned with, but enough to warrant my attention.
A year later, I remember seeing an article in Kerrang! about a review of their sold out gig they played at Islington Academy in London just after they released ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’, with the journalist who was reviewing using words and phrases such as ‘speechless’, ‘phenomenonal’, and ‘going to take over the world’. There was hardly much to be described as to how the songs sounded live. Just the fact that what the writer witnessed was a moment that was pivotal in the band’s timeline, to which shortly after they would explode in to a phenomenon.
The first time I saw My Chemical Romance live was at the now gone but not forgotten London Astoria (R.I.P.). It was not just in support of the album, but also in support of the single release for ‘Helena’. Waiting outside to get in, I was witness to the amount of sheer overwhelmed fans that awaited getting in to the arena. Hell there was even crowd surges at one point to which the police had to get involved.
But what was most memorable about this was the fact that the show started to a degree in the streets of Tottenham Court Road! There was a funeral car with a coffin in memoriam of Helena driving down the road slowly, followed by theatrical mourners and dancers in ghostly makeup. Honestly, I wondered what was going on at first, then it clicked as to what was going on. Quite frankly, it was probably the most genius way to start the build up to the show. In a weird sort of way, it made the moment feel like it was more than just a gig, but an important event to which we would mourn and celebrate.
When was the last time theatrics were used in the build up to a gig to that extent?! I know I never saw it before, but I can imagine that something on that scale was never used like such in modern alternative music. The start of many genius marketing ploys to make everything that much more special for the fans.
This was a continued concept with every album, and the theatrics just grew bigger, and bigger. None more so than the grandoise ‘The Black Parade’, where the stage show even though at times was choreographed, it made up on many levels for almost being a live alternative rock musical to which left the crowd exhilarated over, and over again. Not only did you just get a good rock band playing, you got a great rock show.
The band provided a genuine for the eyes as well as the ears. Sheer entertainment on every level, whilst still maintaining their rock and roll credentials.
That is an important word, ‘credentials’. My Chemical Romance certainly earned more than their fair share of respect over the years, whether you like it or not.
There is nothing that more so grinds my gears that a bunch of narrow minded ignoramuses that attempt to berate MCR, purely on the ground of either :
– They just are not cool enough for them to listen to.
– They wear make-up.
– They are ‘shit’, and have not earned the respect of them, the underground music scene, or any other musicians.
Well may I offer my two pence, and contend ANYONE to say that thinks any of these points. Purely based on the fact that your negative opinion is highly irrelevant.
Hell, I sure as hell cannot change your opinion in to liking their music. But I will fight for their respect for the following reasons…
1. They worked with some of the coolest producers.
Like it or lump it. Check out who they have worked with on their records. You know that guy who you love from that post-hardcore band called Thursday, Geoff Rickley? Who was also the vocalist in power-violence supergroup United Nations? Yeah, that guy! He recorded their first album ‘I Brought You My Bullets…’.
You know that guy that makes Green Day’s album all sound so Green Day? Even when you used to like them when ‘Basket Case’ was the only song you digged before they ‘sold out’? That’s it, Rob Cavallo! He recorded their magnum opus ‘The Black Parade’, and ‘Danger Days…’! You will also find that he is responsible for producing that other band that you like called Paramore. Yeah, that is the band with everyone’s favourite yet often imitated lady of rock called Hayley Williams.
2. They have toured and formed alliances with some of the most unlikely of musicians, earning their respect or their ‘punk credentials’.
Back in 2004, the band went on tour with Avenged Sevenfold when they released ‘Waking The Fallen’, before they became one of the biggest metal bands on the planet. Yep. Unlikely combination, aye?
Additionally, on the ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ tour, there was this absolutely barmy group of hell raisers aptly titled Every Time I Die. You know those guys, the ones with the killer hardcore punk influenced southern rock and roll riffs and solos, which makes up for the perfect soundtrack for a bar fight, and whose gigs usually end up in a barrage or beer, sweat, blood, and tears? Well, they went on tour with My Chemical Romance also!
It also helped the fact that Gerard Way was actually asked by the band to feature on vocals for their track ‘Kill The Music’.
