Cassie The Venomous' Blog

My Chemical Romance Vocalist Gerard Way to contribute to Art Show Honoring Metallica

2012-01-21T12:39:00.002-05:00

UPDATE: January 21 @ 12:39 p.m. EST

Pictured left is Gerard Way's installation piece for the gallery. Thanks to themaskedman on Tumblr for sharing.

Apparently, the individual landmines (60 in total) are being sold for $100 a piece.

UPDATE: January 20, 2012 @ 12:39 p.m. EST

Gerard Way told Alternative Press in a recent interview that the piece he is contributing to the show is an art installation based on Metallica's "One," in the form of a fabricated pile of "quiet"-looking "destroyed, fragmented landmines."

Thank you to Brittany for bringing this to my attention!

Exhibit A Gallery announced that Gerard Way will be among the nearly 40 artists contributing to their "Obey Your Master: A Visual Tribute to Metallica" exhibit.

Of contributing to the exhibit, Gerard said, “Having been a fan of Metallica for years, their music has always inspired my artistic expression in various mediums.. So, when I was asked to be one of the artists to create an art piece inspired by one of their songs for the upcoming Obey Your Master art show, it was a no brainer.”

The show, which features artistic interpretations of individual Metallica songs, opens January 20 in Los Angeles to the exclusive crowd of contributing artists and Metallica themselves. The show will be open to the public January 23 through March 23.

If you are interested in attending, you can submit an event invitation request.

My Chemical Romance: Big Day Out run Begins in Auckland, New Zealand

2012-01-20T18:35:00.003-05:00

Yesterday (or the day before yesterday, if you're going by New Zealand time), My Chemical Romance gave their first performance of Big Day Out Festival.

Fans, early in the day, had been tipped off by those in attendance of the pre-show meet-and-greet that singer Gerard Way's hair was "orange." For whatever reason, despite our knowing Gerard will--if pattern can allow us to predict--inevitably make a drastic hair changes forevermore, the MCR fan community still goes wild over said changes.

Unfortunately, due to the focus on aesthetic changes, not much of substance was shared during the show.

In post-performance reviews, stuff.co.nz said that My Chemical Romance drew "easily the biggest crowd of the day [at the time of posting], and while the sound started on the dodgy side, they [had] the kids jumping and screaming like an audience should" while the NZ Herald said their performance was better than it was at BDO 2007, but the crowd was smaller.

Check out their performance of "Our Lady of Sorrows" from their first BDO performance below (thanks to Youtube user newzealandmotion.)

My Chemical Romance Release Final 'Danger Days' Video with Help from a Fan

2012-01-16T17:14:00.001-05:00

My Chemical Romance have released the video for "The Kids From Yesterday," their final Danger Days single in a very special way.

Frank Iero said of the video in his newest blog post:

"This song means a lot of different things to us individually and we hope it speaks to you as well. When deciding what kind of video would work the best with the song we immediately thought of a "video collage" ...something that would show the progression of the band over the past 10 years leading up to one of our most memorable moments, closing the Reading and Leeds festivals this past summer. We began collecting footage and literally stumbled upon an incredible video done by a talented young lady named Emily Eisemann. She had made a fan video, put it up on YouTube and it summed up what we had been trying so very hard to make, perfectly. So we gave her a call, put our videos together, and the rest, as they say, is history."

Eisemann, who created a "fan promo" for the band in attempt to express what the band means to her said, "the idea that [the original video] was wanted for an official release...left me flailing."

"I could never have expected that one day, I would be contacted by the overwhelmingly lovely people of My Chem’s management and asked, in exchange for compensation, to contribute what I had made to the official video for Kids. Not after an era of spectacular Killjoy videos with whose Trans-Ams, inclusion of legendary comic book writers, and badassery, my own creation could never compete."

You can watch her original video below:

If any of you remember, I--too--was so touched by how well it represented MCR when I stumbled across the video that I posted about it in February, and I'm so glad she got the opportunity to help compile this for MCR!

Congratulations, Emily, and thank you for helping express what so many of us also feel toward MCR!

XoXo
c.

Album Review: 'Beautiful Things' - Anthony Green

2012-01-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

Anthony Green
Beautiful Things
Photo Finish Records
January 17, 2012

TRACKLISTING

1. "If I Don't Sing"
2. "Do It Right"
3. "Moon Song"
4. "Get Yours While You Can"
5. "When I'm On Pills"
6. "Can't Have it All At Once"
7. "Big Mistake"
8. "Love You No Matter What"
9. "How It Goes"
10. "Just to Feel Alive"
11. "James' Song"
12. "Blood Song"
13. "Lullaby"

___

Read my full review for ACRN.com
___

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance Big Day Out Competitions (list)

2012-01-13T11:30:00.001-05:00

**UPDATED: January 16 @ 2:34 p.m. EST

ORIGINAL POST: January 6, 2012 @ 3:37 p.m. EST
With My Chemical Romance's heading to Australia and New Zealand later this month for Big Day Out, many publications are holding competitions to give fans a chance to meet the band or to win other prizes. Here are some of them (if you have any to add to the list, please let me know.)

