My Chemical Romance - new album era

[roentgenizdat]

My Chemical Romance Album Won't Be A 'Kitchen Sink' Affair

Feb 18 2009 7:57 AM EST
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Matt Elias

There was a time, long before the multiplatinum records and the pancake makeup, before the Eisner Award-winning comics or the Dylan cover in the "Watchmen" film, when My Chemical Romance were just another band from New Jersey. They would like very much to get back to that time.

So that's goal number one with their new album — the follow-up to the massively successful, massively ambitious Welcome to the Black Parade — which they're currently writing in Los Angeles. They hope to get back to their roots — to make manic, fast-and-furious, spur-of-the-moment punk. And, above all, to keep it simple.

"When we had just finished Black Parade, I think doing that record made us feel like we could do everything. And so I think the way to top a record that already kind of does everything is to not do everything," MCR frontman Gerard Way smiled. "I don't think this is gonna be a 'kitchen sink' record. I think it's going to get by on its musicianship and its own merits in the songs.

"And every record ... I like to think they're snapshots of what your band is at that moment, and this is really going to be that. I think there's going to be lack of concept, I think it's simply a snapshot, I think it's going to be direct and very honest," he continued. "It's not going to be hiding behind a veil of fiction or uniforms and makeup anymore. ... From the stuff we've been playing so far, just feels very pure. That's the best way to describe it. People who were really big fans of our first record, they'll find things they're really going to love about the new material — and not because we sound like that first record at all, it's because there's a purity to it. There's less happening."

It's a tactic they first learned while recording their version of Dylan's "Desolation Row" for Zack Snyder's upcoming "Watchmen" film: Stop thinking and just get busy rocking.

"From working on 'Desolation Row' ... I think it was very natural. We just kind of did stuff and the song was there. There was no over-thinking," Way explained. "[But, having said that] we're not going to make a retro record at all. It will sound like a modern rock record, but I think we would like to try to redefine that, what that actually means. By saying it sounds like a modern rock record, it'll sound new — I don't think it'll sound like what's on the radio right now."

And to that point, though it may sound like MCR are trying hard to strip away the rather, uh, grandiose leanings of The Black Parade, they've still got the swagger of a band that's moved units and toured the globe. They've been surveying the musical landscape that's appeared in their absence, and they're not very pleased by what they see. Take, for example, the (working) title of one of their new songs: "New Hair, Same Sh--."

"It's about having new hair, but it's the same sh--. That's the concept," Way laughed. "I think the new album is going to be a response to the two years of touring on Parade. A reaction to what's happening right now — everything that we're not a part of — and a response to it."

[roentgenizdat]

Exclusive: My Chemical Romance's New Album Is A 'Love Letter To Rock And Roll'

'It's definitely more aggressive, but to me it feels like a celebration of rock and roll,' Gerard Way says.

Aug 3 2009 5:11 PM EDT
By James Montgomery, with reporting by Brian Jacks

Forget all that talk about ditching the shtick and focusing on fast-and-furious punk. My Chemical Romance have one sentiment they'd like to get across on their new album, one that echoes what Grand Funk Railroad said decades ago: "We're an American band."

"The punk element was something a lot of people talked about. I think once I said we were pulling out the marching bands, they assumed it was going to be a punk record," Gerard Way told MTV News last month at San Diego Comic-Con, where he was promoting "Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion," the third series of his Eisner-winning comic. "I mean, it's definitely more aggressive, but to me it feels like a celebration of rock and roll. It feels like a true love letter to rock and roll. There's something about being an American rock-and-roll band that we've kind of grown into and we're very proud of. And I think that's what we're celebrating with this record. There's no agenda, there's no mission; it's just about rock and roll."

For proof, check out the fan footage of "Death Before Disco," one of three new tracks MCR unveiled last Friday, during a secret show at the Roxy in Los Angeles. It's a charging, fist-pumping number that recalls the Motor City pump of the MC5 and the L.A. strut of the Knack. And to help them hone in on that vibe even further, they've tapped producer Brendan O'Brien — who's done albums for Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Mastodon, to name just a few — to helm the sessions for the new album.

"We're so happy working with Brendan O'Brien," Way said. "We love him, we're having the best time of our lives. It's a total blast. I feel like it's getting close to being finished. We're doing tracking now. There's no title yet. It's crazy — this is the first time we're waiting to get really far into the project before [choosing a title]. I'm actually kind of excited about that. It's kind of 'anything goes' at this point, but I'm so happy with the songs."

Way said there's still no release date for the new album, though he added, "It's safe to say it'll come out next year." This is all keeping with the band's open-ended, fast-and-loose approach to recording and writing, a first for MCR, who — up to this point — have made their living on expansive conceptual fare.

