image descriptions: “The giant Gerard Way clones vowed to enslave the earth” (gerard way) “trapped wind can be a nightmare” (amy lee) “fall out boy were proud to introduce a stereotypical frenchman to their lineup (fob) “by this point in the evening. the photographer was seeing double” (incubus) “jack white shows off his man boobs (jack white) “amy lee. but wheres her sporran?” (amy lee) “if I close my eyes real tight. I can pretend i’m still in blink 182” (+44) “this one goes out to good people at persil” (AFI)
“Anarchy in the USA. The world’s biggest bands lay waste to Los Angeles
KROQ-FM RADIO in Los Angeles is the premier radio station in North America. If a band can get played on KROQ, then it’s pretty certain they’ll have a big hit on their hands. The station has helped launch the careers of Blink 182, Linkin Park and The Offspring among many others. And every Christmas time, bands return the favour by playing a (fairly) intimate concert for 6,000 fans, with all the proceeds going to charity. Sixteen years ago, when the first ‘Acoustic Christmas’ took place, the bands actually performed their sets in a stripped down acoustic setting, but slowly, that tradition has given way to full on electric sets that rock the pants off the crowd. And, as usual, Kerrang! was given access all areas to the hottest gig in town…
SATURDAY 5PM Rising emo pin-ups SAOSIN take the stage to a sparse crowd. Hardly anyone Is Inside the venue yet, but they shouldn’t be too down-hearted. Linkin Park once played this slot. The following year, they were headlining.
5:30PM It seems unlikely a band with such a full-on rock ‘n’ roll reputation like WOLFMOTHER would even be awake at 5:30pm, let alone taking the stage. Yet the Aussie lads turn their infectious energy on to churn out new classic rock hits like ‘The Joker And The Thief’ and ‘Woman’. Backstage, singer Andrew Stockdale chats with Hollywood socialite (and daughter of Rod) Kimberly Stewart in the hallway. The big-haired Wolfmother man is also seen drooling over his hero Billy Corgan. Corgan is not performing today – he’s just hanging out, taking a much needed break from the new Smashing Pumpkins recording sessions.
6PM After the disappointment that was +44’s album ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’, the trio’s performance tonight is a revelation. Astonishingly, drummer Travis Barker-whose right arm still hasn’t fully healed from an injury sustained during the band’s September video shoot-plays the entire set with one arm, without missing a beat. It’s a jaw-dropping spectacle. Evidently, the band we witnessed playing their debut London gig back in October were only just finding their feet. Two months on, +44 are a sharper, more confident live act, with sparky anthems such as ‘155’ sounding like the greatest songs Blink 182 never wrote. Don’t write them off just yet…
7PM 30 SECONDS TO MARS ‘Whoa, I can play guitar without even looking!never fail to make an eye-opening entrance. Tonight, the prog-influenced foursome race down the Then singer Jared Leto spends much of signature tune ‘The Kill’ in the crowd, running up and down the aisles, climbing onto the seats to share his microphone with the fans, and generally betraying the movie star charisma that has won over Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan, among others. The lucky devil. At the end of the band’s set, a flurry of cannons detonate a vast snow storm of white confetti. Magnificent. words and photos: Lisa Johnson
7:40PM FALL OUT BOY “We feel like losers,” moans Pete Wentz as FALL OUT BOY take the stage. He’s concerned that his band didn’t really ‘fit’ on either night. Sandwiched between 30 Seconds To Mars and My Chemical Romance can be unnerving, but at least the dude got the chance to meet Jared Leto’s ex-girlfriend Lindsay Lohan backstage. That’s got to count for something. Whatever Wentz’ reservations, Fall Out Boy triumph tonight. It’s one of the first times they’ve had the opportunity to air songs from new album ‘Infinity On High’, and on this evidence, ‘This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race’ is set to replace ‘Sugar We’re Goin’ Down’ as FOB’s key song. Fun, addictive, and outrageously catchy, the track prompts a massive crowd response, despite most people having never heard it before. The new album will be huge. Later, rumours fly over whether or not Wentz and Lindsay Lohan are an item. From Kerrang!’s vantage point, things certainly seem to be going well for Wentz. Lohan might well be his tonight-providing he can get her out of Foo Fighters’ dressing room… [photographed – The venue and grunge legends: Dave Grohl and Billy Corgan]
8:15PM MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE explode onstage with typical flair and venom. the stage is still littered with the confetti from 30 Seconds To Mars’ set. Gerard Way encourages the crowd to throw confetti snowballs at him, and a beautiful reverse snow flurry erupts towards the stage. Suddenly one aisles dressed in Santa Claus outfits. giant confetti snowball hits him right in the face. Gerard just laughs, and gives the thrower a congratulatory nod. This encourages a full-on snowball assault, until security intervenes and puts a stop to it. After the band’s set, Billy Corgan is ushered into MCR’s dressing room. This isn’t Gerard’s first Corgan encounter-he’s never made any secret of his adoration of the Smashing Pumpkins man – but it is the first for the rest of the band. Mikey Way contains his excitement on the outside, but inside, he’s overwhelmed. The bands exchange tales from the road, and discuss the perils of onstage missiles (a subject close to MCR’s hearts ever since Reading 2006). “The worst is piss,” Corgan says.“Oh, yes, we know!” Gerard, Mikey and Frank chime in unison.