Competition Host: Coup De Main Magazine
Prize: Meet-and-greet in Auckland, New Zealand on January 20.
Requirements: Design a comic strip with your own Killjoys story. Be a Big Day Out ticket-holder.
End date: Before January 14 (you submit via mail, so allow extra time)
DETAILS
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Competition Host: NovaFM
Prize: Meet-and-greet with My Chemical Romance; two tickets to a BDO show in either Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne, Australia; and a signed Phant-o-matic Epiphone guitar.
Requirements: Your own transportation to the shows.
End date: January 17 at 10 a.m.
DETAILS
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***NEWLY ADDED***
Competition Host: My Chemical Romance
Prize: Watch one of MCR's Australian BDO performances side-stage
Requirements: A short written description of your own Killjoy character. Be at least 15-years-old and have your own transportation to the show.
End date: January 19 @ 9 a.m. PST
DETAILS
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Competition Host: SludgeFactory.com
Prize: A "double pass" to one of MCR's Australian sideshows
Requirements: Be able to attend the show, an I.D.
End date: January 19
DETAILS
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Competition Host: JB Hi-Fi
Prize: The Phant-o-matic Epiphone guitar designed by Frank Iero
Requirements: Pre-order "The Kids From Yesterday" CD/t-shirt bundle. Residents of Australia only.
End date: Before January 20
DETAILS
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***NEWLY ADDED***
Competition Host: Kill Your Stereo
Prize: "Double passes" for either the Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne show.
Requirements: A Twitter account
End date: January 22
DETAILS
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***NEWLY ADDED***
Competition Host: Beat Magazine
Prize: A double pass to MCR's January 31 BDO sideshow in Melbourne.
Requirements: Leaving a comment on the competition page.
End Date: January 24
DETAILS
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***NEWLY ADDED***
Competition Host: VMusic
Prizes:

Major: double passes to an MCR sideshow/a chance to meet them and watch sidestage
Runner-up: Limited edition Danger Days box set
Minor: Danger Days album

Requirements: Leaving a comment on the competition page.
End Date: January 27
DETAILS
---

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance's Mikey Way talks Killjoys comic, The Mad Gear & Missile Kid and potential 'Life On The Murder Scene' follow-up

2012-01-09T12:05:00.006-05:00

"I don't think we're going to be making any more videos, but something is definitely on the horizon," My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way revealed in a recent interview by Coup De Main magazine.

For fans who had hoped for "SING"'s massive cliffhanger to be resolved, that may be disappointing.

However, Way goes on to say that "the Killjoys story is far from over," citing that the Killjoys comic by Shaun Simon and MCR vocalist Gerard Way may contain hints at what happened to Kobra Kid and co. and that, "it should be relatively soon that you should hear something [new] about the comic."

Though, who knows what "relatively soon" means in MCR time.

Related to the Danger Days world, when asked if the band has plans to release a full-length The Mad Gear and Missile Kid album, Way said:

"Oh absolutely! That's something we talk about a lot, we just have to kinda find time. There's more songs we have that are Mad Gear songs and actually, there are more songs that Mad Gear have written that we are yet to discover. So sooner or later, that'll probably come to fruition as well."

Other potential things the band has thought of releasing: A follow-up to 2006's Life On The Murder Scene DVD. When asked about that, Way said,

"It's actually something we talk about a lot, making a spiritual successor to 'Life On The Murder Scene'. If you were a betting person, I'd say absolutely. It'll happen probably sooner than later, I'd say."

[Read the full interview]

XoXo
c.

CONTEST: Win a set of My Chemical Romance action figures, a signed t-shirt or a MASScanvas shirt!

2012-01-08T12:31:00.007-05:00

Thanks to amazing donations from readers and MASScanvas, I am so thrilled to be able to start off 2012 with a contest for my fellow My Chemical Romance fans!
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Pictured left are the prizes:

FIRST PLACE: A full set of My Chemical Romance action figures
SECOND PLACE: A MASScanvas t-shirt [better picture] signed by all four members of MCR.
THIRD PLACE: A MASScanvas "Reflection" t-shirt (Note: not signed.)

---
How to win:
I know that for many of us, MCR's songs evoke a certain feeling or conjure imagery that flashes before us when we close our eyes while listening to the music.

Choose an MCR song (Not a cover, please) for which the imagery in your head or for which your feelings are strongest, and describe what you see and feel when you listen to it in a comment below of 200 words or less (please adhere to the word limit!).
*Note: I mean ANY form of writing. This could be a poem, a narrative, a small essay, anything--as long as it is within the word limit, it counts!

Please include the following before your writing:
Name:
Location:
Your Twitter handle, Facebook URL or Email address: (If Twitter, make sure you're following me [@PoisonAndFire] so I can contact you via message if you win)
Which song you're writing about:
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**DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 1**
-ONE ENTRY per person-

Since I have saved blogger donations for shipping, the contest *IS open internationally!

Happy writing! If you have questions, just ask in a comment!

Thanks, as always, for reading and for being so supportive!

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance News While I was Away

2012-01-04T15:39:00.004-05:00

As some of you know, I have been stuck in an abysmal state of Internet-less-ness since late November. As such, I have not been able to update as frequently as I would like.

