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My Chemical Romance: This Band Will Save Your Life
My Chemical Romance emerged from New Jersey in the aftermath of the 9/11 atrocity to become the standard-bearers for a new fusion of punk, glam, and emo. MCR achieved global prominence in 2006 with the release of their platinum-selling album Welcome to the Black Parade. Extensive touring has added to their worldwide fan base with incendiary sold-out live shows. In this provocative biography, Reinhardt Haydn presents a comprehensive profile of the band, from its hardscrabble start to its rocky upward climb to its present superstar status.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
96 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
July 29, 2018
The book was interesting, but it actually has 158 pages, not 96 as the goodreads listing says.
March 5, 2009
This book gave me lots of info on my favorite band...but some of it I already knew. My favorite part was the band recounting their childhood. mikey and gerard are brothers in the band so it was funny hearing about how mikey always followed Gerard everywhere.
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November 12, 2008EFFING AMAZING!!!
December 29, 2018
"‘I don’t want to read somebody telling me how awesome I am, just like I don’t want to read someone telling me how bad I suck.’ – Gerard Way"
I have a wild throwback when I was still in bandom. Damn, I miss those days.
I have a wild throwback when I was still in bandom. Damn, I miss those days.
May 4, 2012
Totally me everything that I already knew about them, still a good book though.
Ideal for a fan wanting to know more about them.
Ideal for a fan wanting to know more about them.
February 10, 2020
Where do I start? I went into this thinking it would be kind of different and fun to read about my favorite band but being hesitant about non fiction and seeing minimal reviews I had very low expectations. This book blew me away. I knew quite a bit about the origin of the band, song meanings and inspirations. . . Or so I thought. I learned so much reading this. The writing was very good and the story flows beautifully. I did find about 4-6 typos and grammatical errors but with an e-book that sometimes happens.
This book only covers up to the release of The Black Parade and subsequent tours afterwards, but not to 'the death of the black parade' and the Danger Days era. I would honestly love to read this author covering that up to present day and leading into the band's 2020 reunion ushering in a whole new era and concept for the band.
I would highly recommend this book to MCR fans and also to people who love a true underdog story, whether you like or know the band at all. Learning about these guys who are really just giant nerds at heart who formed together after one of the darkest days of our nation to spread the message of hope, that you are not alone, that you are valued and worthwhile. It's a great story, an amazing book and after all, this band may save your life.
This book only covers up to the release of The Black Parade and subsequent tours afterwards, but not to 'the death of the black parade' and the Danger Days era. I would honestly love to read this author covering that up to present day and leading into the band's 2020 reunion ushering in a whole new era and concept for the band.
I would highly recommend this book to MCR fans and also to people who love a true underdog story, whether you like or know the band at all. Learning about these guys who are really just giant nerds at heart who formed together after one of the darkest days of our nation to spread the message of hope, that you are not alone, that you are valued and worthwhile. It's a great story, an amazing book and after all, this band may save your life.
June 1, 2021
This book came out in 2008, before even Danger Days, let alone the split and reformation. It has nice photos, and a few pieces of info I didn’t have before, but not much new, and it’s nowhere near the quality of Tom Bryant’s The True Lives of My Chemical Romance.
Haydn has not interviewed the band and reveals no first hand knowledge of even attending a gig. Instead, this is a cut ‘n’ paste collage of published reviews and interviews. It ends up reading a bit like a Year Six project, albeit one which would have got top marks. It’s well referenced and pulled together into themes and periods well.
Basically, I enjoyed indulging my MCR obsession, remembering lyrics, videos and anecdotes.
Haydn has not interviewed the band and reveals no first hand knowledge of even attending a gig. Instead, this is a cut ‘n’ paste collage of published reviews and interviews. It ends up reading a bit like a Year Six project, albeit one which would have got top marks. It’s well referenced and pulled together into themes and periods well.
Basically, I enjoyed indulging my MCR obsession, remembering lyrics, videos and anecdotes.
January 30, 2014
Indeed the title says it all, this band not only saved my life but made it what it is today. This book discusses the lives of all 5 band members from their early childhood all the way up to their time in the band. Their message comes out strong and clear: "We just want to save lives," Gerard Way. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys their music and/or their message.
June 25, 2022
At times it can emotionally hit, with some nicely researched and put together interview content from various magazines, radio stations at different stages of MCR’s career (until 2008, that’s where book ends).
There’s some light shed on Gerard Way, Mikey, Ray & Frank as we have some points of reference to their goals and childhood background which they discussed in interviews, gaining notoriety as an underground rock band of outsiders. It has some point. But just basing your book on interviews that were, sometimes shows holes in a scope of bands career.
Also footnotes, dates would be appreciated in a work like this. But there’s none. List with articles etc. Used in making this book are at the end of publication and I appreciate that it’s pieces together as a flowing narrative. But some breaking of format would help this book especially in second half. Where the format is a bit too visible for a reader.
There were moments that felt a bit too like looking at Gerard Way & other members of MCR through an aquarium glass. A bit of unfortunate distance, sneaked in.
Which with proclamations, pointing out how grateful MCR was for people’s support, that Gerard & the group were getting energy from making a community of so called MCRmy and outsider kids that came to their concerts, was a bit like missed opportunity at closure?
Examination, discussion on the artistic tools, means of expression things like grief, pain, but also hope in bleakness was also sparingly served in a book.