Then they swap piss-throwing stories for 20 minutes. It’s a beautiful moment.
9PM Outside the venue, a massive rainstorm is raging. Inside, INCUBUS are performing an amazing set full of hits like ‘Nice To Know You.’ ‘Wish You Were Here’ and some songs from their newest release ‘Light Grenades’. Singer Brandon Boyd literally falls into the crowd at the end of the set, arms outstretched, like a man giving the performance of his life.
Afterwards, Brandon is sipping wine with his buddies backstage, although bassist Ben Kenney can’t join in the Christmas cheer: he’s flat out on the couch, laid low by a vicious cold. In the crowded backstage hallways, David Grohl is delighted to run into Billy Corgan. “I had a baby! Want to see some photos?” Grohl asks him, and quickly whips out some pics of baby Violet to show off. Aww.
“We feel like losers.” – pete wentz, fall out boy
9:50PM It’s been an incredible year for AFI, and they’re clearly in celebratory mood as they slay the masses with tracks like ‘Miss Murder’ and ‘Love Like Winter.’ Friends Joe Escalante and Dave Quackenbush from The Vandals, along with Jim Lindberg from Pennywise, have come to check out their best buddies’ band. It serves as a reminder of just how far AFI have transcended their old school punk roots. Their new material shines through tonight, ditching the skuzzy riffs of old for gleaming hooks, fist-pumping singalongs, and, of course, the ever-more flamboyant overtures of frontman Davey Havok. Always enigmatic, AFI disappear from the site shortly after their set – although later that night we spy drummer Adam Carlson at a Hollywood dive bar, partying under the radar with some friends and who can blame him.
10:40PM The backstage party turns into a ghost town the once FOO FIGHTERS takes the stage. The band, including Foo veteran Pat Smear remain in sit-down acoustic form for the first portion of the nine song set which includes “My Hero” and ends with “Everlong”. As Dave Grohl stands to perform “Everlong” the stage silently turns and there the rest of the band reappears with full electric setup. and pounds seamlessly into “All My Life” Tender moments include ‘Times Like These,’ ‘Monkey Wrench’, and what Grohl claims is their first ever live performance of ‘Darling Nikki’, a cover of a startlingly filthy Prince song about a masturbating female nymphomaniac. Ahem. There’s no santa suits, no confetti, no dancers. But damn, the Foos own tonight. The ‘buzz’ acts right now might be the twin emo juggernauts of MCR and Fall Out Boy. But, on this form, Foo Fighters make those newbies look like mere pretenders to the throne. Awesome.
SUNDAY 6:35PM Just prior to ANGELS AND AIRWAVES taking the stage, Kerrang! arranges to introduce Panic! At The Disco to their all-time hero, Tom DeLonge. Since Panic! often cite Blink 182 as inspiring them to start a band in the first place, this promises to be a momentous occasion. The meeting takes place in the crowded hallway backstage, while the Panic! dancers hurriedly prepare for their performance. Tom speaks excitedly to the band, even inviting them to produce a line of shoes and clothing for his Macbeth clothing company. The encounter goes swimmingly, and -as if you couldn’t tell from the saucers that replace the eyes of Ryan and Brendon as they chat to their idol – the Panic boys declare themselves ‘stoked’. Pleased to be of service, chaps.
7:10PM Once PANIC! AT THE DISCO take the stage, they blow everyone away with their elaborate staging and dancers. The foursome are obliged to strip down their production for the intimate setting, but still, with just a fraction of the mayhem, the performance is topnotch, with the crowd going predictably apeshit for ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’. Where on earth will they go next?
7:45PM EVANESCENCE’s Amy Lee was nearly trampled by the Gnarls Barkley dancers in full elf costumes earlier in the evening (the men behind über- Crazy’ were also on the bill today, weirdly enough). hit ’ And she seemed unfazed by the numerous dressing room bust-ins that Tom DeLonge made to say hello. In fact, she appeared to be rather amused by his antics. “We don’t really fit on this bill,” Amy told the captive audience, and thanked the fans graciously for watching, before tearing into a full-blooded version of ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’. “Most of you probably don’t know who we are.” Which is being rather modest, since Evanescence have probably sold more records than most of the bands here combined.
8:25PM THE RACONTEURS are enjoying the stateside success of their track ‘Steady As She Goes’. And tonight, Jack White is in high spirits. “It’s Meg’s birthday tonight-it’s her 16th!” We think that might be a lie. Backstage, Meg White and Dave Grohl sit down for a lengthy chat about drums. We’re sure it was fascinating.
9:45PM THE KILLERS’ set is notable for finally laying to rest the supposed ‘feud’ between them and fellow Vegas natives Panic! At The Disco. Indeed, the Panic! boys make a point of planting themselves in some empty seats, watching The Killers’ set with giant smiles on their faces. Well, it is Christmas, after all…
10:40PM FOO FIGHTERS return to play the same set as last night. But it’s no less powerful the second time around. “Did you all enjoy The Raconteurs?” Dave Grohl asks the crowd, “Cause I pretty much think they’re the best rock band around right now.” And with that he launches into ‘Skin And Bones’ and the crowd explodes into anarchy.