Those of you who follow me (@PoisonAndFire) on Twitter probably already saw these as they came out (thank goodness for my mobile Internet access, even if limited!), but here is a re-cap of what has happened in the MCR news realm while I have been on winter break.

November 23

In an interview with X-Press Magazine, bassist Mikey Way talked about the Danger Days... recording experience, reaffirms that they will "never add another member to the band again" (for those still wondering if their touring drummers will become permanent) and that they do, indeed, plan "to get together and begin the process of putting together a follow-up album....sooner rather than later!"

---
November 24
In an interview by Kill Your Stereo, guitarist Frank Iero hinted that MCR's upcoming Big Day Out performances may hold new songs, songs fans haven't heard in a while and hints at what the band's next creative direction might be.

"...right now we are trying to think about the next stuff so it is really going to be smack dab in the pre-creative headspace of what the next record is going to be, so not [only is it] going to be Danger Days [fueled] but also possibly [fueled] by whatever the new thing is.

....

I kind of want to keep [the setlist] open, and if some new stuff makes its way in that would be really great, as for the vibe I have no idea what it is going to be. I definitely want to play some songs that I think the Australian fans haven’t gotten to hear live because we haven’t been there on this tour. There is going to be some Danger Days stuff, I think we should play some older stuff, and hopefully some of the new vibe will work its way in.

....

you are going to get a show that is smack dab in the middle of what Danger Days was and what it has now become and also what the new stuff is going to become. So it is going to be unique to any of the shows that has come before it and hopefully any of the shows that come after it."

---

December 6, 2011
Fender gave a preview of Mikey Way's 2012 signature Squier bass (right.)

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December 9, 2011
Triple J Magazine interview with Ray Toro, focused on My Chemical Romance's unlucky past with drummers.

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December 11, 2011
Coup De Main Magazine announced that My Chemical Romance will contribute a New Zealand tour photo diary to them.

The magazine also did an interview with Mikey Way which is set for publication in the February 25 issue.
**UPDATE**: The Interview is now published.

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December 12, 2011
In a Rave Magazine feature, Mikey Way discussed the differences between touring on their previous albums and on Danger Days and the positive impact that and the album itself has had on the band.

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December 14, 2011
The Music Network spoke to Ray Toro about MCR's misfortunes, obstacles and growth over the years.

"We’ve been through some tough stuff this year,” says Toro. “All those things that happened, you can take it either of two ways: you can let it get you down and defeat you, or you can rise up from it. The cool thing with us is that we’ve always risen. We’re still around now and that’s incredible.”

---

December 19, 2011
Macy Gray's Covered, which is set for release March 27, 2012, will feature the "I Try" singer's cover of My Chemical Romance's "Teenagers." This should be interesting!

In other news of covers, MCR's cover of Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row" will be included on the compilation Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan (set for January 24 release).

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December 20, 2011
In completely random news: Gerard Way interviewed Johnny Galecki of The Big Bang Theory, which is great because I love both of those things, but I'm still not entirely sure why it happened. Haha!

When a news story started circulating among entertainment sites that Galecki had received word of his Golden Globe nomination while he was Emailing a member of MCR, I was curious and confused, then when the end result of that Email came out as an interview, I was even more curious and confused. But, again, I'll take it.

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December 22, 2011
In an MX Citybeat Newspaper interview, Ray Toro answered Twitter-submitted fan questions including some about his favorite MCR songs, his guitar collection, horror films and...his hair's magical powers? ...

Scans: 1 | 2

XoXo
c.

Keep an eye out for my next entry in which I will outline current MCR-related contests.

Thank you to MCR Updates | @MCR_FANS | My Chemical Freak | My Chemical Romance Brasil and countless other fansites for making looking up all these things again relatively painless!

My Chemical Romance perform on 'Yo Gabba Gabba'

2011-12-06T11:48:00.005-05:00

My Chemical Romance are set to perform on Nickelodeon's Yo Gabba Gabba!'s "A Very Awesome Christmas" episode December 18 at 8 p.m. on Nick Jr.

However, fans need not wait until December 18 to hear "Every Snowflake's Different (Just Like You)," the original individuality-celebrating song the band played for the show, thanks to an Entertainment Weekly EXCLUSIVE VIDEO of the performance!

In 2009, MCR vocalist Gerard Way publicly expressed his desire to perform on YGG! in an interview with MTV:

"I have this secret desire to do a children's show, and then I saw Yo Gabba Gabba, and I was like, 'Oh, this is genius. This is better than anything I could've come up with,'' Way laughed. 'I watched [Devo mastermind] Mark Mothersbaugh draw a puppy, and I was like, 'This is the best thing I've ever seen.' I'm really aiming to get [My Chem] to perform a song about lemonade on Yo Gabba. ... I'm cooking this lemonade song up in my head as we speak.'

XoXo
c.

PS: This song and video fill me with unimaginable joy and giddiness. Haha!

UPDATE: December 7 @ 7:10 p.m.

Gerard Way has posted a blog entry about MCR's Yo Gabba Gabba! appearance, which includes his sketches of the band's costumes for the show!

