mcr @ the grammy museum, 1/26/11

[koncupiscence]

and only a week late! but sadly, yep, that sounds about right. between work, the house, and that pesky need to sleep, my time has been, well, limited. ah well. here be lots of rambling. consider yourself warned.


due to various cock-ups (late notice, ticketmaster, not having an american express card), i wasn't able to secure a ticket to the grammy museum's q&a with mcr before it sold out. i was bummed. like, really, really bummed. as a consolation prize, i got tickets to the lopez tonight performance, but had to bail in the end because of RL responsibilities (wah). but i really, really wanted to go to this q&a and i wasn't ready to give up yet. (do you ever feel sometimes like you have to go to something, you're supposed to be there? not in an entitled way, but like, how could you not be there. yeah.) so i planned to show up anyhow and hope for a stand-by line. i'd had really great luck with those in nyc (brokeback mountain q&a and screening, viggo q&a), but i wasn't sure if LA was hip to stand-by lines, and so i also spent wednesday afternoon refreshing craiglist. only a few listings popped up, but no one would get back to me. always too late, it seemed. eternal tears. ;___;

but then! my phone buzzed! oh, beloved craigslister, YES I'LL TAKE THAT EXTRA TICKET. \o/ we made plans to meet up in line, and through various texts back and forth, (as we discovered later) we were both doing our best to suss out the other. hmm, she doesn't sound 14! and she doesn't seem crazy... her test for me was asking where i parked and hoping i didn't reply with "lol my parents dropped me off!" but yayyyy, she was delightful. we had a good hour to kill in which we traded mcr stories and discovered all the shows we'd both been at. once again, the internet brings people together!

when the lights came down, a screen went up that said NA NA NA (HQ), and below that, SING. i was puzzled for a minute, but then the video for na na started playing, which YAYYY, but also oh shit, that meant sing was up next. i understand how thoroughly ridiculous this is, i do, but i still have a hard time watching the end of that video, or even thinking about it. you can tell me that killjoys never die, and i'll say okay, but one of the guys described it as a suicide mission in some interview, so... whatever, whatever, the point is that they didn't play the second video, so hoorah, no lame feelings to deal with! /o/

the moment the boys walked out, my CL buddy and i, in true fangirl fashion, immediately turned to each other and exclaimed, "he cut his hair!" and then i remarked that gerard looked like a teenager. srsly, i don't know how he does it, but he looked even YOUNGER than he usually does. you would think at some point he and frank would stop aging backwards, but this is apparently not that day.

so, onto the q&a recap. it's long (like i mentioned) and certainly not verbatim, but remembered and summed up as best i could. things are likely out of order, as well. and though they never mentioned it that night (they said video of the q&a was for archival purposes at the museum), rumor has it that it may show up some point on the grammy museum's website, so fingers crossed for that. and none of these pictures are mine - we were strictly forbidden - they were all stolen from the internet, like you do.


so, right. it was basically the gerard and frank show, with ray and mikey chiming in on occasion. so par for the course, really. ;) and frank was mister comic relief most of the night, which was a real treat. :D



the moderator pretty much started at the beginning, not just of the band, but of their first musical influences.

ray shared a room with his two brothers - a tiny room - and his older brother louie played guitar and was into metal bands, and he always really looked up to him - still does, in fact. when he was around 15 and listening to metalica, anthrax (and others) he expressed this interest to his brother, and he basically handed him all his guitar magazines and his guitar and was like, here, go for it.

mikey and gerard shared a room, so they grew up in the same microcosm (i think that's the word he used?) and liked a lot of the same things. i know he mentioned michael jackson. he may have also talked about the smiths and brit pop - but that could have been later. (i am off to a great start with this whole ~remembering~ thing!)

frank: "i didn't share a room with anyone." (ahahaha!) he talked about his dad and grandpa and how they played drums, and more importantly had datebooks! oh no, i can't make it to that; i have a gig. and how cool that sounded. more than playing music, he really just wanted a datebook. he started with drums, but wanted to be able to write music and create songs, so he moved on. at one point he tried the sax, but then eventually he got a guitar, and it was like, yes, THIS.