01/2007 kerrang! #1141
source: flickr.com
Following their 2 million-selling ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge’, the boys are now presenting their third album. The main character of the new album, which they recorded in 2006 with producer Rob Cavallo (Goo Goo Dolls, Alanis Morissette), is someone called ‘The Patient’, vocalist Gerard Way’s strongest memory of his childhood. It’s about the day his dad took him to a parade, hence the name of their first single, “Welcome to the Black Parade.” This material is the group’s most commercial, with a punk style similar to Green Day’s. However, in songs like “The Sharpest Lives” and “House of Wolves” they retain the dark style that characterizes them. Good!
City: New Jersey
Influences: Besides the fact that they like watching horror movies, they listen to Queen, The Smiths/Morrissey, The Cure, Iron Maiden and The Misfits.
The group’s name comes from a book written by Irvine Welsh, titled ‘Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance’.
The band was formed when Gerard Way called his high school friend Matt Pelissier in 2002 to form a new musical group.
The black parade“
fact bubbles:
✰Their first song is “Skylines and Turnstiles”, written by Gerard while living in New York and inspired by the attack on the Twin Towers.
✰Mikey Way, Gerard’s younger brother, dropped out of school to learn to play bass.
✰En 2002 editaron su CD de- but ‘I Brought you my Bullets, you Brought me your Love’.
Photos: EFE/ZumaPress and courtesy of the record labels.
gerard’s “everybody tie your shoes clap clap” song
(warning audio starts terrible just at the beginning)
gerard: how fuckin awesome is that? we’re gonna sing the shoe song ok? it goes like this: everybody tie your shoe clap clap *clap clap* x 2
everybody tie your shoe I don’t care about you everybody tie your shoe clap clap. I wanna get my shoes tied right now. somebody tie my fuckin shoes. wait. ok.
anybody that wants to tie my shoes.. ok do you guys remember the song? ok 1. 2. 3. everybody tie your shoe clap clap *clap clap*x 6 possibly the stupidest fucking thing i’ve ever done up here.
(ghost of you starts)
03/22/2007 birmingham NIA academy, uk show
below you can see him conducting the song and giving mikey a high five? same show different video
08/10/2007 gerards appearance on the phone with actor diego luna at los premios on mtv palacio de los deportes mexico city mexico (text and english translation of phone call)
08/10/2007 gerards appearance on the phone with actor diego luna at los premios on mtv palacio de los deportes mexico city mexico (text and english translation)
“Diego: Bueno.
Gerard: Bueno?
Diego: Bueno
Gerard: Hello?
Diego: bueno. Sí,
Gerard: Hello?
Diego Luna: “bueno si, estoy en el show, quien es?”
Gerard: (??)
Diego: oh Gerard?
Gerard: Hey Diego
Diego: De Miquemica Romans?
Gerard: Sí, Diego.
Diego: Qué pedo, güey
Gerard: no estás en premio?
Diego: Sí, estoy en los premios. Pero ya te dije que en la banda tributo no hay lugar para ti. Es en español. Es para Soda estéreo, güey. Más si veo a otro güey con rimel, me vomito, cabrón! Perdóname. Quédate en tu gira, güey. Allá estás. [gerard hangs up]”
english:
“Diego: Hello. (bueno over the phone means hello)
Gerard: Hello?
Diego: Hello
Gerard: Hello?
Diego: Hello! Yes
Diego: Yes. I’m on the show. Who is it?
Gerard: (??)
Diego: Oh Gerard?
Gerard: Hey Diego
Diego: From My Chemical Romance?
Gerard: Yes, Diego.
Diego: What’s up, dude
Gerard: Aren’t you at the awards?
Diego: Yes, I’m at the awards. But I already told you that there’s no place for you in the tribute band. It’s in Spanish. It’s for Soda Stereo, dude. Especially if I see another guy with mascara, I’ll throw up, dude! Forgive me. Stay on your tour, dude. There you are. [gerard hangs up]”
[about i’m not okay] yknow the original version is like 7 minutes long? it’s terrible. literally like a melody that carries that whole song, the chorus melody, was in the song maybe, like 15 seconds.
THE ROCK World’s finest headed to the Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles on December 9 and 10 for a pre-Christmas mince pie and glass of eggnog in aid of the KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas festival. It wasn’t all kicking back and enjoying the festive merriment though, as Foo Fighters – who headlined both nights-AFI, My Chemical Romance, Panic! At The Disco, Fall Out Boy, Incubus, Papa Roach, Evanescence, Wolfmother and Saosin were all there to rock the Santa hats off the sold-out crowd.
Also on the bill were former Blink 182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker with their band +44, and their former bandmate Tom DeLonge, who was with his AVA posse. Unfortunately, the season of good will to all men didn’t inspire a kiss and make up session between the former friends. In fact, the two bands, who were playing on different days, made sure that they didn’t cross paths at all. Come on guys, where’s your Christmas spirit?
photo captions:
Two’s company: Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker stick together
“Shall I have another mince pie? Oh go on, then…” – Amy Lee
Smash ‘n’ grab: Billy Corgan (middle) joins MCR’s Black Parade”
‘THE BLACK PARADE, THE TRIUMPHANT NEW ALBUM BY MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE MAY HAVE A TRAGIC STORYLINE, BUT IT’S NOTHING COMPARED WITH WHAT THE BANDMATES ENDURED TO BRING THE DISC TO LIGHT
PHOTOS BY JON WIEDERHORN PHOTOS BY JUSTIN BORUCKI
STANDING ON A BALCONY nine floors above the teeming streets of New York, Gerard Way overlooks the city in which My Chemical Romance began assembling their ambitious new album, The Black Parade. The newly peroxide- blond frontman takes a deep drag from a cigarette and exhales with a sigh. He knows he shouldn’t smoke, but it’s his only remaining vice.
