Not to sound ageist against teenagers, but these guys were around 27/28 when this album came out while a lot of the bands the media labelled as their peers were still teenagers. I think that difference in maturity shows in both the lyrics and the music. Also everything you said was on the money. MCR's whole thing is the drama and theatricality. Their biggest inspiration is Queen, and Gerard Way's personal heroes are David Bowie and Danzig from the Misfits. When I found that out later in life it all clicked for me and suddenly the band and the makeup and costumes made sense lol. They all write the songs and have different backgrounds. The lead guitarist used to play in metal bands, the rhythm guitarist used to play in punk bands, and Gerard Way was into everything from britpop to cabaret music. He was the driving force of the band. I also shit on them when I was younger because their fanbase was predominantly girls and I regret it. The girls were right. Good band and I was lucky enough to see them live last year. P.s. MCR started out as an actual emo band on their first record and came from an emo and post-hardcore scene. Thursday was actually the band that gave them their first break. They kind of accidentally changed the definition of emo because when they got popular and changed their sound, the media kept calling them emo, and then any band who dressed like that also got called emo. Gerard Way *hated* that it became primarily a fashion label and caused a stir back in the day when he told a reporter that "emo is a pile of shit" lol.
I'm old enough now to appreciate how deeply weird and original it was for an emo band whose primary style at the time was blood and vampires to release a music video where they storm the beaches at Normandy. that shit rules
So this album actually has a concept Its abt two lovers called "The Demolition Lovers" From their previous album There was a song at the end called Demolition Lovers and at the end they both die from a shootout with the police This album continues off of that except for Helena that is a song abt their grandmother dying Three cheers tells the story of The Demolition Lovers and how the husband makes a deal with the devil to collect 1000 evil souls, they songs tell his story till the last song ehich the devil betrays him and the second half of that song is him reacting to that info This album is one of the greatest albums to ever be created
my chem is special, man. all band members write their songs, actually, but they all come from such different backgrounds and their influences are so diverse that it's really fricking hard to put them in a box. gerard, obviously, is the one who brings most of the theatrics and grandeur to their sound (he writes the lyrics too), he's very influenced by queen, bowie, the smashing pumpkins, the smiths but also some punk and metal, like the misfits and iron maiden. he's also a comic artist/writer and most of the creative ideas regarding their image are his. ray toro (the fro guy) is their lead guitarist, and he's like a proper metal guy, and also a genius when it comes to guitar playing (it really comes through on their next album TBP). and frank iero, their other guitarist is kinda the opposite in his influences, he's all classic punk, post-hardcore and early emo. it's such a unique combination of ideas and inspirations, but i think it makes them stand out more than any other "emo" band of that era. that, and the cencerity with which they approach their songwriting, and everything else really, there's no bullshit there. and you haven't even heard what they have to offer on the black parade.
This album is actually my favorite. One of the few albums back in the day I could listen to with ZERO skips over and over. The Black Parade is so many peoples favorite, and I think it's really good (though, I think Famous Last Words is the best song on it), but the energy of this album just cannot be beat. To me, listening to this album doesn't make me think "emo" at all, it's MUCH more a punk rock vibe.
Yeah no. TBP is their most commercially successful album, that doesn't make it their best. Their best is tied between Bullets and Three Cheers, the only catalyst being someone's opinion.
@@zakkarystory2352bullets was received worse than TBP and Three Cheers. From both critics and audience. Those are their 2 best albums by a decent margin but bullets is good too
Not to be a dick, but people like you annoyed me back in the day. MCR were always dismissed as trash by more conventional metal heads, I do get it though, they were kinda ground breaking but in a very commercial way which pissed people off, similiar to how Linkin Park were first received. However it is nice to see that they're finally getting the respect that they deserve from the Rock community.
Great video! There’s actually a story behind every MCR album, though it’s not always easy to catch. The next album “The Black Parade” it’s their most comercially successful album and a fan favorite as well (it depends who you ask I guess). And that one is even more conceptual so I would advice you to listen to it with lyrics, if you want to react to it.
hey man i think its amazing youre so open to giving stuff another chance and admitting you may have judged something too quickly :) it speaks a lot of your maturity and in general your personality
As a Ukrainian who has liked mcr for years I would say now the video for the ghost of you fits even more and bring even more feelings. Thanks for a nice reaction video
As an emo teen who grew up on classic rock and metal the first time I heard MCR I loved it and now my classic rock parents have an emo teen, they shouldn’t be surprised because they introduced me to Linkin Park lol
Their first album is really good I I think. It’s my personal favorite. It was produced by Geoff Rickly from Thursday. It’s much more raw, and punk. It pretty much immediately got them attention from major labels and they put this record out on Warner brothers’ Reprise records. The first one was eyeball records. A New Jersey independent label
Its funny i found this Video because i too used to be a HAter of the Band because my Brother kept annoying me with it. Then i took my Time and gave them a Listen, and i nearly immediately liked it. If any long time MCR Fans read this i would like to apologize.😅
Some context for the the ghost of you mv: the person that got shot in the mv was Mikey way, the lead singer's brother and the bassist of the band. It makes it much more emotional
i really enjoyed this reaction, watching this really reminded me why i love this band so much 🥹 the Helena MV is also one of my favourite MVs of all time! the song was originally written in tribute to gerard and mikey's grandmother and the video coupled with the song really captures that spirit of like a celebration of life. they write all their own songs and this album in particular is supposed to have some kind of a storyline as well, they really just do whatever they like, whether or not it's what people expect from them, and it's one of my favourite things about them i only started listening to MCR around 5 years ago but it's been my favourite/comfort band pretty much ever since and this album is also probably my favourite from them. they really commit to whatever they're doing and put their heart and soul into it and it always turns out great ❤ also, they got back together in 2019 and have been touring for the past couple of years, they also dropped a new song a while back!