When Bob Bryar left the band in 2010, filling in for drum duties was none other than the machine that is Mike Pedicone, who was the drummer from Arizonan hardcore mob The Bled.
Another reason also that I must add… you remember when My Chemical Romance played Reading Festival 2006? There was that really heavy and hairy band that were playing before them, oh what was their name…. SLAYER.
The band had to follow after a crowd of already disgruntled Slayer fans after they cut their set short, and the fact they had to follow an already brutally pounding and testosterone fuelled 40 minutes of pure headbanging fury… and you know what? That was the day they truly earnt my respect. It goes without saying that if you are a band before or after Slayer, you are going to have a hard time trying to get through the flack that their die-hard fans will give you. MCR took and dodged every verbal abuse, piece of trash, and bottle of piss thrown at them on that hot summers day, and they still prevailed. Also if metal folklore is to be believed, Slayer even gave their nod of approval for MCR valiantly following that up! That is a bit like Panic At The Disco trying to follow up from Lamb Of God. It is a death sentence!
By now you should all know that during ‘The Black Parade’, they were public enemy number one, after The Daily Mail posted this article, which villified the band as a ‘suicide cult’ after the suicide of 13 year old Hannah Bond. In the next couple of years, the ’emo’ generation was harassed and bullied the world over, and a gloomy picture was painted of the alternative culture that the younger generation was clinging on to as a form of identity.
This automatically catapulted the band in to the moral conscience of a very ignorant society of whom had no knowledge of the band, to which they were the arch-nemesis of deluded and non-understanding parents worldwide.
You remember back in the late 90’s when Marilyn Manson was accused of being the reason Columbine happened? Well this was a similar state of affairs, only the issues surrounded teen angst and suicide rather than a very angry couple of lads on a killing spree.
Alas, the band fought valiantly in the middle of this media circus and responded with this. I could not give a monkey’s toss who you are, if you faced such false scrutiny under that media spotlight, stick up for a generation of youths, and speak out against self-harm and suicide and encourage those with problems like such to do something about it in a productive and repairable manner, then I tip my top hat to you.
On top of all this, there is one other factor we are forgetting…. THEY ARE GREAT SONGWRITERS! So much so, that even the legend Brian May of Queen himself came on for a jam with them at Reading Festival 2006!
‘The Black Parade’ went in to the stadium rock territory and catapulted them in to the mainstream worldwide, whilst ‘Danger Days…’ reverted in to a more garage punk rock sound with a stadium rock accessibility.
And I can guarantee you that whether you like them or not, you will know the words to at LEAST one MCR song, no matter what your stance is on them. They made great songs, and were an absolute credit.
Inevitably, I thought it was a damned shame that they broke up. Fair enough they had not done anything recording since 2009, and they had a turbulent last couple years, but let us keep in mind…
The talented and amazing musicians they are, to which they expanded their creations to the stage and provide an audio / visual treat for everyone in attendance.
No matter how much you do not want to believe it, their respect and credentials are woven in to the history books. Far more than what your ‘really cool band’ who are ‘hooked up with some people in the game who can get you far’, can achieve with your mates clothing endorsement, and groupies who only join in for the free merchandise if you offer them a sexual favour or ten.
They actually gave a shit about their fans, and defended them to the very end, no matter what the odds or the outcome. They stuck up for not only themselves, but a whole generation of misguided and misunderstood youths. They also have roots and connections with ‘them bands’ that you like, who are just too cool for My Chemical Romance.
But as the way of the world goes… I reckon we will give it about 6-8 years, and they will re-emerge from the ashes of the chaos. With this current trend of reunions and comebacks, it almost seems inevitable that they will rise back up from all of this. But let us hope that they come back for the right reasons, and not a reunion tour.
There is a saying… ‘you don’t know what you got until you have lost it’. That could not be more relevant than in this case. Society is cruel, and this is a Shakesperian tragedy.
We lost a very shiny jewel in the crown of rock music. When you learn to appreciate and respect what we had, then you will want them back.
Goodbye for now, MCR.
Words: James Paul Matthews