"We talked a lot about Hoth and we definitely wanted a Yeti," Way said of the concept and his conversation with series creator Christian Jacobs.

Regarding the next couple months...

2011-11-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

Today, I am returning home for the holiday break.

The unfortunate thing about that is that, at home, I do not have reliable Internet access. So, I may not be able to post as much as I would like.

Still, I am writing this to assure everyone that I am going to try my hardest. If that means lugging my computer to the nearest McDonald's with WiFi when news drops, I'll do it.

And #MCRchat WILL continue over break, but I may have to make occasional cancellations.

XoXo
c.

Limited Edition My Chemical Romance T-shirt designed by Gerard Way on sale now for Charity

2011-11-22T16:38:00.001-05:00

My Chemical Romance vocalist Gerard Way has designed a limited edition shirt for MASScanvas.

$5 of every purchase of the "Party Poison" shirt, which is limited to only 774 prints, will go to My Chemical Romance's chosen charity, the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The shirt costs $30 and can be purchased here.

Watch Way's design process in the video below.

More shirts from MCR's Good Vs. Evil design contest.

XoXo
c.

PS: Today marks one year since the release of Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys! What an amazing year it as been! Check out Frank's new blog post about it.

My Chemical Romance Big Day Out "Sideshows" Announced

2011-11-20T14:40:00.013-05:00

UPDATE: November 20, 2011 @ 3:33 p.m. EST

Pre-sale tickets will be available to fans from noon on Friday, November 25 to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 27. Enter the password: "BIGDAYOUT" when purchasing tickets.

ORIGINAL POST: November 20, 2011 @ 2:40 p.m. EST

Big Day Out has announced three "sideshow" dates My Chemical Romance are set to play while on the touring festival.

Dates, locations and ticket-purchase links:
Note: The ticket links will redirect before sale day

January 24 @ Eatons Hill Hotel - Brisbane
Ticket Purchase Link
January 27 @ The Hordern Pavilion - Sydney
Ticket Purchase Link
January 31 @ Festival Hall - Melbourne
Ticket Purchase Link

Tickets go on sale to the public Monday, November 28. However, a pre-sale for fans will run Friday November 25 through Sunday, November 27.

The shows, for which Closure in Moscow is set to open, will be played at smaller venues (roughly 5,000-6,000 capacity compared to stadiums of roughly 40,000) and have a more intimate feeling than the larger festival.

Bands playing BDO often do "side tours" while on the Australia-and-New-Zealand-spanning festival tour.

XoXo
c.

Thank You! (Signed MCR Shirt Giveaway to Come!)

2011-10-31T12:56:00.002-04:00

Thanks to donations from blog-readers, I have been able to purchase two of the MASScanvas/My Chemical Romance for-charity t-shirts!

In addition to those, MASScanvas sent me a rare print of the "We've Got The Bomb" shirt signed by all four MCR members!

I hope to do a giveaway of those shirts for my readers as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I do not have the funds for shipping just yet, but I'm working on it.

The shirts will be given away eventually, though. I promise.

In the meantime, I just wanted to say "thank you" to those who donated. I'm so happy you have given me a way to give back that I would not have had on my own.

My next goal is to purchase one of the My Chemical Romance Shirts For A Cure t-shirts, because they are a bit cheaper than the ones from MASScanvas and #SingItForJapan.

Recently, Gerard Way designed an exclusive White Violin (from his comic, The Umbrella Academy) shirt for Shirts For A Cure, which was sold at New York Comic Con and is now available, in limited quantities, online.

I believe I'm about $10 away from achieving my Shirts For A Cure goal!

Again, thank you all so much for your support!

I hope to be able to give these shirts away soon.

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance Ready to Record Next Album [The Overdue Detailed Post]

2011-10-30T13:13:00.002-04:00

Despite previous claims made by guitarist Frank Iero, My Chemical Romance say that the do not think they will have a new album out as soon as summer, 2012, but they are ready to begin the recording process now.

In a Rolling Stone interview, Iero had said, "I definitely see new music coming out or at least being worked on throughout the rest of this year and hopefully maybe something coming out by summer."

However, the guitarist corrected himself in the Fuse interview embedded above, saying:

"I think I lied when I said that. I had nothing else to say, so I said, 'Yeah, we'll have a record out by summer.'"

Still, vocalist Gerard Way says that the band is already looking at recording spaces for their future album.

"We're currently, actually-- we're just going to hole up somewhere and we're going start already. So, as soon as this [touring cycle] ends. We're actually already looking at locations. We're just going to start working alone," Way said.

Way mentioned that the band has a very clear direction for their next album already, which is something they say they have not experienced in a long time.

When asked why they feel that they have such a clear "game plan," as Gerard called it, now, Iero said, "I think a lot of shit happened to us in the past couple years. A lot of stuff that is ready to pour out. I think with the last record, we needed to kind of get our legs back into being a band again. And we did that pretty quickly. Now, I think, we've had two years of playing within this unit, and we feel really good about it, and the creative juices are just really flowing right now."