gerard: basically, he had a cool friend. this kid (i don't remember his name) introduced him to all this really obscure stuff - esp for a middle schooler! so he lucked out. by having a cool friend. also, his grandma had been musical and had a piano. and though neither he or mikey learned how to play, she taught gerard how to sing and encouraged him. at some point (this part was later maybe?) he talked about how being a singer didn't seem like something that he could actually do - like who does that? and even more so when he started getting into punk.



they talked about how frank, mikey, & gerard grew up in belleville, and ray was in kearny (i think?) which was real close. the mod asked them about those first practices and gerard said that he remembers them vividly. it was just him and otter. otter was on drums and gerard tried to play guitar and sing at the same time, but he couldn't keep up with what he wanted to do vocally. he remembered seeing ray in another bad and thinking he was the best guitarist he had ever seen, so he got in touch with him. ray was playing drums in another band, but agreed to meet up with them to play and see what happens. gerard said he told ray he "had a good feeling about this." ray laughed and told us all that if gerard says he has a good feeling about something, to just go with it!. "and the rest, as they say, is history."

[side note: this is all that was mentioned re: any of the drummers. they never brought up otter again, and didn't mention bob or pedicone at all.]

gerard, ray, and mikey talked about how in those early days it just felt really special. magical (okay, i don't think they ever used that word, but that's how they were talking about it). they'd never felt this way with any of their other bands before, and it was just incredible. it felt right. frank just sat there making all these hilarious pouting faces as they waxed poetic about the mcr days pre-frank. when they finally stopped, he chimed in with "but then a few months later, IT WAS EVEN BETTER." :DDD



there was a lot of adorableness when talking about those early days. gerard emphasized repeatedly that frank was THE ONLY ONE that REALLY BELIEVED IN THEM. the only one! how pencey would listen to their demo for their pre-show tunes. how frank booked shows for them and invited them into pencey's practice space. and he didn't even KNOW them! frank sold merch for them at their very first show. and stood on a chair to watch them - they were great! :DDD "so when you tell us that you're our biggest fan? no. wrong! I'M the biggest fan of this band." (FRAAAAAAAAANK. ♥___♥ I LOVE WHEN THEY ENLIGHTEN US ABOUT STUFF WE'VE KNOWN FOREVER. :DDDDD)

gerard talked about how my chem really kept to themselves, and didn't chat/make friends with hardly any of the bands they would play with. except for pencey, that is. gerard was really impressed with pencey's work ethic. they'd practice for 6 hours straight, and mcr would get tired after one run through, lolol. gerard remembered seeing frank on stage for the first time. they were playing to an crowd of like five people, but frank performed as if it were a packed house. the amount of energy that he gave really impressed him. he knew that frank was a born performer and that he was doing what he was meant to do. (srsly, it was mutual love-fest. *__*)

at some point, the mod asked frank what he brings to the band. he stammered a bit and didn't really know what to say (which yeah, that's a better question for the other members, i think). he mentioned being a splinter in the band, and their mister miyagi (still not sure what he meant by either of those statements). then gerard went on to talk about this great frenetic energy that frank has. and how he would spin and thrash around on stage and how that energy was so representative of what mcr was all about. he called him something like a whirling blender (which, yeah, PRETTY MUCH).



the moderator also asked about 9/11 (of course) and what effect that had on the band. frank recalled seeing the news about the first plane and thinking what an awful accident it was (ray concurred). but then the second plane hit the second tower... frank said his mom was just crying and crying and he couldn't understand what was going on/how this could happen. gerard talked briefly about being in hoboken at the time, on his way to a crappy job, and realizing that this was not a game. life was not a game, and it was not to be wasted. what he was currently doing was meaningless. two weeks later they had their first practice session.

the moderator (who is also from new jersey) told a story from way back yonder when he was meeting with a friend of his who worked at reprise. his friend told him about this band that he found, but that he didn't know what to do with them just yet. he didn't know where they fit. that band, of course, was mcr. the mod talked about how it's actually a great thing when the label doesn't know what to do with you, because that means you're bringing something new to the table. you're not easily labeled.

it may have been at this point that he brought up springsteen and his almost god-like/iconic status in jersey, and how mcr's sound is so different from that. he talked about how their band has been given so many different lables: emo, punk, metal, glam, etc - and how some of those genres could be seen as polar opposites, and yet mcr has elements of them all. and because of that, they created their own sound. they stood out. ray credits that success to a) them having different backgrounds (him = metal, frank = punk, mikey&gerard = more britpop/glam), and b) their desire to Start a Band. they never limited themselves by saying, "let's make [THIS KIND] of band." they just wanted to be a band, and they started making music, and this is what came out.

gerard also talked about how he likes all kinds of music. and he hated the division of genres that he would find in clubs - getting shoved around because he looked like he belonged to a different scene than what was playing in that club that night. he couldn't understand why he couldn't love THIS kind of music and THAT kind, too! (can't we all just get along? ;__;) and so he also credits this love of all types of music for not pigeon-holing them into one particular sound.



the mod asked them to each tell us something/a story/whatever about one of their songs. ray talked about vampire money and how they wrote the song about an hour and a half before they recorded it, and what we hear on the album is the 3rd or 4th take. he said they have video somewhere of them tracking it and it looks like a show at a club, with the strobe lights, etc. and frank mentioned how gerard was jumping around in the room going crazy and how when they were done, they went out there expecting it to be a mess, and yet it looked fine except for the magazines. ALL THE MAGAZINES HAD BEEN DESTROYED and were strewn about. gerard said that as wild as he gets, he still has this general awareness of what's okay, and so he knew not to grab and destroy the vase, but the magazines we're alright. :D

mikey talked about planetary and how they finally created a dance song, something that they kind of always wanted to do, but they always held back. there might be hints of it on a couple of songs, but they never fully went for it. they never thought that they could, because then it wouldn't be a my chemical romance song. but at some point they realized that THEY were the ones, not anyone else, who could dictate what a my chemical romance song could or couldn't be.

frank talked about mama and how they needed someone for the duet and how they joked how great it would be to have liza, but obviously that would never happen. but then two weeks later she was recording via satellite! and she called them all 'her babies'. and everything she did was stuff she came up with all on her own (the crying, etc), that they didn't really give her any direction, she just went for it, and it was awesome.

gerard talked about vampires will never hurt you. there are two stories for this song - can't remember if he told them both here or if one was later. when they were writing it, he and mikey were at a diner and he was talking to some kid, a friend, about it and he asked what the song was called. "vampires will never hurt you. what do you think?" gerard remembered asking. "i think that's the dumbest name for song i've ever heard." ahahaha. gerard thought it was progressive because it was a really long title and didn't really make sense.

and then he also talked about recording that song and how much he loved it and how it felt like the first REAL mcr song. hearing his voice on that track was basically amazing, and one of the best feelings ever. even though he knows he's sung great since then, he's never felt as good about hearing his own voice as he did in that moment. he likened it to a high or an adrenaline rush that you're continually trying to chase, though it will never be as good as that first one. during the audience q&a, someone asked when he knew they made it/were going to make it, and gerard said it was with this song. it just felt like they really had something. something special.

frank made fun of them at one point for how excited they were when they recorded that song. that they were bursting with enthusiasm and HIGH FIVE-ING each other after listening to it. everybody laughed, but then gerard pointed out that they STILL do that. even on the last album, they high-fived and said things like "omg this song is so awesome!" and frank was basically like, yeah... it's true... i do it now, too.



i can't remember what brought on this story, if it was another jersey/nyc mention, or maybe talking about gerard on stage. idk, whatever, gerard talked about how they played nassau coliseum and someone from twisted sister (he played guitar?) came to see them w/his two daughters - and was really excited to meet them! he told them that it was a great show, but that gerard never looked at him. he was up in the 110s, and gerard never looked in their direction. and that's when gerard realized he needed to make that effort to connect with everyone and now he makes a point to look in all the directions, the 110s, the 220s, all of it. :D (UGH THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT GERARD ON STAGE. i noticed it the very first time i saw them live. he makes you think he's looking RIGHT AT YOU. it's unnerving and incredible.)