“If I hadn’t been sober, I think The Black Parade surely would have killed me,” says Gerard, who climbed on the wagon in 2004. “We were going insane the whole time, and I had to cling to my sobriety to stay even a little lucid. The album became like this beast that was consuming us.”
Following up a release as successful as 2004’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, which sold 1.4 million copies in the U.S. alone, is never an easy task. And the various scares the band experienced as they worked on the new record-drummer Bob Bryar had a near-fatal staph infection, Gerard seriously injured his foot, and some restless spirits at the studio where they recorded kept them all on edge-did not help matters. And neither
did MCR’s decision to make The Black Parade (Reprise) a concept disc. Together, Gerard and his bandmates-Bryar, guitarists Frank lero and Ray Toro, and bassist Mikey Way (Gerard’s younger brother)-decided to craft a record about a dying young man who is visited by a cast of strange characters that help him examine his short life.
But diving into the conceptual deep end proved well worth the hassle. The Black Parade is not only MCR’s most realized offering; it’s also one of the most eclectic, enjoyable rock records of the year. One listen to tracks
like “House of Wolves,” “The Sharpest Lives,” and “Dead!” makes it clear that My Chemical Romance can still rip a good metallic punk tune. But the bandmates are now equally influenced by epic albums like Pink Floyd’s The Wall, David Bowie’s The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, and Queen’s A Night at the Opera.
“A lot of bands from the scene we came from try to strip down their music to ‘keep it real,” Gerard notes. “But the real you is what you’ve always had inside you and what you strive to be. So when we started compiling the material we had written, we were like, You know what? This has to be a huge, theatrical record.”
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE started working on ideas for The Black Parade in the back of the bus while on 2005’s Warped Tour, after which they flew to New York and rented a rehearsal space for two months. And that’s when things started to get weird.
“I was living in Queens, and I had to commute on the subway every day,” Gerard says. “I was suddenly very scared and paranoid. I felt more like an outsider than I ever had, and I had no confidence, which is bad when you’re trying to work on a record. And I had no anonymity because there were a lot of teenagers on the train.” In reaction to the young fans he encountered on the underground,
Gerard wrote “Teenagers,” a T. Rex-style romp with the chorus line, “Teenagers scare the living shit out of me.” “The song came directly from commuting when school let out and being so terrified of them,” the singer says. “I was like, Wait a minute. These are the same people that listen to our band. Why am I scared? And I realized it was because they’re scared, too. Teenagers are made to feel like they can only solve their problems withviolence. They lash out at each other in a really volatile way.” After several months experiencing the joys of mass transit, MCR had completed only a handful of songs and felt like a change of scenery (and climate) might do them some good. “I couldn’t keepworking in New York,” says Gerard. “We wanted isolation.”
id: Gerard leads the way to what will likely be the band’s second platinum record
So the group relocated to Paramour Mansion, outside of L.A. Nestled high in the hills, the deluxe estate overlooks the trendy Silver Lake area and boasts spacious rooms, a gorgeous pool, lush gardens, a state-of-the-art recording facility-and a few special guests.
“The place is definitely haunted,” Gerard says. “Doors would slam, and the faucets would turn on. You’d get a bath drawn for you of freezing-cold water in your room, and you wouldn’t know why.” As unnerving as its mischievous spirits could be, the Paramour was also inspiring, and contributed to the haunting vibe of songs like “The End” and “This Is How I Disappear.” More important, it led Gerard to come up with the bleak, surreal concept for the record. “I would have these night terrors, where it would feel like someone was choking me, and my heart would stop and I would stop breathing,” he says. “I would wake up in the middle of the night and write these notes to myself, and one of them read, ‘We are all just a black parade.’ So I started thinking about how this band is kind of a black parade, like a funeral-procession rock thing. And I used that idea to piece together this story about the idea that when you die, death comes for you however you want.” Gerard molded his concept into a narrative about a character he dubbed the Patient, whose strongest memory from childhood is of his father taking him to the city to see a parade. Two songs into the album, he dies, and the black parade comes for him.
“During the rest of the story, he meets this entity of death and all these characters, like Mama, who represents anyone who’s ever lost their son in a war,” Gerard explains. “It’s almost like these Canterbury Tales, where he goes along on this journey, and at the end he decides whether he wants to live or die.” With the concept in place, My Chem made the songs as sweeping and theatrical as Gerard’s lyrics. They accomplished this, in part, by combing through their own eclectic record collections and pulling choice elements that would set them even further apart from other melodic punk bands.