As for their plans for the rest of this year, Way said, "Working, writing. That's it. We're just going to dive right in; because, we actually don't feel like we need a break. I think after Parade, it was like we needed a year break. But, we don't really need one. We're just healthy. We've been through a lot of crap together. I think I'm going to write more comics, which I'm excited about. Just stuff like that."

My Chemical Romance members have mentioned that they are constantly writing, and--as early as July and August--had hinted that they were ready to record.

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance Play Voodoo Festival in Medieval Style, Share Costume Experiences

2011-10-29T11:19:00.000-04:00

Last night, My Chemical Romance played New Orleans' Voodoo Experience in full costume: an early Halloween treat for those in attendance; as, the band are not playing their usual Halloween show this year.

While the band members primarily were dressed as knights, I believe, Frank Iero was a wizard, and some have said James Dewees was a king.

The guys, Gerard with his hair dyed black for the first time since last year, sat down with Fuse's Juliya to talk about playing Voodoo and about their costumes, past and present.

Some fans will remember the Texas costumes to which the band refers as the eclectic mix of garb the guys donned in The Woodlands on September 26.

Frank was Chucky, Mikey was Jason Voorhees, Gerard was a knight and Ray Toro was, as Gerard said in the video above, "I couldn't give two fucks."

Voodoo Festival is the final confirmed date MCR are set to play in the U.S. in 2011. They will head to Australia and New Zealand this winter for Big Day Out Festival.

XoXo
c.

PS: I am sorry for the lack of updates lately. This academic quarter has been annihilating my whole life.

There is, however, an advantage to it all: I've had more time to absorb and digest news so that I can write about it in better detail when I do have time. After this week, I should begin to have far more time! (I hope.)

Interview: Dustin Kensrue of Thrice

2011-10-12T22:46:00.002-04:00

Some of the strongest bands function as more of a family unit than as partners in music. With more than a decade of experience behind them, Thrice have proven themselves among the strong, and they're showing no signs of weakness, having recently released a new album, Major/Minor, and embarked on their current fall-spanning tour.

I spoke to Thrice vocalist/guitarist Dustin Kensrue about what it takes for a band to have longevity, their new album and how the band's helping out Invisible Children.

Read my full Thrice Q&A at ACRN.com.

XoXo
c.

Album Review: 'The Devil's Rain' - Misfits

2011-10-10T14:32:00.001-04:00

Misfits
The Devil's Rain
Misfit Records
October 4, 2011

TRACKLISTING

1. The Devil's Rain
2. Vivid Red
3. Land Of The Dead
4. The Black Hole
5. Twilight of the Dead
6. Curse of the Mummy’s Hand
7. Cold In Hell
8. Unexplained
9. Dark Shadows
10. Father
11. Jack The Ripper
12. Monkey's Paw
13. Where Do They Go?
14. Sleepwalkin'
15. Ghost Of Frankenstein
16. Death Ray

_____
With detached appendages like monkey paws and mummy hands all outstretched at listeners in The Devil’s Rain, they might find that little actually grabs them.

Read my full review for ACRN.com
_____

My Chemical Romance confirmed for 2012 Big Day Out Festival

2011-09-29T09:45:00.002-04:00

Australia and New Zealand's Big Day Out Festival began announcing its 2012 line-up this morning.

Having been inundated with rumors that My Chemical Romance would be playing this year, fans were pleased when @bdo_official confirmed MCR, along with 16 other acts, about an hour ago.

The traveling Australia/New Zealand festival will span January 20 to February 5, 2012.

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance members Hope to Return to the Studio Soon, Continue Side-projects

2011-09-28T11:54:00.008-04:00

UPDATE: September 28, 2011 @ 12:40 p.m.

I was just sent a scan of the original Kerrang! article.

In the language Kerrang!, the original story source, used, the side-project aspect was less of a highlight than NME's report:

"And while the band members are all concentrating on My Chemical Romance for now, Frank believes that one day, they may each explore other projects--similar to his 2009 Leathermouth album XO-- before returning to the fold."

Kerrang! Magazine

ORIGINAL POST: September 28, 2011 @ 11:54 a.m.
According to NME, citing the latest issue of Kerrang!, Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance has said the band hopes to make a quick return to the studio, but will also continue with their side-projects.

Iero had told Kerrang!:

"We're being very creative right now. There are some really bright and creative things going on. At every soundcheck, we're coming up with new pieces of music that could turn into something incredible. So we're hoping to get into the studio soon and really harness that."

While My Chemical Romance has been working diligently on new material, Iero also said, according to NME, that he can see a future for his band LeATHERMOUTH and other creative outlets his bandmates in MCR could take beyond the band:

"I can see the other guys branching off and doing other things. Gerard has his writing, and he has plans for that, but he wants to direct too. And Ray is such an incredible talent. I'd love to see him get the credit he's due. I can see us branching off, but always coming back to this."

The Kerrang! issue excerpt says, "My Chemical Romance hint at new material and side-projects."

XoXo
c.

NOTE: As soon as I can find scans of Kerrang!, I will have a better handle on the facts. I'm not a big fan of NME's online spins. Thanks for your patience.