You kind of got it when you called them “just rock”, but the reason MCR got set up to fail so hard and many people are only coming around to them now is because they were only labelled as “emo/scene” by default. Although they were friends with many bands in those spaces (Thursday and The Used, especially), their sound isn’t of a band trying to fit into the genre of emo, but a vast collection of influences that happens upon a sound, somewhat close to that niche. It’s the combo of their thrash metal, classic punk and classic rock influences that mesh to create this sound palette too heavy for “alt rock”, too poppy for metal, and too punk for pop punk (since they actually *stood for things* too and were a proper punk band, lmao!). Notable influences include Slayer, Queen, Bowie, Misfits, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur/other Brit pop acts and also post punk/goth heavyweights Siousxie and the Banshees/The Cure. Combine those last noted acts with their love of gothic literature and comic books, and you can uncover the true origin of their look- No they’re not a gothic MUSIC band, but their aesthetic v much was so, I mean every 3rd song is about being a damn vampire🤣 Lastly, all members have always shared writing credits, but you can easily break up the key elements of the theatricality to singer Gerard Way (also creator of the Umbrella Academy series, amongst other comics), amazing dark chord progressions and interesting rhythms to Frank Iero (a devotee/active member of the NJ hardcore scene prior to the band, big fan of The Cramps) and Brian May-esque lead lines and amazing solos to Ray Toro (Fro guy, but I see someone else has explained it’s his natural hair so I know you’ve got it🤣🤣)
Whenever someone tells me MCR are emo, the only thing I reply is "Black eyeliner does not an emo band make". I compare them to Queen and Pink Floyd and especially Led Zeppelin
@@taniamorin4355it’s so funny, there’s a discussion about this very topic on the MCR subreddit like once a month, and no one can still ever agree what genre they are, or how to define emo🤣🤣 I know it’s a meme but going by the “traditional” “real” definition, sure, you can link MCR to emo by the hardcore punk influences, but that’s like calling The Damned emo because •eyeliner, and •sometimes sad and •punk-adjacent. I think we’ve nailed the common gene, it’s simply the eyeliner!
There IS a concept to this album. I just don't know that the story flows as well as Gerard had in mind. Gerard is really into storytelling and if you didn't already know, he wrote the story and developed all of the characters for The Umbrella Academy TV series. Supposedly the concept is... two Bonnie and Clyde type lovers are killed in a gunfight. Upon reaching hell, the man is told by the devil that his lover is still alive and he will allow him to join her again if he brings the devil 1000 souls and hands him a gun to do it with. He then becomes a sort of anti-hero. Like I said... Personally I feel that the story is hard to follow in the songs. As I mentioned in my other post here, the story concept for The Black Parade, is much more developed, in my opinion. Without giving away too much. It's basically the story of a patient dying in a hospital and coming to terms with their death.
I know everyone is going to say listen to the black parade but if you want to hear their original crunchy jersey slum sound that solidified what MCR was, listen to their debut. Very very emotionally driven
Hot take here; Danger Days is totally slept on, as well as Conventional Weapons. Three Cheers is easily my favorite. Everyone is here saying listen to Black Parade, and yeah it’s a solid album but people create so much hype about it that it actually detracts from the music itself. Literally shooting one of your favorite bands in the foot, people! The second half of Black Parade is great if you’re an avid MCR fan but definitely not what I’d suggest for a new listener.
I moved into a new neighborhood a few months ago, and I decided to stop in at a pub one time after a month that was omw way home and the bartender then was playing all my favorite pop punk and elder emo music, I couldn't leave the bar after that. She told me though that it's a rare occasion that she gets to play her playlist while tending. So I got lucky that day(musicwise)
8:08 is forever my favorite moment in the Helena MV, Gerard's expression is so captivating that you can't help but just fall in love with it. You mentioned "The single that everyone knows" "I'm Not Okay(I Promise)".....I actually never heard that song until 2021 as it was adopted from an elder emo playlist that I was listening to on Spotify. I didn't take long for me to put it near the top of my list.
@@kai_yippie same- my audhd brain is just wired to be extremely obsessive so not only do I speak in mainly MCR references but I’m a humongous simp for every member
It's funny listening to you pick up all the rock, alt rock, and pop influences, and not once do you realise that the biggest influence by far and away is Queen. The whole album is basically "what would queen sound like if Freddie Mercury got brought up listening to 90s emo?"
If you want live, they have a whole concert of their next album "The Black Parade" It was their final stop of a tour where they played the whole album in Mexico City. Its good, but the studio album is worth a listen too.