It’s pointed out as an important element of hard connection between the band and its listeners, but it doesn’t delve deeper into it past the surface level. Also an outrage in different US cities that MCR performed wasn’t covered-up and with a troubled nature of Gerard hitting Xanax & getting drunk would point home that his mental health wasn’t only factor in pressure. MCR were called satanist and death worshippers in the US for Christ sake! They were ridiculed and scoffed off by other rock bands and some gothic communities. That would spice things up in a book and make a needed turn in structure and tone.
A troubled and multi-contextual association of MCR with “emo” genre (a puzzling in definition, term itself) has a spot, that’s cool. But also doesn’t get past the opinions of band members on the label they were trying to avoid.
Still it’ll be an enjoyable light read for My Chemical Romance die-hards that have a sentiment or still an ounce of burning passion for the band. Some of this stuff you will definitely know as a fan. And it doesn’t have any analysis or in depth, discussion on lyrics or early 2000s generational influence on youngsters.
But it’s still in my opinion a book that you can give a shot.
It has sentiments all over it. In a good way.
3 out of 5 stars.
There’s some light shed on Gerard Way, Mikey, Ray & Frank as we have some points of reference to their goals and childhood background which they discussed in interviews, gaining notoriety as an underground rock band of outsiders. It has some point. But just basing your book on interviews that were, sometimes shows holes in a scope of bands career.
Also footnotes, dates would be appreciated in a work like this. But there’s none. List with articles etc. Used in making this book are at the end of publication and I appreciate that it’s pieces together as a flowing narrative. But some breaking of format would help this book especially in second half. Where the format is a bit too visible for a reader.
There were moments that felt a bit too like looking at Gerard Way & other members of MCR through an aquarium glass. A bit of unfortunate distance, sneaked in.
Which with proclamations, pointing out how grateful MCR was for people’s support, that Gerard & the group were getting energy from making a community of so called MCRmy and outsider kids that came to their concerts, was a bit like missed opportunity at closure?
Examination, discussion on the artistic tools, means of expression things like grief, pain, but also hope in bleakness was also sparingly served in a book.
It’s pointed out as an important element of hard connection between the band and its listeners, but it doesn’t delve deeper into it past the surface level. Also an outrage in different US cities that MCR performed wasn’t covered-up and with a troubled nature of Gerard hitting Xanax & getting drunk would point home that his mental health wasn’t only factor in pressure. MCR were called satanist and death worshippers in the US for Christ sake! They were ridiculed and scoffed off by other rock bands and some gothic communities. That would spice things up in a book and make a needed turn in structure and tone.
A troubled and multi-contextual association of MCR with “emo” genre (a puzzling in definition, term itself) has a spot, that’s cool. But also doesn’t get past the opinions of band members on the label they were trying to avoid.
Still it’ll be an enjoyable light read for My Chemical Romance die-hards that have a sentiment or still an ounce of burning passion for the band. Some of this stuff you will definitely know as a fan. And it doesn’t have any analysis or in depth, discussion on lyrics or early 2000s generational influence on youngsters.
But it’s still in my opinion a book that you can give a shot.
It has sentiments all over it. In a good way.
3 out of 5 stars.
January 9, 2023
This book was as a slightly more structured way of obsessively scrolling through Twitter to desperately continue the high of seeing MCR reunited and live in 2022. It's a short read, and though the ebook came out in 2016, it looks like the original publication date was 2008 so the book doesn't cover anything related to Danger Days or the Killjoy comics. The author is from the UK presumably which accounts for the formatting of dates, spelling decisions, and the excessive detail about New Jersey as a place/concept.
June 16, 2024
Why the sigma did this book stop in 2005 it missed like half their career
Otherwise, this book read like an essay someone wrote for school. It's filled with quotes and no personal accounts. Their story is interesting enough that it could have been formatted in a way that doesn't feel like I'm peer-reviewing it.
Otherwise, this book read like an essay someone wrote for school. It's filled with quotes and no personal accounts. Their story is interesting enough that it could have been formatted in a way that doesn't feel like I'm peer-reviewing it.
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May 4, 2020Amazing !
July 14, 2023
a fine book overall. pairs really well with tom bryant’s book, but isn’t as in depth.
August 23, 2023
I miss them
March 21, 2024
Amazing
September 12, 2012
This book was very descriptive on the history of My Chemical Romance, and in my opinion was very inspiring! It included many amazing quotes from each band member that makes a reference to individuality and inspiration. I recommend this book to die-hard fans of the band, not to anyone who does not know who Gerard Way, Frank Iero, Mikey Way, and Ray Toro are.
March 31, 2009
it wasnt all that great but w/e i kind of enjoyed it
March 28, 2010
A few things in the book are questionable and hard to find to validate. But this is the best biography out there for this band so far.
June 6, 2011
Amazing book. Loved knowing more than the bands bio on their site. The book i bought though, fell apart easily.
April 18, 2012
I read this when I was a die-hard MCR fan and it gives you so much story to the band. Definitely a fun read for fans of the band.
November 28, 2012
I am new to using this and I wish to LEARN HOW TO READ IT. It won't give me access to the book.
August 27, 2014
This book has a lot more than 96 pages
October 9, 2007
โคดชอบเลยวงนี้I don't love you โคดซึ้ง เพลงFamous Last World เอมวีกลางกลองเพลิง
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews