MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE profile

My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way. Shortly after forming, the band signed to Eyeball Records and released their debut album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love in 2002. They signed with Reprise Records the next year and released their major label debut Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004; the album was a commercial success, and was awarded platinum status a little over a year later.The band eclipsed their previous success with their 2006 concept album, The Black Parade, which gained generally favorable reviews among music critics.Their fourth studio album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, was released on November 22, 2010,to favorable reviews.

Early career (2001–2002)

The band was formed by frontman Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier approximately one week after the September 11 attacks. Witnessing the planes crash into the World Trade Center influenced Way's life to the extent that he decided to start a band.Way wrote the song "Skylines and Turnstiles" to express his feelings about September 11 and shortly thereafter, Ray Toro was recruited because at the time Way couldn't sing and play the guitar at the same time.The name of the band was suggested by bass guitarist Mikey Way, younger brother of Gerard, who was working in a library when he was struck by the title of a book named "Ecstacy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance". The first recording sessions were undertaken in Pelissier's attic, where the songs "Our Lady of Sorrows" (formerly called "Bring More Knives") and "Cubicles" were recorded. The band refers to those sessions as The Attic Demos. After hearing the demo, Mikey Way decided to join the band after dropping out of college. While with Eyeball Records, the band met Frank Iero, the lead vocalist and guitarist for Pencey Prep. Following Pencey Prep's split in 2001-02, Iero became a member of My Chemical Romance, just days prior to the recording of the band's debut album.They recorded their debut album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, just three months after the formation of the band and released it in 2002 through Eyeball Records. Despite only joining the band a few days before the album recording sessions began, Iero played guitar on two of the tracks, one of which being "Early Sunsets Over Monroeville." During this time, the band was booked at the infamous venue, Big Daddy's, where they began to receive more attention.

My Chemical Romance offered free downloads through PureVolume and the social networking website MySpace, where they gained an initial fan base.

Breakthrough (2003–2006)

In 2003, the band signed a deal with Reprise Records. Following a tour with Avenged Sevenfold, the band began working on their second album, entitled Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Released in 2004, the album went platinum in just over a year.The band released four singles from the album; "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)", "Thank You for the Venom", "Helena" and "The Ghost of You". It was during this time that the band replaced Matt Pelissier with Bob Bryar, after returning from a tour of Japan in July 2004.

At the beginning of 2005, the band was featured on the first ever Taste of Chaos tour, and was also the opening act for Green Day on their American Idiot tour. They then co-headlined Warped Tour 2005 with Fall Out Boy and co-headlined a tour with Alkaline Trio and Reggie and the Full Effect around the US. That same year, My Chemical Romance collaborated with The Used for a cover of the Queen and David Bowie classic, "Under Pressure" that was released as a benefit single on iTunes and other Internet outlets.

In March 2006, record entitled Life on the Murder Scene was released, incorporating two DVDs and a CD. It included one documentary DVD chronicling the band's history, and a second DVD with music videos, the making of their videos and live performances. An unauthorized biography DVD Things That Make You Go MMM! was also released In June 2006. The DVD does not actually feature any My Chemical Romance music clips or performances, but contains interviews with those who knew the band before much of their fame. A biography titled Something Incredible This Way Comes was also released, written by Paul Stenning and published in 2006. It features their beginnings right through to their third album, The Black Parade.

The Black Parade (2006–2008)

My Chemical Romance started recording their third studio album on April 10, 2006 with Rob Cavallo, producer of many of Green Day's albums. It was originally thought to be titled The Rise and Fall of My Chemical Romance, but in an interview with Kerrang! magazine, Gerard Way suggested this was just the album's working title, stating "It was never the title of the album, more a spoof, or joke."

On August 3, 2006, the band completed shooting the videos for their first two singles from the album; including the first single, "Welcome to the Black Parade" and although not released until January 2007, "Famous Last Words". he "Famous Last Words" video was directed by Sam Bayer, director of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and Green Day's American IdiotDuring the second single's filming, band members Gerard Way and Bob Bryar were injured. Way suffered torn ligaments in his ankle, and Bryar a burn to the leg which caused a severe staph infection that needed constant monitoring in hospital. Consequently, the band was forced to cancel a few tour dates. While these injuries were reported by several news agencies to have been the result of a car accident, a statement released by the band on their website and MySpace page confirmed that these injuries occurred on the set of the video. videos.