The song "you know what they do too guys like us in prison' has Burt McCracken of The Used as guest on vocals with Gerard. If you haven't listened to The Used, then I recommend Self titled, "In Love and Death" or "Artwork"
the black parade is much a more theatrical production (instead of the same-y kinda feeling that Three Cheers feels like to me), I wish I could listen to The Black Parade again for the first time :(
if you listen to another My chem album you should listen to their first album "i brought you my bullets, you brought me your love" its really good and imo prolly their best
I was in middle school when this album came out, and was OBSESSED as soon as I heard it. I'd love to see your thoughts on their "Black Parade" and "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" albums. The latter is their first official studio album and although it is quite raw in nature and production, I still love it. It gives me a lot of punk influence vibes. Weirdly enough, My Chemical Romance most likely wouldn't have existed had 911 not occured in 2001, as that's that incident that caused Gerard to create the band. And I was not even "scene" or "emo". I have been Goth all my life and still am, and I honestly see more goth-punk influence than most in their music. Though I'd MUCH more correlate their music with Emo than Scene. Scene was more.. Blood on the Dance Floor, Metro Station, Circa Survive, Dot Dot Curve like stuff ... I lived in the era, so I know from my friends group at the time. 😅 I find poetic, romantic dark lyrics attractive and MCR hit the mark for me. I find the general sound of that mid 2000's New York and Jersey area quite attractive. Bands like MCR and Coheed and Cambria have stuck with me all these years. I find especially with these two bands, the vocalization technique in their earlier albums are generally similar, although not exact.
Fire take Always wondered what the connection between coheed and MCR is. They finally played a show together last year which is pretty cool But on early sunsets there are a few moments where Gerard really sounds like Claudio Great bands, ugh
You should react to bullets i think you would like that album. It’s MCR’s first. I just think you’d like it because it has a lot of those “cool” parts you were picking up on thruout this album
I second the Bullets suggestion. Black Parade is amazing in terms of songwriting and scope, but I think this dude would enjoy the rawness and heights of Bullets more. And if you’re looking for that “cool” (dark) sound, obviously TBP is generally lighter, though obviously not pop like some might say😅
Okay look, Ima make a deal with you. Ima subscribe and patiently wait for you to react to their Welcome to the Black Perade album. You want a concept album? That's the one. And THEN, after that album convinces you that they go even further beyond the realm you just witnessed, I'll also wait for you to react to their first album, their 4th album, and their most recent song they dropped. Haha If you don't, it's an absolute crime. I've listened to so much music, every different kind. MCR is on a whole different level.
This is my first time watching one of your videos. I'm so glad I got it in my recommended feed. This album is one of my favorite albums EVER! I've never seen anyone react to the whole thing. Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this. You got a subscriber out of me 👍❤️
I loved watching you react to this album which is my #1 MCR album, followed by The Black Parade. If you would like to continue with MCR, definitely do TBP next! I’m excited to see you delve deeper into their music!!
they've always been pretty theatrical and they actually do create concept albums lol and you can especially feel that in the Black Parade album. But Gerard did go on record to say that they don't like the emo label because that's what they sound like. But over the years they embraced the label. I love this album so much but the next one The Black Parade) has a special place in my heart and it's their most famous album
It is a concept album tho, its about the demolition lovers (the people om the album cover) basically boyfriend and girlfriend die, boyfriend goes to hell and girlfriend goes to heaven, boyfriend makes deal with the devil that if he kills 1000evil men and sends them to hell he can be reunited with his girl, the album is about his journey, then at the end of the album he realises the woman was actually just using him this whole time and he wants to get revenge and starts killing all her loved omes and stuff like that (three cheers for sweet REVENGE) and then after he kills the 999men he realises the 1000th person he has to kill is himself, bc killing so many people made him evil and the devil js basically scammed him
This is literally my favorite album of all time. Not a single dud in the album. Just a masterpiece. YOU RULE! Also, they actually did change the tempo/time signature briefly in earlier songs, but I don't think you noticed.
Hahaha you had me with the dead friend joke at the beginning 🤣 Btw, I love the way you talk about music, and it's real cool to see how you take the time to sit and listen to a band you used to dislike, while analysing and comprehending the beautiful complexity of their music! 👏✨️
I had a similar reaction to them back in the day. I completely disregarded MCR because of their association with emo and I really hated that whole scene at the time. It felt really shallow and dishonest to me. At some point I realized that it was all due to what I was exposed to on mainstream radio and I gave them a shot. They blew me away and I was an instant fan. I got them totally wrong. It made more sense after I found out that all the music they were influenced by were from bands that I also loved and heard they never really thought of themselves as an emo group. I think it was just an awkward time. They were of the time and had to find their place but were obviously wanting and trying to be so much more than that. Shame they broke up but maybe it's for the best. Some bands lose the plot or overstay their welcome. Hard to tell sometimes. If you like this you should also do Black Parade. Again, I avoided it because of being such a meme but it's honestly great.
I Am Not Okay (I Promise) had resonated something inside my soul as a teen and I learned that it was okay, to not be okay and is 'My' song even to this day. I haven't had a more powerful resonate since then till I watched Dance Macabre by Ghost Live.
The album is about a man being seperared from his wife and rhen making a deal with the devil and he has to kill 1,000 men and theres more detail but im too lazy to explain a whole story so i recommend watching a video about ^^
Love that one too. It was my son's favorite when he was 9yrs old. He's 22 now. My favorite was It's not a fashion statement, it's a f*ing death wish. But honestly, there isn't one song on this album that I don't love.