"so, you guys took a four year break--" "well, not really!" gerard was quick to correct. (SRSLY. 4 years between albums does not equal a 4 year break - i hate when people keep saying this.) gerard explained how they toured on tbp for 2 1/2 years, took a little time off after that, and then were writing for the last year.

when asked about the ditched album, frank chimed in with, "it's like in the goonies, when [something about people finding something? somewhere? idk idk i never saw it! don't hate]. like in the future, people would say, 'look at all this cool music they were creating! too bad they never made it out.'" cue erupting laughter from all. gerard thought it was quite possibly the best description ever of what happened. :D



art was brought up by the mod several times throughout the evening. i think at one point he said to gerard, "art is very important to you." (lol understatement) iirc, he was referencing their past videos and all the concept art, costumes, attention to detail they give, and essentially how balls out they go, they don't half-ass that aspect of the job. frank hilariously and cockily said something like "look, we've got the music thing down," and so why not put just as much energy into making the artwork just as fabulous. gerard called out any of the naysayers, saying they're probably just not good at it. frank added that even if they're not good at it, at least mcr tries!

the mod asked gerard if he'd ever tried to separate the two (art and music), and he responded that yeah, that's what they did on the first attempt at the album, and ultimately why it didn't work. he realized that he shouldn't try to limit himself like that, or hold back. that if he feels passionately about something, he just needs to give it his full focus and go with it (essentially).

the mod brought up a recent headline that called their band 'cartoon-ey' and asked what they thought of that. gerard figured what they meant was 'comic book-ey.' as for the word cartoon-ey, he didn't really see that, aside from all the color as of late. he would better describe them as 'artistic.'

acknowledging that need to create art, the mod inquired as to how they satisfied that urge while on their break. gerard said he wrote comics - and that that need to create actually started well before their break. touring, while great, doesn't fulfill that desire because essentially the creative process is over at that point. similar to how he's feeling now, with danger days done.

mikey said he also worked on some comics, that there's something he and gerard are actually working on (it sounded like something current, but he didn't elaborate), and that he did some painting (lol, i know, what?).

frank... i'm not sure if he answered this question. he mentioned sleeping a lot while on break. and we all know he did leathermouth, but he didn't talk about that. hmm, i'm stumped.

ray talked about trying to write songs by himself during the break, but that it just didn't feel right. he would tinker and come up with things, but it just felt off. it felt wrong creating music without his band. ♥__♥



when asked how they knew it was time to get back into the studio, gerard talked about how some days, even just a month into the break, he'd feel like OMG I'M READY LET'S START WRITING NOW. but ultimately knew they needed more time off.

frank mentioned how some people have said that danger days was the band's reaction to the black parade, but actually it was more like the break was the reaction to the black parade, and danger days was the reaction to the break. frank also talked about how great it was getting together to record desolation row. and that if they had gone into the studio right then, they probably would've have written an album - though he couldn't say how great that album would be ;) - but the point being that they were energized and excited.

gerard said they finally got back in the studio because they felt like it was what they were supposed to do. it was time. they had to put out another album.


questions from the audience:

what's going on with the killjoys comic? gerard is going to start writing it once they get to japan. it will be in the same world as danger days, but different characters.

would they ever consider doing an acoustic album? probably not, but they all had a lot of fun doing the acoustic radio show. frank wondered if the show unplugged is still around, and they all mused that it would be great to do something like that. ray talked about them reworking inok for the acoustic performance and how much they enjoyed that - that it was a challenge and they really like challenges.