On August 22, 2006, the band played a special one-off show at the 1800-capacity London Hammersmith Palais. The show sold out in 15 minutes prompting tickets to be re-sold on eBay well over the tickets' face value. The name of the album they promoted was announced and 20 people dressed in black capes with their faces obscured paraded around Hammersmith, followed by a large group of fans and street team members with signs saying The Black Parade. Later during the show the album title and the UK release date were confirmed. Before the band took the stage, it was announced that My Chemical Romance were unable to play, but they would be replaced by The Black Parade. After initial crowd hostility it became clear the band were simply performing under a pseudonym in keeping with the theme of the album.

Tours

The band played in many major tours in 2005. The band toured with Green Day in 2005 on the Green Day Presents American Idiot Tour". They were also part of the Warped Tour in the same year. "For a lot of kids, it's the one thing they look forward to all year," said Gerard Way of the Warped Tour. "They save up for it. They get to see all the bands they like in one shot.Their set list included mostly songs from Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.

They co-headlined the main stage with The Used on the Taste of Chaos tour before starting their own first headining tour, simply named the "My Chemical Romance Tour". The tour launched September 15 in Ohio, stopping at 30 locations in the U.S., to promote their album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Supporting were Alkaline Trio, and Reggie & The Full Effect. This tour marked the beginning of the heavy theatrics later showcased in any of their live shows. Gerard Way expressed his plans for the tour in an interview with MTV, "We'd talked about bringing out dancers for our headlining tour in the fall, but it's a big undertaking; you have to have a bus full of dancers. We've always wanted to do a big theatrical tour. But you have to do it in steps".The use of theatrics was evident in their future headlining tour, The Black Parade World Tour, which was to support their album of the same name. The tour featured 132 performances worldwide, featuring three legs in North America, one in Europe, Asia, and South America, and one internationally.

See also: The Black Parade World Tour

The band joined headliners Linkin Park on Projekt Revolution 2007, starting on July 25 and ending on September 3. The band played a one-hour set on center stage, opening with "This Is How I Disappear", as flames burst behind the band. The set ended with "Cancer", occasionally with falling confetti, and fireworks. A stream of controversial events occurred over the kiss Gerard Way and Frank Iero shared during a performance of "You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison" in San Bernardino on July 28.Following the Projekt Revolution tour, they opened for Bon Jovi in October, and then departed for a European Tour, with Mindless Self Indulgence.

On September 19, 2010, the band announced "The World Contamination Tour", so far taking place in parts of the UK, France, Amsterdam and Germany.

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Current members

• Frank Iero – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2002–present)
• Ray Toro – lead guitar, backing vocals (2001–present)
• Gerard Way – lead vocals (2001–present)
• Mikey Way – bass guitar (2001–present)

Former members

• Bob Bryar – drums (2004–2010)
• Matt Pelissier – drums (2001–2004)

Touring members

• James Dewees – keyboards, percussion, backing vocals (2007–present)
• Michael Pedicone – drums (2010–present)

Studio albums

• I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002)
• Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
• The Black Parade (2006)
• Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010)

Awards and nominations

• Grammy Award 2008 Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package - The Black Parade
• Kerrang! Award - Won for Best Band on the Planet in 2006
• Kerrang! Award - Won "Best International Band" in 2007
• Kerrang! Award - Won "Best Album" for Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
• Kerrang! Award - Won "Best Video" for Helena" in 2005
• 2005 MTV Video Music Awards - Nominated for Best New Artist in a Video for "Helena"
• 2005 MTV Video Music Awards - Nominated for Best Rock Video for "Helena"
• 2005 MTV Video Music Awards - Nominated for Best Choreography in a Video for "Helena"
• TRL Italy Award - Nominated for Best New Artist
• TRL Award 2006 - Won for Best Group That Actually Plays
• MTV Asia Awards 2006 - Nominated for Favorite Rock Act
• MTV Asia Awards 2006 - Nominated for Favorite Breakthrough Artist
• MTV Asia Awards 2006 - Nominated for Favorite Video for "Helena"
• NME Awards - Won for "Best International Band" in 2007
• 15th Annual Music Video Production Awards - Won for Best colorist/telecine for "Helena" and Best Styling for "The Ghost of You