I hope you do Welcome to the black parade, that album is a rock opera. That one is this, but polished af, elevated. mhmhmhmhmhm such a yummy album. U hated them because all the cool kids did back then, just an image thing, yis. You're forgiven, teens are judgy assholes, we all were hehe. The ghost of you makes me cry in the break down part, every damn time. The druuuums, aaaaaaaaaah, the voooocals.
The ghost of you is my favorite song by them. If you listen to the lyrics and relate it to a lost love the video makes a lot more sense and just the vibe of the song gives off the loss, the dedication to a person, and how it feels when their gone
My Chem is a really sad example of how a lot of their crowd is annoying AF (emos and scene people) so they got lumped up with all the other kind of mid, emo bands of their time, even though their sound is nothing like those other bands because they´ve always been alt rock and they are a lot more creative than a lot of those bands tbh. The band rebelled to being called emo for a long time for that same reason, but then they just kind of dropped it because they realized people were never gonna stop xd
After listening to a lot of emo music myself, I've often noticed that fans of what people call "emo" are actually very chill and more mature compared to the more trendy groups of the mid to late 00's. A lot of active Jimmy eat world/SDRE fans are in their 40's, haha. But of course, the same can be said for the older MCR fans as well. A fanbase can have a lot of impact on a band.
if you like this album, black parade is a MASTERPIECE i heavily recommend you check that one out too!!! loved the reaction, cant wait to check out more of your stuff
Sorry but I can't believe that someone who's clearly been in the pop/emo/punk scene like you could he a HATER of bands like blink-182 and My Chemical Romance
I’m sure you’ve heard it 10,000 times already but if you think this album sounds good and is well arranged, just listen to The Black Parade. This isn’t an emo/scene band. They’re honesty more like a punkier Queen. But you haven’t seen that just yet ;) Edit: catch a subscription btw, you’re great, love your content and your vibe, this vid won me over man
i'm pretty sure that the music video for the ghost of you is supposed to symbolize the fear that gerard felt for his brother mikey (guitarist with glasses) during his battle with addiction, hence him dying at the end
i think it’s very much possible that Gerard put this experience into his acting. the idea of mikey dying at the end wasn’t his though and didn’t come from the band at all, but instead from marc webb, the director of the video
theres definitely like basement shows of them performing for their debut album on youtube! they are all like, 2002-2003 quality but they're around! their first album was, in my opinion, much more punk leaning for most of the album! so if thats your kinda thing you might wanna check it out!
I’m super passionate about this subject lol so my apologies!!But if you were to dive into the (now) fan favourite albums of the so called “emo trinity” (Panic!, FOB, My Chem) you’d be taken aback by how starkly different their sounds are and it’s just a really good display of how the label emo in the mid 2000’s, meant absolutely nothing but dudes in eyeliner (it’s the only common feature) Folie a Deux by FOB- funky guitars, soul and rnb influence (literally Pharell produced tracks and a Lil Wayne feature), literally has a song on it that could be a Stevie Wonder track (horns and the lot). Three Cheers by MCR, obviously… horror punk (punk with gothic and horror movie inspired aesthetics/themes) with metal and post hardcore twinges. And Pretty. Odd. by Panic! which…. is Ryan Ross and Brendon Urie’s go at writing Pet Sounds, also including baroque style instrumentation and a literal Creedence Clearwater style country song. Obviously emo is a legitimate genre but the definition of it has been absolutely mangled by lumping together every even slightly alternative band that was in circuit at the time, thus kind of changing its definition in the process, and that’s the only reason the “scene” existed- easier to market (especially if they’re all already friends anyways).
As others have said, you should really listen to The Black Parade album. I am in my 50s and although I had heard of the band, was really introduced to them through my sons a few years ago. It's not really my style of music. But the concepts behind their albums is what drew me to them. Especially The Black Parade. The concept is so much more developed than this album. And, in my amateur opinion, their music matures much more by that album. I like unique things and I love a good story. The Black Parade has both.
Again I watched you doing a full album. So important to me apparently 😊 Seeing others liking what MCR did/does. I hope you've done a reaction to The Foundation of Decay. I'll check,but if not shame. Hugs from Sweden.
no bro its like 3rd place with revenge on second and the black parade on first. still an amazing album tho demolition lovers and vampires are one of my fav songs.
@@tomer9989 opinions cant be dissagreed with, brought u my bullets its my personal favourite aswell, xD you cant say its not because you have a diff opinion
@@tomer9989 no one talked about it being their best, the original comment said that their opinion was that ibymb was better than black parade. An opinion, no individual or group of people can choose a bands best album. music is subjective and everyone can think different things
You should definitely react to their next album, it's a concept album.need you to react to Life On The Murder Scene their video diary - you get a lot of information about the making of the album and the band. It's a very interesting video.
So Gerard actually sees them more of a rock sound vs emo and I’m happy to see more are finally hearing it. Most were turned off based on straight image but once actually listening, it made sense and they enjoyed it. Highly recommend the Black Parade album. Both are concept albums but this one it’s not as noticeable, but you can look it up.
everyone says you're gonna love the black parade but trust me, I'd move to "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" first then The Black Parade. It took me a while to appreciate the black parade coming from this album first and even now i only like a couple songs. same for Danger Days but Three Cheers is absolutely their best work IMO
I'm exactly the same. Revenge is their best album and the first I was introduced to, then I heard their Bullets album and loved it just as much. Then by the time Black Parade came around... maybe I was going through a major transitional time in my life but it did not speak to me much. Then when Danger Days came out... it was definitely different but I liked it more than Black Parade. But at the same time I didn't give BP much of a chance because I became disappointed, expecting it to be like Revenge and Bullets but it just wasn't the same to me. I was already expecting DD to be totally different than the first two so I was more open-minded. So long story short - it's really my own fault I didn't give BP a chance... at the end of the day MCR is one of the best bands of our generation and will always be.
@@ghijbvhiigvh3940 I mean if you read the lyrics there is a semi clear story. (not the end obviously, gerard literally had to explain it but yk). If we would be talking about bp then absolutely. Might be a bit biased cuz i adore the demo lovers storyline haha.
How can you own a hoodie like that and not have listened to MCR
😂 I know, right!?
That's what I was thinking haha!
Pretty sure this guy is intentionally being cringey and hating lol. All part of the act
@@DarkestVoidI agree
You felt right into his game
Not to sound ageist against teenagers, but these guys were around 27/28 when this album came out while a lot of the bands the media labelled as their peers were still teenagers. I think that difference in maturity shows in both the lyrics and the music.
Also everything you said was on the money. MCR's whole thing is the drama and theatricality. Their biggest inspiration is Queen, and Gerard Way's personal heroes are David Bowie and Danzig from the Misfits. When I found that out later in life it all clicked for me and suddenly the band and the makeup and costumes made sense lol.
They all write the songs and have different backgrounds. The lead guitarist used to play in metal bands, the rhythm guitarist used to play in punk bands, and Gerard Way was into everything from britpop to cabaret music. He was the driving force of the band.
I also shit on them when I was younger because their fanbase was predominantly girls and I regret it. The girls were right. Good band and I was lucky enough to see them live last year.
P.s. MCR started out as an actual emo band on their first record and came from an emo and post-hardcore scene. Thursday was actually the band that gave them their first break. They kind of accidentally changed the definition of emo because when they got popular and changed their sound, the media kept calling them emo, and then any band who dressed like that also got called emo. Gerard Way *hated* that it became primarily a fashion label and caused a stir back in the day when he told a reporter that "emo is a pile of shit" lol.
13:37 Ray Toro (guy with the 'fro) is actually half Puerto Rican and the dude on the right is Mikey Way, Gerard's younger brother
After the interlude this album rocks so hard with less comercial sounds and structures.
The second half fkn rocks
I'm old enough now to appreciate how deeply weird and original it was for an emo band whose primary style at the time was blood and vampires to release a music video where they storm the beaches at Normandy. that shit rules
So this album actually has a concept
Its abt two lovers called "The Demolition Lovers"
From their previous album
There was a song at the end called Demolition Lovers and at the end they both die from a shootout with the police
This album continues off of that except for Helena that is a song abt their grandmother dying
Three cheers tells the story of The Demolition Lovers and how the husband makes a deal with the devil to collect 1000 evil souls, they songs tell his story till the last song ehich the devil betrays him and the second half of that song is him reacting to that info
This album is one of the greatest albums to ever be created
found u bro
from my interpretation i believe the last soul he has to take is his own
my chem is special, man. all band members write their songs, actually, but they all come from such different backgrounds and their influences are so diverse that it's really fricking hard to put them in a box. gerard, obviously, is the one who brings most of the theatrics and grandeur to their sound (he writes the lyrics too), he's very influenced by queen, bowie, the smashing pumpkins, the smiths but also some punk and metal, like the misfits and iron maiden. he's also a comic artist/writer and most of the creative ideas regarding their image are his. ray toro (the fro guy) is their lead guitarist, and he's like a proper metal guy, and also a genius when it comes to guitar playing (it really comes through on their next album TBP). and frank iero, their other guitarist is kinda the opposite in his influences, he's all classic punk, post-hardcore and early emo. it's such a unique combination of ideas and inspirations, but i think it makes them stand out more than any other "emo" band of that era. that, and the cencerity with which they approach their songwriting, and everything else really, there's no bullshit there. and you haven't even heard what they have to offer on the black parade.
Forgot about my man Mikey 😭
@@ethansalters8843 oops 💀💀💀
or on bullets!
Fyi Ray Toro (the guy with the fro) is Puerto Rican and that's his natural hair.
The other ‘emo/scene’ bands are missing that comic book/broadway goth dramatics thing. The song writing from mcr is unmatched, so far ahead.
By the way the guy with the fro isn't just a white guy with a fro, he's hispanic and that's his natural hair
This album is actually my favorite. One of the few albums back in the day I could listen to with ZERO skips over and over. The Black Parade is so many peoples favorite, and I think it's really good (though, I think Famous Last Words is the best song on it), but the energy of this album just cannot be beat. To me, listening to this album doesn't make me think "emo" at all, it's MUCH more a punk rock vibe.
You HAVE to listen to The Black Parade. That it's their best album so far. It's a lot more theatrical. I guarantee you're gonna love it.
Up
Black Parade is their best album by far. This is how I disappear is my favorite song in MCR whole catalog
I concur fully.
Yeah no. TBP is their most commercially successful album, that doesn't make it their best. Their best is tied between Bullets and Three Cheers, the only catalyst being someone's opinion.
