People Who Rag on My Chemical Romance Piss Me Off.

Quick Background

My Chemical Romance is a debated genre band that falls under the broad umbrella of rock. The band is composed five current members, plus one disputed member, and one replacement bassist.

Gerard Way, Vocals

Mikey Way, Bassist (on hiatus)

Frank Iero, Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

Ray Toro, Guitar

Bob Bryar, Drums

Matt Cortez, Replacement Bassist

James Dewees (of Reggie and the Full Effect), perhaps permanent Keyboardist.

They currently have three albums, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002), Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), and The Black Parade (2006)

 

I love My Chemical Romance

Reasons:

1. The band is a true family, including the brothers Way. It’s obvious from onstage performance and interviews that every member in the band cares about all the others.

2. All the different sounds and musical backgrounds of the band members should clash and not create the atmospheric sound the band has, but they don’t.

3. MCR has never been looking for fame. When the got it, they just rolled with the punches and kept making amazing music

4. The band has been through so many difficulties, including breaking off with a close friend and former band member, changing their sound from album to album without getting stale or fake, G. Way’s alcohol and drug problem (which he has kicked, sober since August 2004), and M. Way’s emotional difficulty during recording The Black Parade (2006) and they haven’t broken up, staying a family through it all.

5. My Chemical Romance has the ability to cover Morrissey, the Misfits, Metallica, and even Mariah Carey with equal skill and finesse to give the song and original artist their due while at the same time making the track their own.

6. The whole band has an attitude against taking advantage of groupies, even when given the chance. They have equal respect for everyone, even people who aren’t fans of the band. Plus, they actually give a shit about their fans. Even the “poseurs.”

7. G. Way is not afraid to strain for a vocal or enhance the music with an odd vocal effect, voice, or scream. The emotion is there.

8. All the members are flat out nerds and they aren’t afraid to flaunt it. (Small example: Early Sunsets Over Monroeville is all about Dawn of the Dead. I love a good reference.)

9. They may have “sold out” but there’s nothing fake about their music, it still obviously means something.

10. MCR inspires a deep loyalty in the majority of their fans. Have you seen a group of dedicated MCR fans together? They’re insane.

You can’t rag on a band that has such loyal fans and makes such great music without being major league assholes about their fame and talent. You don’t have to like their music, but show some respect.

Here’s Where the Bitching Starts

My first complaint is a general one: I’ve been a fan of the band since their first album came out and the new fans piss me off. G.Way hates fan elitism, but sometimes it’s unavoidable when a quote, unquote “fan” doesn’t have a clue.

Anecdote

Back in the first days of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) I was having a conversation with a girl that I used to be friends with. I mentioned an MCR song off their first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002), and she immediately frowned.

“Is that a bootleg?”

“…No. It’s from their first album,” I replied unconcernedly, pulling out my second headphone to fully participate in what promised to be an insipid conversation.

“That’s not from Revenge,” her frown deepened as she became obviously perplexed.

“That would be because Revenge isn’t their first album,” my voice had deadpanned as my respect for this supposedly music loving girl vanished.

“Really? They have two?” she perked up, greedily envisioning my burning her a copy of Bullets.

“Yeah, they have two,” I was now as disinterested in the conversation as I would be in a Sunday afternoon golf game.

“Oh, that’s awesome. Do you have it?” the perkiness continued from this heavily eyelinered, whalish emochild.

“Yeah. I have it,” I could not be more horrified, annoyed, and generally pissed off.

“Could you burn me a copy?” a bright grin formed on her slobbery, grotesque lips.

“No,” was my terse, unequivocal reply.

“Oh. Do you not have a burner? Can I borrow it and burn myself a copy?” she tried, still oblivious to the fact that I was twitching to sink my fist into her vast, doughy middle.

“No,” louder this time, a staunch, maddening look forming on my delicate, lovely face.

“God, what is your problem?” she did not seem to notice her “punk” façade dropping away as a unblemished (unlike her face) valley girl took it’s place.

“You’re not getting a copy from me you slimy, bulging baby beluga,” the headphones were replaced and the volume cranked, Early Sunsets Over Monroeville blocking out her screechy, yet greasy, birdcall of a voice. She continued to squawk at me for several minutes before waddling away to join the sea of Hot Topic swathed whiny twelve and thirteen year old fans, squealing about Gerard Way’s epic hotness.

So endith a friendship.

As illustrated by this catastrophic event, some fans are not worth protecting from elitism.

On February 22^nd I went to a My Chemical Romance concert with a good friend of mine and one of her friends. It was MCR’s first show back in the US, their first show in the US playing full songs from The Black Parade (2006) and their first show with Frank Iero back from his illness.

With Gerard sipping tea and the liberal use of the word motherfucker, it shaped up to be a fantastic concert. Even with the crowding of obnoxious, fake fans and their parents down on the floor, as well as rude, grabby security guards, MCR did not fail to deliver.

Up against the metal barrier at the very front is the only way to experience a concert, especially one involving MCR and pyrotechnics. (Unless you are particularly attached to your eyebrows.)

Unfortunately, this concert did not have the same vibe as their former ones. It was simply too big, too impersonal, and too popular. I took away from the concert not only one of Bob Bryar’s used drumsticks but also a slight feeling of disappointment that the MCR of old was gone.

As I have stated before, when I love a band I love them to their fiery, fangirl filled apocalypse. Regrettably, I get the distinct feeling that this is where My Chemical Romance is heading. Naturally, I want them to be together and make brilliant music forever but that’s highly unlikely. As far as I’m concerned, My Chem is now about as mainstream as they come and therefore have lost a bit of their charm. Of course I’m still a loyal, dedicated fan, but in my eyes the band has lost some of their former magic.