The first two minutes of “Welcome to the Black Parade” stemmed from Gerard’s love for Broadway musicals, the horns in “Dead!” came from Mikey’s interest in Blur and Britpop, and the jaunty feel of “Mama” was informed by Tom Waits and Nick Cave. But the most poignant moment on the record, “Cancer,” was (unlike its morbid moniker) something of a pleasant surprise. “I was very upset about something in my personal life, and that’s when that song came out,” Gerard says. “It was really spontaneous, and it was recorded pretty much live with Rob [Cavallo, the record’s producer] on the piano and me in the vocal booth. Then we added layers of drums, which gave it a certain urgency. It’s the song I’m most proud of because it was the most pure emotion we’ve ever captured, and it gets such an immediate response. You can’t shake what the song is about.”
As the CD approached completion, some members of the band began to show signs of nervous exhaustion. The group was scheduled to fly to England to play the Reading Festival, and as the date grew near, Toro, who has a fear of flying, got noticeably agitated. Then, after the band tracked “Welcome to the Black Parade,” which was originally called “The Five of Us Are Dying,” the guitarist lost it.
“I thought I had this premonition,” Toro explains. “I was flipping through the TV channels, and on the news. there would be something about a plane crash, and every time I woke up in the morning, the clock would say 9:11. I was playing Tomb Raider the night before the flight, and on the level I ended up at, there was this whole flashback to a plane crash. So right before the flight I was like, ‘That’s it. I’m not flying.”
Despite his misgivings, Toro boarded the plane, and when My Chemical Romance returned to L.A. (all of them still very much alive, thank you very much), The Black Parade was completed without further incident. Listening back to the record, the band members were in awe of what they had achieved and eager to share it with their fans. “There was a real confidence that came to us,” Gerard explains. “Having survived it, we felt like we were changed forever. I feel different as a performer now, and I think we really finally discovered who we were as a band.” But just because MCR were done with the record didn’t mean that it was done with them. About a month later, the band was shooting a video for “Famous Last Words” with director Samuel Bayer (Garbage, Smashing Pumpkins) on a set featuring walls of flame, when-seized by the moment-lero grabbed Gerard’s throat from behind and wrestled him to the ground. The singer rolled one way; his foot went the other. “It bent completely backwards, and I heard a crack and felt this agonizing pain,” Gerard recalls. “I tore all the ligaments in my foot, but I got up and continued to perform.”“I didn’t know what I was doing,” says lero, shaking his head. “I wasn’t trying to hurt him. I felt awful. I still do.” Gerard’s injury was serious, and he still walks with a cane, but it paled in comparison to what happened to Bryar. At the end of the shoot, the pyro was so intense, the drummer could feel his leg burning, but he stuck it out for the rest of the song. By then, he had a nasty third-degree burn. And the misfortune didn’t stop there. Bryar didn’t take his antibiotics regularly, and he failed to keep the wound clean. By the time the band got back from a brief tour of Japan, the burn was severely infected. Then Bryar’s face swelled up and, after doing the MTV Video Music Awards preshow telecast and a special club show, stumbled into a hospital emergency room in intense pain. “I thought I’d be there for 10 minutes, but as soon as they saw me, they got all serious and gave me an IV and said they had to do a CAT scan,” recalls Bryar.“They did all these blood tests and kept me there for 14 hours.” Doctors discovered that Bryar’s leg infection had spread to his blood and caused an abscess in his face that was creeping dangerously close to his brain. If it had been left untreated for another two days, he could have died. “The whole thing was such a nightmare,” Bryar says. “This doctor stuck my cheek with a needle about six inches long and the width of an IV tube. Then he went in and out of the inside of my mouth with the needle about 10 times. Fortunately, the treatment worked, and Bryar left the hospital three days later. With tragedy averted, My Chem are now focusing on touring for The Black Parade. They’ll be in Europe for most of November, and when they get back at the end of year, they’ll start rehearsing for a U.S. arena tour that starts in February. “We want to put on a full show with props and staging like The Wall,” Gerard says. And MCR plan to keep the Patient alive long after they’re done touring for the CD. “I would love to see the story turned into a play or a musical, and it could easily be a movie,” enthuses Gerard. “Making this record, we cut ourselves open every day, pulled out every organ, and lay them on a table so it would be something we’re completely happy with. We want The Black Parade to exist for a long time.” “The whole hole thing nightmare. This doctor stuck my cheek with a needle about six inches long and the width of an IV tube.” -BOB BRYAR
“I felt more like an outsider than I ever had, and I had no confidence, which is bad when you’re trying work on a record.”
2007 mcr wins best international band
I have this idea that gerard sang his response and frank played “thank you very much!” on guitar somehow
kerrang # 1175 from mcrhollywood
first of a series. due to tumblr limits on how many links you can post. this full idea will be continued on future posts. here is 2007-2010. this is pictures. will make a separate post for youtube/recordings.
been needing to fully source my website so here we go! wanted to share with other kool mcr fans.