@@zakkarystory2352bullets was received worse than TBP and Three Cheers. From both critics and audience. Those are their 2 best albums by a decent margin but bullets is good too
Not to be a dick, but people like you annoyed me back in the day. MCR were always dismissed as trash by more conventional metal heads, I do get it though, they were kinda ground breaking but in a very commercial way which pissed people off, similiar to how Linkin Park were first received. However it is nice to see that they're finally getting the respect that they deserve from the Rock community.
you should totally listen to their first album, i brought you my bullets you brought me your love. its very underrated imo
Great video! There’s actually a story behind every MCR album, though it’s not always easy to catch. The next album “The Black Parade” it’s their most comercially successful album and a fan favorite as well (it depends who you ask I guess). And that one is even more conceptual so I would advice you to listen to it with lyrics, if you want to react to it.
Three Cheers is arguably more conceptual despite their being less tracks that are part of the story, there’s more of a story there.
hey man i think its amazing youre so open to giving stuff another chance and admitting you may have judged something too quickly :) it speaks a lot of your maturity and in general your personality
Agree. I did the same thing recently with The Beatles. Turns out I was so wrong and they're huge for a reason.
As a Ukrainian who has liked mcr for years I would say now the video for the ghost of you fits even more and bring even more feelings.
Thanks for a nice reaction video
As an emo teen who grew up on classic rock and metal the first time I heard MCR I loved it and now my classic rock parents have an emo teen, they shouldn’t be surprised because they introduced me to Linkin Park lol
Their first album is really good I I think. It’s my personal favorite. It was produced by Geoff Rickly from Thursday. It’s much more raw, and punk. It pretty much immediately got them attention from major labels and they put this record out on Warner brothers’ Reprise records. The first one was eyeball records. A New Jersey independent label
Exactly. Bullets is my favorite album of all time and it's easily the best of MCR's albums. That's a hill I won't back down from lol
this dude looks like the onceler
😭😭😭💅
Its funny i found this Video because i too used to be a HAter of the Band because my Brother kept annoying me with it. Then i took my Time and gave them a Listen, and i nearly immediately liked it. If any long time MCR Fans read this i would like to apologize.😅
Buying this CD back in the day was one of the best investments anyone could ever make -music wise-
I hate to break it to you bro. This is a concept album
Some context for the the ghost of you mv: the person that got shot in the mv was Mikey way, the lead singer's brother and the bassist of the band. It makes it much more emotional
i really enjoyed this reaction, watching this really reminded me why i love this band so much 🥹 the Helena MV is also one of my favourite MVs of all time! the song was originally written in tribute to gerard and mikey's grandmother and the video coupled with the song really captures that spirit of like a celebration of life. they write all their own songs and this album in particular is supposed to have some kind of a storyline as well, they really just do whatever they like, whether or not it's what people expect from them, and it's one of my favourite things about them
i only started listening to MCR around 5 years ago but it's been my favourite/comfort band pretty much ever since and this album is also probably my favourite from them. they really commit to whatever they're doing and put their heart and soul into it and it always turns out great ❤
also, they got back together in 2019 and have been touring for the past couple of years, they also dropped a new song a while back!
I love this guy and his perspective, I was actually surprised he liked the Linkin Park album even though it's one of my favs!
My all time favourite MCR song is 100% its not a fashion statement
You kind of got it when you called them “just rock”, but the reason MCR got set up to fail so hard and many people are only coming around to them now is because they were only labelled as “emo/scene” by default.
Although they were friends with many bands in those spaces (Thursday and The Used, especially), their sound isn’t of a band trying to fit into the genre of emo, but a vast collection of influences that happens upon a sound, somewhat close to that niche. It’s the combo of their thrash metal, classic punk and classic rock influences that mesh to create this sound palette too heavy for “alt rock”, too poppy for metal, and too punk for pop punk (since they actually *stood for things* too and were a proper punk band, lmao!).
Notable influences include Slayer, Queen, Bowie, Misfits, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur/other Brit pop acts and also post punk/goth heavyweights Siousxie and the Banshees/The Cure. Combine those last noted acts with their love of gothic literature and comic books, and you can uncover the true origin of their look- No they’re not a gothic MUSIC band, but their aesthetic v much was so, I mean every 3rd song is about being a damn vampire🤣
Lastly, all members have always shared writing credits, but you can easily break up the key elements of the theatricality to singer Gerard Way (also creator of the Umbrella Academy series, amongst other comics), amazing dark chord progressions and interesting rhythms to Frank Iero (a devotee/active member of the NJ hardcore scene prior to the band, big fan of The Cramps) and Brian May-esque lead lines and amazing solos to Ray Toro (Fro guy, but I see someone else has explained it’s his natural hair so I know you’ve got it🤣🤣)
Whenever someone tells me MCR are emo, the only thing I reply is "Black eyeliner does not an emo band make". I compare them to Queen and Pink Floyd and especially Led Zeppelin
@@taniamorin4355it’s so funny, there’s a discussion about this very topic on the MCR subreddit like once a month, and no one can still ever agree what genre they are, or how to define emo🤣🤣 I know it’s a meme but going by the “traditional” “real” definition, sure, you can link MCR to emo by the hardcore punk influences, but that’s like calling The Damned emo because •eyeliner, and •sometimes sad and •punk-adjacent.
I think we’ve nailed the common gene, it’s simply the eyeliner!