Donation Button Added for MCR-supported Charities and Blog Fund

2011-09-26T16:50:00.007-04:00

UPDATE: September 27 @ 12:37 a.m.
I just reached enough in donations for my first purchase from MASScanvas, which means $2 will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation thanks to you guys! You rule!

ORIGINAL POST: September 26 @ 4:50 p.m.
If you look to the right, you will see a new blog feature. I have added a Paypal Donate button to my blog, mostly for the purpose of raising money for MCR-related charities.

Over the few years of this blog's lifespan, I have thought of a few ways to monetize my content and to make sure I remain able to provide it.

That doesn't take much, though, and I'd rather give than take.

So, inspired by the success of a UK-based MCRmy group that was recently featured on MCR's site, I decided to set up my own fundraising efforts.

If you choose to donate:

90% will go toward the purchase of #SINGItForJapan or MCR's MASScanvas charity t-shirts.
Said shirts will be given away as a thank-you to my readers through this site.
The other 10%, will go toward a "blog fund," which will help with the minor expenses of maintaining this blog like keeping my custom domain name, and--in a distant future--possibly to buying a better Internet connection so I can stay updated while at home. I will also draw from this to help with shipping costs of the t-shirts.

Any little bit is appreciated and helpful.

If you do not want to donate this way, please consider purchasing a #SINGItForJapan or MCR MASScanvas t-shirt independently in support of the Red Cross and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, respectively!

Check out the video below from The Honda Civic Tour of MCR talking about their involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Because the MASScanvas shirts are limited edition, the first donations will go toward them!

XoXo
c.

PS: This is my 400th post!

Unabridged Live Review: My Chemical Romance @ The Honda Civic Tour / September 13, 2011 / Cuyahoga Falls, OH

2011-09-18T00:21:00.000-04:00

"Now, this could be the last of all the rides we take. So, hold on tight and don't look back."

My last show of the Honda Civic Tour. The finality of that weighed on me as I drove the 5 hours to the Cleveland area. From recent interviews, I had suspected it could be a while before we get to see MCR live again; so, I was armed to savor every moment my favorite band offered me at Blossom Music Center on September 13.

My friend and I arrived at about the same time MCR's bus pulled in, and we were able to hear a few slices of their soundcheck from the outside gates as we waited to go in. While waiting, we met the girl who was doing the tour report for Buzznet, and she snapped a picture of yours truly and other dressed-up MCR fans for the review (far left).

Once inside, my friend and I found our seat. After Matt & Kim, we obnoxiously stood up and started to do stretches, caring very little how crazy we may have looked to those around us.

Fortunately, "those around us" were great company in which to be. Next to us were two girls wearing My Chemical Romance shirts, and in front of us were several others dressed similarly. Hell, even the drunk lady who showed up halfway through their set was excitedly slurring to my friend about how much she loved "that Parade song." Before we had gone in, I had heard a guy grumble, "Man, I'm not liking how many MCR shirts I'm seeing." Too bad for you, sir. But, wonderful for us!

It was as if the crowds from the first HCT stop I attended to this one had been stair-stepping up in their concentration of MCR fans. Noblesville had had more MCR fans than Cincinnati, and Cleveland's number of MCR fans in the crowd seemed much denser than the previous two.

From the second they came out to "Na Na Na..." through the entire set, people were very much into it. Especially during "Teenagers." Before these shows, I had never realized how much of a far-reaching single "Teenagers" was. Every time, it seemed to be the song that got the biggest reaction. Still, "S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W," a far less well known song also made an impact.

They thanked a couple friends who were in attendance and sang Happy Birthday to Jason Pettigrew of Alternative Press, adding a unique flair to the show and showing just how appreciative they are of their supporters and friends.

At the previous shows, my friend and I had stood on Ray's side of the stage, and for this one were on Frank's. I realized, as I watched from the new angle, that I and others have been very lucky that Frank's guitar straps have always held up. During "Helena" and the set's other ...Revenge bits especially, Frank stood out, thrashing and spinning with his guitar in a way that could get dangerous if the thin strap holding his instrument to him had happened to break.

The large, wooden pavilion heated up fast with the energy of MCR's set. As I felt sweat starting to drip down my own face, Gerard slipped off his jacket, confirming that it must have been hot in there. Cool-downs during "The Kids From Yesterday," "The Only Hope for Me is You," and--finally--"Cancer" were very much welcome.

It was really the perfect way to end the three-show run I had done on the tour: Surrounded by my fellow fans, covered in sweat, grinning like a fool and gulping for air as cell phones and lighters of thousands lit the Cleveland night.

The hardest part of this is leaving you...

SETLIST:
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)
I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
Planetary (Go!)
The Only Hope for Me Is You
Mama
The Kids from Yesterday
Helena
Give 'Em Hell, Kid
Teenagers
S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W
Welcome to the Black Parade
Cancer

After MCR's set, my friend and I were fortunate enough to be able to talk to the guys briefly and "to...say goodbye, for a little while."

Frank was the first to come out to meet us both with a welcoming hug. "I see the boots are still going strong," he had said in greeting with a grin as he glanced at my shoes. I told him in amazement that he remembered my boots in the first place that they almost didn't survive a previous show I went to and that they may have to go into retirement soon.

