So Long And Goodnight

Written by hailofbullets

Gerard Arthur Way, 30, was born on April 9th, 1977 in Newark, New Jersey. He is the singer for the rock band, My Chemical Romance, which his younger brother and band mate, Mikey Way, plays bass for. Gerard is 1/2 Italian (mother’s side), and also 1/2 Scottish (father’s side). He has been obsessed with revenge ever since he heard the Black Flag song ‘Revenge’ As a child, Gerard came to the revelation that everyone he cares about will eventually die, and that he will also die, and he believed that he will die alone. Knowing this at a young age made Gerard more comfortable with mortality and led to his obsession with death and self destruction.

Gerard did not have a very normal childhood. He grew up in a dangerous part of NJ, therefore his parents were hesitant on leaving the Way brothers go outside and play. Gerard has said that he couldn’t go out and play much, so he learned to live inside his head. He began drawing at a young age and grew very artistically inclined. Gerard wanted to be a comic book artist (he loves comic books, and his favorite superhero has always been Wolverine.) He pitched a cartoon for Cartoon Network called “The Breakfast Monkey”, recently but it sadly didn’t work out. He considers himself a failed comic book artist, yet has still done the artwork for the My Chemical Romance albums and used to design merchandise for the band “Thursday”. His art teacher was his beloved late grandmother, Elena Lee Rush. She also taught Gerard how to sing and perform. She passed away while MCR were recording ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ and the song ‘Helena’ is a tribute to her.

The Way family moved to a different public school when the were still children. Gerard decided he would try new things because being in a new school felt like he was starting all over and he had a whole new slate. He began drawing more and get involved with art programs at school. He also sang and preformed more. In the 4th grade, his elementary school was holding a production of ‘Peter Pan’. He starred as Peter Pan and his grandmother made him an outfit for the occasion. “..And she made me this outfit..and it’s green tights. Everything I had built..I had ruined ’cause it’s a great idea to play fucking Peter Pan your first year at a new school, right?” he recalled in the Life On The Murder Scene DVD.

Gerard made it through high school, graduated, and made it into the School of Visual Arts in New York City and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1999. He was on his way to work with the Cartoon Network in New York City on September 11, 2001 (drawing the cartoons for TV shows) when he witnessed the tragic terrorist attacks. He was on a ferry and saw the bodies falling from the buildings. At that moment, Gerard realized he was slaving away for corporations and not helping anybody or making a difference in the world. He went home and wrote the song ‘Skylines and Turnstiles’ which would later become the first song MCR would ever have, and be track 7 on MCR’s first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love.

Gerard randomly called his old friend, Ray Toro, and told him he wanted to start a band. The two met up, along with Mikey and Matt Pelissier. The four of them played ‘Skylines and Turnstiles’ together and loved the way it sounded. The band was searching for names, and Mikey discovered the perfect one. Mikey had been working at a book store and he found a Irvine Welsh novel that said ‘5 tales of chemical romance’ somewhere in one of the books. The band threw ‘My’ in front of it to give it a twist. The bands name was ‘My Chemical Romance’ and always has been.

Gerard later began writing more and more songs and the band started booking shows. They were able to get shows so easily because they were good friends with Frank Iero (who would later become MCR’s second guitarist) and his cousin put on shows. Frank was in a band called Pencey Prep and the bands were great friends. Pencey Prep was on a label called Eyeball Records which MCR later joined with. Pencey Prep dissolved and Frank was asked to join MCR because they were in need of another guitarist. Frank agreed because MCR was his favorite band and they were all best friends. Frank plays on 2 of the tracks on MCR’s first album, one being ‘Early Sunsets Over Monroeville’.

They released I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love in 2002. The album was a success and led to MCR getting offers from major labels. They eventually signed with Reprise Records. The band went in and recorded ‘Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge’ which was released in 2004. The bands first single was ‘I’m Not Okay (I Promise)’ which was voted best summer jam of all time. Their second single was ‘Helena’ which was followed by ‘The Ghost Of You.’ The also did a cover of David Bowie and Freddy Mercury’s song ‘Under Pressure’ with The Used which appeared as a bonus track on The Used’s CD, In Love and Death.

Gerard and the rest of MCR’s musical influences include: Iron Maiden, the Misfits, Black Flag, Morrisey, Motorhead, and David Bowie. Gerard has undoubtedly confirmed that he thinks Brody Dalle from the Distillers is hot. Gerard’s favorite band is Iron Maiden. He also owns the same color Stratocasters as Billie Joe Armstrong (front man of Green Day) even though he isn’t a very talented guitarist.

In July of 2004, Gerard hit rock bottom. He was heavily abusing prescription pills, alcohol, and cocaine. His band pulled him out and he became clean and sober on August 11th, 2004. He visits a therapist when the band’s not on tour. Gerard’s band mates have pulled him out of a deep depression twice (before the band really got started, and as he was sobering up). Gerard still enjoys indulging himself with Marlboro red cigarettes and coffee, his only present addictions.

MCR released their 3rd album, The Black Parade, in 2006. It is a concept album showing the life of a man, The Patient, who has been diagnosed with cancer. The first single was ‘Welcome To The Black Parade’ followed by ‘Famous Last Words’, ‘Teenagers’ and ‘I Don’t Love You’. There has been some rumors that the new music video will be of ‘Mama’ and that Gerard will be directing it, this has never been confirmed though. The album received amazing reviews and carried a sold out tour.

MCR toured with Linkin Park, HIM, Mindless Self Indulgence, The Bled, Saosin, and other bands in the summer of 2007 for a tour called Projekt Revolution. On that tour, Gerard met up with an old friend, Lindsey Ann Ballato (Lyn-Z), the bassist of Mindless Self Indulgence. The two had met 4 years ago when MCR toured and opened up for Mindless Self Indulgence. Gerard and Lyn-Z had a thing back then, but after the tour ended, they lost contact. Meeting back up in 2007 rekindled the love they shared 4 years ago. The two decided to marry and were wed on September 3rd, 2007 in Colorado after the last show of Projekt Revolution.

Gerard was also in 2 other known relationships. One with a woman named Kate who he dated for 6 years. Gerard broke up with her while recording the last verses for the MCR song ‘Famous Last Words’. He had been living with her so he moved out. Gerard was also engaged to his hair stylist, Eliza Cuts, but broke it off.

The Black Parade tour ended December 14th, 2007 in Hawaii. The band is now taking time off and will be heading back into the studio sometime next year. Gerard has said that we should not expect a new MCR record until 2009.