There IS a concept to this album. I just don't know that the story flows as well as Gerard had in mind. Gerard is really into storytelling and if you didn't already know, he wrote the story and developed all of the characters for The Umbrella Academy TV series.
Supposedly the concept is... two Bonnie and Clyde type lovers are killed in a gunfight. Upon reaching hell, the man is told by the devil that his lover is still alive and he will allow him to join her again if he brings the devil 1000 souls and hands him a gun to do it with. He then becomes a sort of anti-hero.
Like I said... Personally I feel that the story is hard to follow in the songs.
As I mentioned in my other post here, the story concept for The Black Parade, is much more developed, in my opinion.
Without giving away too much. It's basically the story of a patient dying in a hospital and coming to terms with their death.
I know everyone is going to say listen to the black parade but if you want to hear their original crunchy jersey slum sound that solidified what MCR was, listen to their debut. Very very emotionally driven
I just watched someone’s life change
Hot take here; Danger Days is totally slept on, as well as Conventional Weapons.
Three Cheers is easily my favorite. Everyone is here saying listen to Black Parade, and yeah it’s a solid album but people create so much hype about it that it actually detracts from the music itself. Literally shooting one of your favorite bands in the foot, people!
The second half of Black Parade is great if you’re an avid MCR fan but definitely not what I’d suggest for a new listener.
This is so funny to watch because this was literally me in November. I HATED them until I sat down and watched a music video. From then I was hooked
There are videos on youtube from 20 years ago when they play in bars and stuff. Theyre still amazing lol
I moved into a new neighborhood a few months ago, and I decided to stop in at a pub one time after a month that was omw way home and the bartender then was playing all my favorite pop punk and elder emo music, I couldn't leave the bar after that. She told me though that it's a rare occasion that she gets to play her playlist while tending. So I got lucky that day(musicwise)
8:08 is forever my favorite moment in the Helena MV, Gerard's expression is so captivating that you can't help but just fall in love with it. You mentioned "The single that everyone knows" "I'm Not Okay(I Promise)".....I actually never heard that song until 2021 as it was adopted from an elder emo playlist that I was listening to on Spotify. I didn't take long for me to put it near the top of my list.
I’m happy Justin long liked it
glad i wasnt the only one
30:29 Gerard way simping is a cannon event for every emo
Absolutely.
@@kai_yippie what can I say? every MCR member is beautiful in every *way*.
@@chaoscreature I love them all a bit too much I think
@@kai_yippie same- my audhd brain is just wired to be extremely obsessive so not only do I speak in mainly MCR references but I’m a humongous simp for every member
It's funny listening to you pick up all the rock, alt rock, and pop influences, and not once do you realise that the biggest influence by far and away is Queen. The whole album is basically "what would queen sound like if Freddie Mercury got brought up listening to 90s emo?"
If you want live, they have a whole concert of their next album "The Black Parade" It was their final stop of a tour where they played the whole album in Mexico City. Its good, but the studio album is worth a listen too.
Yess I love that video !
The song "you know what they do too guys like us in prison' has Burt McCracken of The Used as guest on vocals with Gerard.
If you haven't listened to The Used, then I recommend Self titled, "In Love and Death" or "Artwork"
Gotta listen to the black parade. One of the most perfect albums ever made.
the black parade is much a more theatrical production (instead of the same-y kinda feeling that Three Cheers feels like to me), I wish I could listen to The Black Parade again for the first time :(
about the im not okay mv; it was actually supposed to be a movie trailer but well.. didnt happen :')
if you listen to another My chem album you should listen to their first album "i brought you my bullets, you brought me your love" its really good and imo prolly their best
I slept on bullets until 2023 and holy shit, its definitely their best album in my opinion. Very underrated too.
frr
I was in middle school when this album came out, and was OBSESSED as soon as I heard it.
I'd love to see your thoughts on their "Black Parade" and
"I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" albums.
The latter is their first official studio album and although it is quite raw in nature and production, I still love it. It gives me a lot of punk influence vibes.
Weirdly enough, My Chemical Romance most likely wouldn't have existed had 911 not occured in 2001, as that's that incident that caused Gerard to create the band.
And I was not even "scene" or "emo". I have been Goth all my life and still am, and I honestly see more goth-punk influence than most in their music. Though I'd MUCH more correlate their music with Emo than Scene. Scene was more.. Blood on the Dance Floor, Metro Station, Circa Survive, Dot Dot Curve like stuff ... I lived in the era, so I know from my friends group at the time. 😅
I find poetic, romantic dark lyrics attractive and MCR hit the mark for me.
I find the general sound of that mid 2000's New York and Jersey area quite attractive. Bands like MCR and Coheed and Cambria have stuck with me all these years.
I find especially with these two bands, the vocalization technique in their earlier albums are generally similar, although not exact.
Fire take
Always wondered what the connection between coheed and MCR is. They finally played a show together last year which is pretty cool
But on early sunsets there are a few moments where Gerard really sounds like Claudio
Great bands, ugh
You should react to bullets i think you would like that album. It’s MCR’s first. I just think you’d like it because it has a lot of those “cool” parts you were picking up on thruout this album
I second the Bullets suggestion. Black Parade is amazing in terms of songwriting and scope, but I think this dude would enjoy the rawness and heights of Bullets more.