“Have you ever seen a Rhino take a shit?
now you have ——>
you’re welcome.”
on mychemicalromance.com 07/24/2009 frank’s blog
“what’s the worst thing that could happen? …..oh I’ll tell you!
ok so i got invited to this really sweet party the other night, i was told all the hot stars were going to show up…. which was nice to hear cause i really enjoy catching up with my celebrity friends like scott baio, the sham wow guy, lucille ball y’know my homies. but when i got there this fucking jerk was wearing the same outfit as me!! and wearing it better, i might add. ugh so i just went home and cried myself into an ice cream coma.”
on mychemicalromance.com 06/08/2009 frank’s blog
ID: Don’t miss this chance to own these crew coveralls signed by all members of My Chemical Romance, including Frank Iero, Mikey Way, Gerard Way, Ray Toro, and Bob Bryar. Size 42 – R, the black coveralls are printed with the band’s emblem on the front and the words “The Black Parade” on the reverse, which is also the title of MCR’s latest Platinum-selling album. Proceeds of this auction item will benefit the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society/Greater Los Angeles Chapter
“above, is an empty comic strip for you to complete with your very own imagined Killjoys story, featuring the characters Party Poison, Jet Star, Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid.
Make sure to complete your comic strip by adding your own original prefix to the title – and entries that incorporate ‘Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys’ references, are sure to be judged favourably.
Coup De Main will pick our top twenty favourites… then Gerard Way’s ‘The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys’ comic book co-writer SHAUN SIMON – click HERE to read our 2010 interview with him – will select the Top Ten entries, who will each win a double-pass to our My Chemical Romance meet and greet!
To enter, please print out and mail your original Killjoys comic strip entry with the below entry form [before January 14th, 2012] to: COUP DE MAIN, 120 New North Road, Eden Terrace 1021, Auckland.”
FAQ’s:
Do I have to use the supplied template? No – it’s supplied as a guideline, but you do have to be able to mail us a print-copy of your comic strip entry.
Am I allowed to enter with a friend? Yes you may enter as a team of two – each winning comic strip entry will be eligible for two people to attend our meet and greet event.
Am I allowed to have more characters than Party Poison, Jet Star, Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid in my comic? Yes as many you like – but you must include all of the characters Party Poison, Jet Star, Fun Ghoul and Kobra Kid in your comic at least once each.
gerard: to us, it’s the greatest band in the world. and that’s all that matters to us and it’s always been that way. it’s been that way since the first practice, through the good times the bad times, everything. through the rough schedules and the no sleep. it’s still the greatest band to us. so, um, we’re in a band that’s much more than a band. and I don’t think a lot of people get to do that. we can be whatever we want we can play whatever we want we can sing about whatever we want. and we can be extremely creative doing it, because we’ve never given an explanation or an apology for being the way we are.
“It has been seventeen years since The Black Parade was sent to the MOAT. ”
what is MOAT? is it meant to be a direct meaning like a moat that surrounds something like a wall or barrier of something.. like a kingdom.
or it is an acronym
M y
O pinion
A nd
T itties
huh… interesting choice
or more likely, an artistically combined direct meaning and acronym
“In that time, a great Dictator has risen to power, bringing about “THE CONCRETE AGE”; a glorious time of stability and abundance in the history of DRAAG.”
what is DRAAG? also going with artistically combined direct meaning and acronym. DRAG being something gerard does from time to time at shows, but also DRAG as in “The End” (I’ll serve it in drag)
which also would retcon “The End” to be referencing this “DRAAG”
“His Grand Immortal Dictator wishes to celebrate our rich and storied culture, fine foods, and musical entertainments by welcoming you to these great demonstrations of power and resolve.
why is the dictator immortal?
and i’m sorry but i’m 100% making the fine foods thing a thing. it’s worth talking about. it’s just so funny and out of place to me honestly it’s hysterical. fine foods ™ and I will be holding them to that and fully expect artisanal morselz at every show. chop chop mcr.
“demonstrations of power and resolve” I truly hope this is about healing for them. there is so much turmoil associated with this album and they’re making it right for them. that is my best wish.
And lending voice and song for the first time in six thousand two hundred and forty six days, their work privilege ceremoniously reinstated, will be His Grand Immortal Dictator’s National Band… The Black Parade.Long Live Draag”
their (the black parade the band) work privilege has been reinstated so they are allowed to play for the first time in 17 years (six thousand, etc)
they are the national band of this grand immortal dictator of course
“and so the time is now at hand
time for you at long last to move into a different existence
succumb to the ones who will show you the way to this place
REGRET
she will remind you of the things you have done the memories the pain the loss of…
MOTHER WAR
she’s here for your heart your mind and your soul
FEAR
you must face and accept her
for she has always been in your life and now she will move on with you as well. and your brothers and all you will encounter…
MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
WELCOME TO THE BLACK PARADE”
spike tv’s scream awards 10/07/2006 pantages theater san francisco ca
black parade hellraiser crossover everyone asked for (i’m everyone)
heaven garitano on yt
I had to use a wayback machine to mp4 converter to get the video to play if you’re trying to download it