I was a little overwhelmed meeting them this time because they all greeted me with a hug, something I have never once experienced from them.

I thought back to my 17-year-old self at a sit-down meet-and-greet. I had blurted, after telling Gerard how much his lyrics had helped me, "C-could I have a hug?" only to be shot down by both him and Big Worm. "You can have a high five, though?" he had then offered. I willingly took that, but I had been mortified by my brashness ever since.

And now, without asking, he--the second to come out after Frank--had opened his poncho-draped arms to hug me when I waved to him. I felt the crimson blush of my inner 17-year-old fade. Sweet redemption!

Ray and Mikey came up next, both following Frank's and Gerard's lead to hug me.

Needless to say, I was a little disoriented from the swirl of Chemical Hug-receiving. A lot of what I had planned to say flew straight from my brain and landed in a mushy puddle somewhere near my boots.

Frank didn't allow anything to become awkward, though, as he stood with my friend and me while the rest of the guys went off to sign a poster a few feet away. We talked about everything ranging from Taco Bell ("I love their Cinnamon Twists. I get into fights with people at Taco Bell. They wont give me them instead of nachos. I've thought about writing to "Mr. Taco Bell..."), "S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W" and how he doesn't know how the crowd reacts to it because he can't look up (we reassured him that we love it), "Skylines and Turnstiles" in Detroit, and what the guys may be doing after the tour.

He seemed so bashful as we told them how proud we are of them and he said, "You girls are too much" and hugged us again. It's hard not to compliment them endlessly, though. Especially after one has just seen them play.

Frank had to be pried away to go sign the posters the rest of the guys had just finished with, and the others came back. Gerard talked to me briefly and thanked me for "catalogue-ing" things for them. He had said, "Frank keeps a lot of that stuff, but you really help out, too," which amazed me: that he even knew something I do.

When Ray came back by, he gave me a high five (a very high one, at that. He's quite tall) and told me, "See you next year!" I told him, "I'll be here. I'm not going anywhere."

Mikey didn't say much, but he was kind enough to hug us "hello" and "goodbye" and to tell us to "be safe home" before they all hugged us one last time and departed.

The thing that always amazes me about MCR is how thankful they are. They thanked US for coming out to their shows. As if it's a chore. We, of course, thanked them back. Several times.

There's really nothing in the world I'm more thankful for than MCR. They have brought so much to my life and have taught me so many things over the years. They've given me something so powerful to believe in and to pass on. To see them live and to get to talk to them in person is an absolute blessing.

XoXo
c.

Read the official Buzznet/MCR Tour Report.

Unabridged Live Review: My Chemical Romance @ The Honda Civic Tour / September 10, 2011 / Noblesville, IN

2011-09-16T21:45:00.001-04:00

I've learned every dance move my body is capable of from My Chemical Romance.

That was the thought I had on September 10 in Noblesville, Indiana as I found myself strangely dancing (only when not jumping or thrashing) along naturally to MCR. And if you know me at all, you will understand that I do not dance.

However, a lot lead up to that dance revelation...

In my previous Honda Civic Tour review, I had mentioned my GPS's affinity for backroads and strange routes. As it turns out, no matter what settings I program into the thing, it still wants to take me through horrifying, surely-murderer-filled small towns in the middle of nowhere. Other than being guided away from the beaten path, my bad luck from the last show seemed to have scampered elsewhere.

My best friend and I arrived at the Verizon Wireless Music Center one state away from home around 5 p.m., on schedule despite all of our strange detours, to retrieve our tickets.

As we walked to the box office, I saw many familiar faces. In the parking lot, I saw a girl I had met at the Cincinnati show, and close to the front of one of the many the lines, wearing a Mikey Fuckin Way shirt, a girl I had stood near at Cleveland show in April and who had also been at the front of the line for the Cincinnati HCT show.

It's interesting how, after a few shows, one starts to recognize people. It's also funny how those faces change over the years as fans migrate in and out. The set of faces I recognized from the first shows I went to is not the same set I recognize now, aside from the few countenances that have changed only as a result of aging.

While waiting for the lines to go in, I saw Tiffany again, and finally got to properly meet fellow MCRmy moderator Laurie. She, my best friend and her three friends, who had all traveled all the way from the south for the show, sat in a circle and talked MCR until it was time to go in.

Even before getting inside, I knew the Indiana crowd would be better for MCR than the Cincinnati one was. The sheer number of MCR shirts and Killjoy get-ups I saw was very reassuring. All signs had pointed to its being a good birthday show for bassist Mikey Way.

All day leading up to the show, I had been trying to promote a birthday project for Mikey. It would involve the crowd's trying to start a chorus of "Happy Birthday" during the first pause between songs. I was informed just before MCR went on that the first set pause would be after their first two songs.

After their opening with "Na Na Na..." and immediately following showcase of old-school anthem "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)," I and those around me tried to belt out the birthday song at the top of our lungs. Unfortunately, despite our efforts, we were not loud enough for the the project to work.