"It's actually kind of liberating," Way said. "I'm writing lyrics simply about what the song's telling me, instead of trying to shoehorn something into a story line. I'd say they all have their own little stories. Some of them are direct, real life things that happened to us or me. Some of them are fiction, [because] I didn't want to lose that side. One of the things I really liked about Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge is that we took people on a journey with each video and each single, even though it was a concept record. The Black Parade didn't do that. It stuck all the way through to this rigid vision up until the end, but this time I'm really excited about giving someone something new every time."

[when the pawn...]

The Black Parade was one of the best albums released this decade. I have to say, I think I prefer them in theatrical-conceptual-rock than hard-hitting punk but I'm excited nonetheless. WTTBP & Mama are pure classics.

[gin]

I'm excited to see them potentially return to their sound from Bullets, my favorite album, but the possible song titles that I have read online feel generic and forced. They are going to be on the January cover of Alternative Press.



From their website:

My Chemical Romance will grace January's issue of Alternative Press with the most anticipated album of 2010. Each band member will have their own cover, and subscribers to the magazine will receive a special edition with all 5 members. Check out the cover with all 5 of them, and then check out the covers for Gerard, Ray, Frank, Mikey and Bob. Head over to altpress.com to become a subscriber if you aren't already.

[gin]

Holy shit. =o From their website:

Hello Friends,

Recently it seems as though every time we write to you guys we have bad news, and we apologize for that, but we've learned in life you can't have the sweet without the sour. As a band we have been very fortunate over the years that our sweet times have greatly outweighed the sour ones, and a great deal of that is owed to you, the fans. Which is why we wanted this news to come from us and not some bullshit gossip site.

As of 4 weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same.

We also wanted to give you all a quick heads up on how the record is progressing. We have been writing some very powerful new songs so this week the four of us entered the studio once again, and what has been ending up on tape each night is some of the most exciting and honest work we have ever created.

MCR loses their drummer... again. Sad, but I'm glad to hear progress is still being made on the new album!

[gin]

From their website.

An update from the studio[/size]
posted by Frank on Mar 17, 2010 12:25pm


Hello Friends,

Are you finally ready for some good news? Let me hear you say, "Eh, OK but make it quick".

Well my darlings, as I sit down to write to you, we are in the studio working on a brand new song. Ray's laying down some guitar tracks and I must admit, it's kicking my brain in the pants. I can't wait for you guys to hear this stuff, the songs we ended up writing this past month are so far advanced from where I thought this record would end up, it's not even funny.

Let's put it this way... say you had a time machine, and used said time machine to go back in time 1 year, found me, and played me some of the songs we just wrote. I would absolutely say, "you're a liar, and a full blown crazy person"... partly because the technology of a time machine doesn't really exist, but mostly because these new songs are light years ahead of our creative head space last year.

What a journey this has been, arduous at times, but always resulting in the band reaching new heights. Which is how it should be with a band that is never satisfied with just "good enough"...if it doesn't change the game, it isn't My Chemical Romance. You as fans shouldn't expect anything less. It feels as though everything we've ever done has been leading up to this moment. Like our entire lives have been a drill preparing us to stumble upon what Gerard has been referring to as "the new shit god-dammit."

So lets get down to it, with these new songs, or "the new shit god-dammit", plus the songs we've written over the past year, we basically have enough material for about 2.5 records now. However, we feel this past month has raised the creative bar so high that only the best of the best can live in harmony on the new record. But who knows...down the line, some of the songs we wrote over the past year that don't make this record could possibly surface again as b-sides or fun movie soundtrack stuff. I think it would be kinda rad at some point to have you all hear the songs that led us to our new found creative enlightenment. Either way, I just wanted to keep you all posted and let you know the record is coming along swimmingly, and we're working hard on making it the best we possibly can... can't wait to wrap it up and give it to you.

OK, good news part 2 of 3: I don't know if you knew this, but I like taking photos, and I've been taking quite a few pictures over the past months, trying my best to document the recording process. Some of which came out really good, and I'm pretty proud of. Recently, we've decided to take a few of these photos and share them with you in a really cool way. The past few days I've been staying up very late hand stamping, numbering and signing a set of 6 very limited art prints that will go up for sale on this site in the near future. The art prints will be released 2 per month for 3 months and are limited to 200 each. In the meantime, 2 new pics are up now and we will be posting new shots that aren't included within the print set in the photo section every week. So keep checking the site for the release of these prints and the posting of new photos from the My Chem inner sanctum.

Last, but certainly not least, I am proud to announce the addition of two new members to the MCR extended family. Recently, my wife and I found out we will be having twins later on this summer. I cannot express in words how happy this makes us, it seems everything's turning up Milhouse. I just can't wait to meet the little ones, and may God have mercy on the world now that there will be 2 more Ieros wreaking havoc on the earth.

Until next time friends, let us drink to peace, love, and never taking any shit off anybody.

xofrank