image descriptions: “The giant Gerard Way clones vowed to enslave the earth” (gerard way) “trapped wind can be a nightmare” (amy lee) “fall out boy were proud to introduce a stereotypical frenchman to their lineup (fob) “by this point in the evening. the photographer was seeing double” (incubus) “jack white shows off his man boobs (jack white) “amy lee. but wheres her sporran?” (amy lee) “if I close my eyes real tight. I can pretend i’m still in blink 182” (+44) “this one goes out to good people at persil” (AFI)
“Anarchy in the USA. The world’s biggest bands lay waste to Los Angeles KROQ-FM RADIO in Los Angeles is the premier radio station in North America. If a band can get played on KROQ, then it’s pretty certain they’ll have a big hit on their hands. The station has helped launch the careers of Blink 182, Linkin Park and The Offspring among many others. And every Christmas time, bands return the favour by playing a (fairly) intimate concert for 6,000 fans, with all the proceeds going to charity. Sixteen years ago, when the first ‘Acoustic Christmas’ took place, the bands actually performed their sets in a stripped down acoustic setting, but slowly, that tradition has given way to full on electric sets that rock the pants off the crowd. And, as usual, Kerrang! was given access all areas to the hottest gig in town… SATURDAY 5PM Rising emo pin-ups SAOSIN take the stage to a sparse crowd. Hardly anyone Is Inside the venue yet, but they shouldn’t be too down-hearted. Linkin Park once played this slot. The following year, they were headlining. 5:30PM It seems unlikely a band with such a full-on rock ‘n’ roll reputation like WOLFMOTHER would even be awake at 5:30pm, let alone taking the stage. Yet the Aussie lads turn their infectious energy on to churn out new classic rock hits like ‘The Joker And The Thief’ and ‘Woman’. Backstage, singer Andrew Stockdale chats with Hollywood socialite (and daughter of Rod) Kimberly Stewart in the hallway. The big-haired Wolfmother man is also seen drooling over his hero Billy Corgan. Corgan is not performing today – he’s just hanging out, taking a much needed break from the new Smashing Pumpkins recording sessions. 6PM After the disappointment that was +44’s album ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’, the trio’s performance tonight is a revelation. Astonishingly, drummer Travis Barker-whose right arm still hasn’t fully healed from an injury sustained during the band’s September video shoot-plays the entire set with one arm, without missing a beat. It’s a jaw-dropping spectacle. Evidently, the band we witnessed playing their debut London gig back in October were only just finding their feet. Two months on, +44 are a sharper, more confident live act, with sparky anthems such as ‘155’ sounding like the greatest songs Blink 182 never wrote. Don’t write them off just yet… 7PM 30 SECONDS TO MARS ‘Whoa, I can play guitar without even looking!never fail to make an eye-opening entrance. Tonight, the prog-influenced foursome race down the Then singer Jared Leto spends much of signature tune ‘The Kill’ in the crowd, running up and down the aisles, climbing onto the seats to share his microphone with the fans, and generally betraying the movie star charisma that has won over Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan, among others. The lucky devil. At the end of the band’s set, a flurry of cannons detonate a vast snow storm of white confetti. Magnificent. words and photos: Lisa Johnson 7:40PM FALL OUT BOY “We feel like losers,” moans Pete Wentz as FALL OUT BOY take the stage. He’s concerned that his band didn’t really ‘fit’ on either night. Sandwiched between 30 Seconds To Mars and My Chemical Romance can be unnerving, but at least the dude got the chance to meet Jared Leto’s ex-girlfriend Lindsay Lohan backstage. That’s got to count for something. Whatever Wentz’ reservations, Fall Out Boy triumph tonight. It’s one of the first times they’ve had the opportunity to air songs from new album ‘Infinity On High’, and on this evidence, ‘This Ain’t A Scene It’s An Arms Race’ is set to replace ‘Sugar We’re Goin’ Down’ as FOB’s key song. Fun, addictive, and outrageously catchy, the track prompts a massive crowd response, despite most people having never heard it before. The new album will be huge. Later, rumours fly over whether or not Wentz and Lindsay Lohan are an item. From Kerrang!’s vantage point, things certainly seem to be going well for Wentz. Lohan might well be his tonight-providing he can get her out of Foo Fighters’ dressing room… [photographed – The venue and grunge legends: Dave Grohl and Billy Corgan] 8:15PM MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE explode onstage with typical flair and venom. the stage is still littered with the confetti from 30 Seconds To Mars’ set. Gerard Way encourages the crowd to throw confetti snowballs at him, and a beautiful reverse snow flurry erupts towards the stage. Suddenly one aisles dressed in Santa Claus outfits. giant confetti snowball hits him right in the face. Gerard just laughs, and gives the thrower a congratulatory nod. This encourages a full-on snowball assault, until security intervenes and puts a stop to it. After the band’s set, Billy Corgan is ushered into MCR’s dressing room. This isn’t Gerard’s first Corgan encounter-he’s never made any secret of his adoration of the Smashing Pumpkins man – but it is the first for the rest of the band. Mikey Way contains his excitement on the outside, but inside, he’s overwhelmed. The bands exchange tales from the road, and discuss the perils of onstage missiles (a subject close to MCR’s hearts ever since Reading 2006). “The worst is piss,” Corgan says. “Oh, yes, we know!” Gerard, Mikey and Frank chime in unison. Then they swap piss-throwing stories for 20 minutes. It’s a beautiful moment. 9PM Outside the venue, a massive rainstorm is raging. Inside, INCUBUS are performing an amazing set full of hits like ‘Nice To Know You.’ ‘Wish You Were Here’ and some songs from their newest release ‘Light Grenades’. Singer Brandon Boyd literally falls into the crowd at the end of the set, arms outstretched, like a man giving the performance of his life. Afterwards, Brandon is sipping wine with his buddies backstage, although bassist Ben Kenney can’t join in the Christmas cheer: he’s flat out on the couch, laid low by a vicious cold. In the crowded backstage hallways, David Grohl is delighted to run into Billy Corgan. “I had a baby! Want to see some photos?” Grohl asks him, and quickly whips out some pics of baby Violet to show off. Aww. “We feel like losers.” – pete wentz, fall out boy 9:50PM It’s been an incredible year for AFI, and they’re clearly in celebratory mood as they slay the masses with tracks like ‘Miss Murder’ and ‘Love Like Winter.’ Friends Joe Escalante and Dave Quackenbush from The Vandals, along with Jim Lindberg from Pennywise, have come to check out their best buddies’ band. It serves as a reminder of just how far AFI have transcended their old school punk roots. Their new material shines through tonight, ditching the skuzzy riffs of old for gleaming hooks, fist-pumping singalongs, and, of course, the ever-more flamboyant overtures of frontman Davey Havok. Always enigmatic, AFI disappear from the site shortly after their set – although later that night we spy drummer Adam Carlson at a Hollywood dive bar, partying under the radar with some friends and who can blame him. 10:40PM The backstage party turns into a ghost town the once FOO FIGHTERS takes the stage. The band, including Foo veteran Pat Smear remain in sit-down acoustic form for the first portion of the nine song set which includes “My Hero” and ends with “Everlong”. As Dave Grohl stands to perform “Everlong” the stage silently turns and there the rest of the band reappears with full electric setup. and pounds seamlessly into “All My Life” Tender moments include ‘Times Like These,’ ‘Monkey Wrench’, and what Grohl claims is their first ever live performance of ‘Darling Nikki’, a cover of a startlingly filthy Prince song about a masturbating female nymphomaniac. Ahem. There’s no santa suits, no confetti, no dancers. But damn, the Foos own tonight. The ‘buzz’ acts right now might be the twin emo juggernauts of MCR and Fall Out Boy. But, on this form, Foo Fighters make those newbies look like mere pretenders to the throne. Awesome. SUNDAY 6:35PM Just prior to ANGELS AND AIRWAVES taking the stage, Kerrang! arranges to introduce Panic! At The Disco to their all-time hero, Tom DeLonge. Since Panic! often cite Blink 182 as inspiring them to start a band in the first place, this promises to be a momentous occasion. The meeting takes place in the crowded hallway backstage, while the Panic! dancers hurriedly prepare for their performance. Tom speaks excitedly to the band, even inviting them to produce a line of shoes and clothing for his Macbeth clothing company. The encounter goes swimmingly, and -as if you couldn’t tell from the saucers that replace the eyes of Ryan and Brendon as they chat to their idol – the Panic boys declare themselves ‘stoked’. Pleased to be of service, chaps. 7:10PM Once PANIC! AT THE DISCO take the stage, they blow everyone away with their elaborate staging and dancers. The foursome are obliged to strip down their production for the intimate setting, but still, with just a fraction of the mayhem, the performance is topnotch, with the crowd going predictably apeshit for ‘I Write Sins Not Tragedies’. Where on earth will they go next? 7:45PM EVANESCENCE’s Amy Lee was nearly trampled by the Gnarls Barkley dancers in full elf costumes earlier in the evening (the men behind über- Crazy’ were also on the bill today, weirdly enough). hit ’ And she seemed unfazed by the numerous dressing room bust-ins that Tom DeLonge made to say hello. In fact, she appeared to be rather amused by his antics. “We don’t really fit on this bill,” Amy told the captive audience, and thanked the fans graciously for watching, before tearing into a full-blooded version of ‘Call Me When You’re Sober’. “Most of you probably don’t know who we are.” Which is being rather modest, since Evanescence have probably sold more records than most of the bands here combined. 8:25PM THE RACONTEURS are enjoying the stateside success of their track ‘Steady As She Goes’. And tonight, Jack White is in high spirits. “It’s Meg’s birthday tonight-it’s her 16th!” We think that might be a lie. Backstage, Meg White and Dave Grohl sit down for a lengthy chat about drums. We’re sure it was fascinating. 9:45PM THE KILLERS’ set is notable for finally laying to rest the supposed ‘feud’ between them and fellow Vegas natives Panic! At The Disco. Indeed, the Panic! boys make a point of planting themselves in some empty seats, watching The Killers’ set with giant smiles on their faces. Well, it is Christmas, after all… 10:40PM FOO FIGHTERS return to play the same set as last night. But it’s no less powerful the second time around. “Did you all enjoy The Raconteurs?” Dave Grohl asks the crowd, “Cause I pretty much think they’re the best rock band around right now.” And with that he launches into ‘Skin And Bones’ and the crowd explodes into anarchy. 01/2007 kerrang! #1141 source: flickr.com
06/30/2007 house of wolves hovefestivalen tromøya arendal norway source: youtube.com lol the video actually blacked out there
11/30/2007 sydney entertainment centre sydney australia – photos by kate walton source: Flickr / fourkicks
“what’s the worst thing that could happen? …..oh I’ll tell you! ok so i got invited to this really sweet party the other night, i was told all the hot stars were going to show up…. which was nice to hear cause i really enjoy catching up with my celebrity friends like scott baio, the sham wow guy, lucille ball y’know my homies. but when i got there this fucking jerk was wearing the same outfit as me!! and wearing it better, i might add. ugh so i just went home and cried myself into an ice cream coma.”