Still, just a few songs later in the set, Gerard Way began singing the birthday song. Without his even announcing whose birthday it was, the crowd was prepared with a name when "happy birthday, dear Mikey" was upon them.

Check out my video of it below!

As always, My Chemical Romance did an amazing job, and--as I had predicted--the crowd was way more in tune with them than at the previous show I had attended.

The sing-alongs were louder, and the energy exchange was much greater. Only one person near me chanced disrespect for the band during MCR's set, which was a relief after the disheartening behavior so many show-goers in Cincinnati had displayed.

A highlight was seeing MCR play "S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W" (Spotify | iTunes) live. It was so touching, and the up-and-down arm movements Gerard directed the crowd to do resonated through the entire amphitheater, creating what was surely a stunning visual from the stage.

"S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W" is a song that has come to mean a lot to me and that has helped me cope with many things. I never thought I would get to see it live. I found myself tearing up as I sang along to it in disbelief.

Their setlist, with the inclusion of the aforementioned song and the exclusion of a few previous staples, differed greatly from the Cincinnati one:

"Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)"
"I'm Not Okay (I Promise)"
"Planetary (GO!)"
"The Only Hope For Me Is You"
"Mama"
"The Kids From Yesterday"
"Helena"
"Teenagers"
"Give 'Em Hell, Kid"
"S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W"
"Welcome to the Black Parade"
"Cancer"

As the songs shifted, MCR's digital backdrop changed among the prevailing images of the three albums from which they played: Displaying "the widow" during Danger Days..., the Demolition Lovers for songs from Three Cheers..., and the marching skeleton for those from The Black Parade.

From where I was, it was hard to see their expressions clearly, or to get a good grasp on what was going on onstage, but that made the experience no less touching, especially during "Helena," "The Kids From Yesterday" and "S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W," which all made my heart swell.

MCR's replacement drummer Jarrod Alexander fit in seamlessly, and no attention was drawn to him, while it was evident that the four official members of MCR had not let any past misfortunes on the tour hold them back.

As for finding myself moving uncontrollably to their music: Let's just say I went home to find several bruises covering my legs from jumping banging my legs against the seats in front of me. It's almost like one can't help it at shows like this one, where not everyone is as into it.

For me, at least, it makes me want to sing along just that much louder and give them back more energy than maybe I have to offer at all (as evidenced by occasionally losing my breath and feeling dizzy).

After MCR, my friend and I decided to stay for a few of Blink's songs, but after having just seen My Chem, everything else just pales comparison.

When we left, I discovered that my car battery had died while I was inside.
Uh-oh. The bad luck had returned...

Did it follow me to the Cuyahoga Falls/Cleveland show a couple days later? Check back for my upcoming review of that show to find out!

XoXo
c.

Check out the official tour report from Tiffany!

My Chemical Romance perform Reworked version of "Skylines and Turnstiles" [VIDEO]

2011-09-12T07:12:00.003-04:00

Last night in Detroit, My Chemical Romance performed a reworked, quieter version of "Skylines and Turnstiles," in honor of the tragedy that the song is about on the tenth year anniversary of its having been written.

MCR frontman Gerard Way penned "Skylines and Turnstiles" after having witnessed the September 11 attacks firsthand. Seeing such a tragedy, as he has often explained, motivated him to want to do something more with his life to help others. Ultimately, what came of that inspiration was MCR.

"All we ever want to do is inspire somebody to be who they want to be and to give them a little bit of hope," Way said introducing the song last night.

XoXo
c.

PS: I saw MCR in Indiana on September 10 and will be seeing them again tomorrow in Cleveland. I will have reviews up here as soon as possible!

My Chemical Romance Fires Mike Pedicone

2011-09-06T14:17:00.002-04:00

As most of you probably already read, MCR guitarist Frank Iero announced via blog post on Friday September 2 that "the relationship between My Chemical Romance and [touring drummer] Michael Pedicone is over," after "[Pedicone] was caught red handed stealing from the band."

"We are heartbroken and sick to our stomachs over this entire situation. The band has no intention of pressing charges or taking this matter any further than we have to. We just want him out of our lives. The people who play in this band are a family, and family should not take advantage of each other like he did," Iero wrote.

In a Kerrang! exclusive, Pedicone made a statement explaining his side of the story.

Pedicone said that what had lead him to make the "poorest decision of [his] life" had been an ongoing conflict with a member of the crew, whom he had "tried to make...look incompetent" through his actions.

Since letting Pedicone go, My Chemical Romance has recruited drummer Jarrod Alexander, formerly of A Static Lullaby, to play with them live without missing a show of their current Honda Civic Tour.

"The show must go on," as Frank Iero said.

Good fucking riddance.

XoXo
c.

My Chemical Romance perform with Queen's Brian May at Reading Festival

2011-08-27T10:23:00.000-04:00

After speculation throughout the day about a "special guest" who would play with My Chemical Romance during their headlining spot at Reading Festival yesterday, Brian May of Queen took the stage with them to perform a cover of "We Will Rock You" and MCR's own "Welcome To The Black Parade" for their encore.

Check out the video from the performance below:

I am so proud of these guys. Beyond proud.

XoXo
c.