how do they feel when people say 'mcr saved my life' (because it was true for her), and was there a particular mcr song that emotionally meant a lot to them, personally? gerard handed the first part of the question over to frank who gave a lovely answer that is basically what we've heard before about it being the fans that saved their own lives and how mcr was simply the soundtrack, or comfort, or inspiration, but that they (the kids) did all the really hard work and need to give themselves more credit. frank was maybe getting a little emotional while he was talking about this? i mean, there weren't tears in his eyes or anything (that i could see), but he seemed really affected/sincere/heartfelt.

it may have been here, i really don't remember, where frank talked about the black parade and not realizing how much it meant to people. that they were in this kind of bubble through all that touring and didn't really have an understanding of how much that album touched people.

as for the second part of the question, gerard mentioned vampire, i think? (maybe this is where one of those earlier stories came into play.) and how it was just a really special time. he felt like they really had something.

frank never actually mentioned a specific song, but talked about how sometimes the ones that mean a lot to him personally actually have nothing to do with the lyrics, because for him it's more about what he was thinking of when writing the music. certain parts of songs remind him of his wife, and that's what he's thinking about when he's playing them, but the lyrics have nothing whatsoever to do with that, and sometimes might even be quite contrasting.

what would you be doing today, if you weren't in mcr?
ray: i honestly have no idea, but i know i'd be unhappy. this band saved them, too.
mikey: probably trying to start a band.
frank: yeah, i'd be in another band, but i know i'd be nowhere near as happy as i am now. :D
gerard: i'd like to think i'd be doing comics, but who knows if i'd ever break in. i'd probably be working some job that i hate.

there was an observation about gerard's lyrics often conveying the need to be saved and/or saving someone else, and could he discuss that. he attributes his early lyrics about being saved to reading a lot of comic books growing up. people were always being saved in comics, and he kept waiting for someone to save him. but then one day, he didn't need anyone to save him. he never imagined that he'd ever be the one to save anyone else. in regards to 'save yourself, i'll hold them back,' basically "yeah, i'll fall on the sword," but you just go, you got this, you'll be fine.

someone asked about how ray and frank write their parts - if it's separate or if they write together. answer: it depends on the song. for one song off tbp (i can't remember if they said which one), they were in LA at the paramour, "which is rumored to be haunted. not that. that doesn't have anything to do this..." lol frank. anyhow, they were each working on the song, and frank showed ray what he thought should go in this one section, and they ray showed frank what he thought should go in that same section, and they ended up using a combination of the two.

lastly, this little girl stands up to ask her question, and we're all, awwwww, how cute. and then she says that she's a cancer survivor. oh! ;___; ♥ and her question was, what inspired you to write the song cancer?

gerard talked about how once they reached a certain level of fame they started getting these requests from the make a wish foundation. and how crazy it was that all these kids wanted was to hang out with them. and how flattering that was.

frank said that they always got way more out of those experiences than the make-a-wish kids. just being around such bravery and determination; it was really rewarding. he talked for quite a bit, i don't recall the details exactly, but once again, frank seemed to be getting really emotional. it was quite touching.

and so basically gerard wanted to take something that was so ugly and gritty and turn it into something beautiful - but by being truthful about it.

when the q&a was over, frank climbed over a few seats to hug the little girl on their way out. ♥


they wrapped up the event by having us line up to take group pictures with the band (us sitting on a couch, and the band behind us). as we walked in, we got to shake their hands and say hello, and then boom, they snapped our picture, and onto the next. we were given a signed copy of danger days on our way out (which is kind of amusing since i'm sure most, if not all, in this crowd already had a copy - or six).

a great night! i'm soooo grateful i was able to go, and that i met a new mcr!friend in the process. i really, really hope the video shows up somewhere sharable. frank was pure joy (i may be a little biased), and everyone should get to see that. no recap could do them justice.

ugh ugh ♥BAND♥