The band’s third studio album, The Black Parade, was produced by Rob Cavallo and released last October, hitting number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.,Turns out the guys of My Chemical Romance are actually pretty cool underneath their emo-pop facade.
The band’s third studio album, The Black Parade, was produced by Rob Cavallo and released last October, hitting number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The album even made number 20 on Rolling Stone’s list of the top 50 albums of 2006.
The Black Parade is a concept album about a character known as “the Patient,” who is taking a look back on his life. The guys even got Liza Minnelli to join them on the album for the song “Hey Mama.”
In support of The Black Parade, My Chemical Romance launched an international tour, playing with bands such as Rise Against and Muse.
My Chemical Romance started out as just a group of friends growing up in New Jersey that wanted to write music with a cause.
“In five years, we’ve lived out 20 lifetimes and we’ve seen a lot and met a lot of people along the way,” said rhythm guitarist Frank Iero in a phone interview with The Beacon.
He said he feels the band’s biggest achievement is helping fans deal with feelings of helplessness and coping with what their purpose is here.
“The constant fight to overcome and to want to live as opposed to just waiting to die is just something that has a universal theme,” said Iero. “We went out there and did this band and tried to make a difference in the world and we proved that a regular person from a small town can write a song and affect people around the world.”
Fans who catch My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade Tour can expect to see the band in much larger venues and arenas for the first time. Since The Black Parade is a concept album about the struggles of life and death, the concerts will be much more visual and theatrical, Iero said.
Joining the ranks of bands such as The Killers and Foo Fighters, My Chemical Romance has made The Black Parade one of the most popular modern-day concept pieces.
“I think you’re seeing this resurgence of real artists and just real musicians that do care and take pride of their craft and their art behind it,” Iero said. “I’d like to think that we’re a part of this revolution of doing things from the heart and doing things for the right reason.”
However, the band gets the jitters playing to such large crowds.
“The hardest thing about playing the shows now is that it’s a totally different thing connecting with 10,000 people than it is 100 people,” Iero said. “It’s a different mindset to be able to connect with people that are so far away and it’s something that takes a long time to perfect. It’s something we’ve had a chance and been fortunate enough to try a bunch of times.”
The guys of My Chemical Romance have been nothing but appreciative and thankful for their fans and plan to show their gratitude by putting on an amazing live performance during The Black Parade Tour.
“It’s an incredible feeling just getting up there and seeing this sea of people,” said Iero.
The band doesn’t want fans to walk away thinking the concert was just a good show.
“We want them to walk away with an experience,” Iero said.
Local fans can catch My Chemical Romance and Rise Against at the Verizon Wireless Center in Manchester, N.H., on Feb. 22 or at the DCU Center in Worcester on May 8.