My Chemical Romance

Vocals- Gerard Way
Guitar- Frank Iero
Guitar- Ray Toro
Bass- Mikey Way
Drums- Bob

Since their formation in 2001, American rock band My Chemical Romance have made a meteoric rise to the top of the charts – as well as courting their fair share of controversy along the way.

The band was formed by Gerard Way (lead vocals), Frank Iero (guitar), Ray Toro (guitar), Mikey Way (bass) Matt Pelissier (drums). They got together a week after the September 11th attacks in America. The atrocity touched Gerard Way so deeply that he decided to form a band to express the emotions of the event.  

My Chemical Romance were soon signed to Eyeball Records and just three months after they’d formed they had completed the recording of their debut album, ‘I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.’ The album was eventually released in 2002.

Following their debut the band signed to Reprise Records in 2003 and recorded their second album, ‘Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge.’ When the album was released in 2004 it went platinum and got to number twenty-eight in the US charts. The band’s lineup also changed shortly after the album was released in 2004 when Matt Pelissier was replaced on drums by Bob Bryar.

The growing success of the band was highlighted through a number of influential shows throughout 2005. As well as opening for Greenday on their ‘American Idiot Tour’ the band also played their own headline tour across America. Their live shows were fast building the band a reputation as one of America’s most prolific up-and-coming rock bands.

In April 2006 the band aligned themselves with Rob Cavallo - the senior VP at Reprise – to help produce their third album, ‘The Black Parade.’ Their collaboration with Cavallo was seen as an influential moment because of his work on Greenday albums in the past – subconsciously marking My Chemical Romances’ move into the elite league.

The album was finally released in October 2006 following a special show at London’s Hammersmith Palais in August which sold out in fifteen minutes. The album and its first single, ‘Welcome To The Black Parade,’ both entered the UK charts at number one. 

Following the release of their third album, the band courted a lot of criticism about the albums concept of death. They were also embroiled in an indie vs. emo war throughout 2006. The battle reached its pinnacle at the Reading Festival, where the band were bottled throughout their performance.

My Chemical Romance are set to embark on an sold-out arena tour of the UK in March 2007.