And if you’re looking for that “cool” (dark) sound, obviously TBP is generally lighter, though obviously not pop like some might say😅
Okay look, Ima make a deal with you. Ima subscribe and patiently wait for you to react to their Welcome to the Black Perade album. You want a concept album? That's the one. And THEN, after that album convinces you that they go even further beyond the realm you just witnessed, I'll also wait for you to react to their first album, their 4th album, and their most recent song they dropped. Haha If you don't, it's an absolute crime.
I've listened to so much music, every different kind. MCR is on a whole different level.
Just gonna park here til he make a WTTBP album reaction.
Remember....MANY artists are not appreciated until they are gone......
If you talk about MCR i have good news for you. MCR is back :)
@@brucevanbaalen4992 Oh yea! I did see that!!!
This is my first time watching one of your videos. I'm so glad I got it in my recommended feed. This album is one of my favorite albums EVER! I've never seen anyone react to the whole thing. Thank you so much. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this. You got a subscriber out of me 👍❤️
you're gonna want to check out their debut album 'i brought you my bullets you brought me your love' if you wanna see them before this one
I loved watching you react to this album which is my #1 MCR album, followed by The Black Parade. If you would like to continue with MCR, definitely do TBP next! I’m excited to see you delve deeper into their music!!
they've always been pretty theatrical and they actually do create concept albums lol and you can especially feel that in the Black Parade album. But Gerard did go on record to say that they don't like the emo label because that's what they sound like. But over the years they embraced the label. I love this album so much but the next one The Black Parade) has a special place in my heart and it's their most famous album
I love watching people react to MCR and just vibing to it, it makes me so happy I could die
It is a concept album tho, its about the demolition lovers (the people om the album cover) basically boyfriend and girlfriend die, boyfriend goes to hell and girlfriend goes to heaven, boyfriend makes deal with the devil that if he kills 1000evil men and sends them to hell he can be reunited with his girl, the album is about his journey, then at the end of the album he realises the woman was actually just using him this whole time and he wants to get revenge and starts killing all her loved omes and stuff like that (three cheers for sweet REVENGE) and then after he kills the 999men he realises the 1000th person he has to kill is himself, bc killing so many people made him evil and the devil js basically scammed him
This is literally my favorite album of all time. Not a single dud in the album. Just a masterpiece. YOU RULE!
Also, they actually did change the tempo/time signature briefly in earlier songs, but I don't think you noticed.
ooo we definitely need more of this!! mcr reactions are soul soup for me😁🤌
Hahaha you had me with the dead friend joke at the beginning 🤣 Btw, I love the way you talk about music, and it's real cool to see how you take the time to sit and listen to a band you used to dislike, while analysing and comprehending the beautiful complexity of their music! 👏✨️
I had a similar reaction to them back in the day. I completely disregarded MCR because of their association with emo and I really hated that whole scene at the time. It felt really shallow and dishonest to me. At some point I realized that it was all due to what I was exposed to on mainstream radio and I gave them a shot. They blew me away and I was an instant fan. I got them totally wrong. It made more sense after I found out that all the music they were influenced by were from bands that I also loved and heard they never really thought of themselves as an emo group. I think it was just an awkward time. They were of the time and had to find their place but were obviously wanting and trying to be so much more than that. Shame they broke up but maybe it's for the best. Some bands lose the plot or overstay their welcome. Hard to tell sometimes.
If you like this you should also do Black Parade. Again, I avoided it because of being such a meme but it's honestly great.
MCR are actually back together now!
I Am Not Okay (I Promise) had resonated something inside my soul as a teen and I learned that it was okay, to not be okay and is 'My' song even to this day. I haven't had a more powerful resonate since then till I watched Dance Macabre by Ghost Live.
it's actually a concept album...
react to 'the black parade' next!
The album is about a man being seperared from his wife and rhen making a deal with the devil and he has to kill 1,000 men and theres more detail but im too lazy to explain a whole story so i recommend watching a video about ^^
Thank you for the venom is probably my favourite track on this album these days
Love that one too. It was my son's favorite when he was 9yrs old. He's 22 now. My favorite was It's not a fashion statement, it's a f*ing death wish. But honestly, there isn't one song on this album that I don't love.
Great reaction bro you gotta react to to The Black Parade album next! Their most popular album
I hope you do Welcome to the black parade, that album is a rock opera. That one is this, but polished af, elevated. mhmhmhmhmhm such a yummy album.
U hated them because all the cool kids did back then, just an image thing, yis. You're forgiven, teens are judgy assholes, we all were hehe.
The ghost of you makes me cry in the break down part, every damn time. The druuuums, aaaaaaaaaah, the voooocals.
If you want that theatric approach you should check out the black parade
The ghost of you is my favorite song by them. If you listen to the lyrics and relate it to a lost love the video makes a lot more sense and just the vibe of the song gives off the loss, the dedication to a person, and how it feels when their gone
but it is a concept album lol
yeah and it connects with bullets! it's just not as easy to pick up on as the black parade
Yes it is!
My Chem is a really sad example of how a lot of their crowd is annoying AF (emos and scene people) so they got lumped up with all the other kind of mid, emo bands of their time, even though their sound is nothing like those other bands because they´ve always been alt rock and they are a lot more creative than a lot of those bands tbh. The band rebelled to being called emo for a long time for that same reason, but then they just kind of dropped it because they realized people were never gonna stop xd
After listening to a lot of emo music myself, I've often noticed that fans of what people call "emo" are actually very chill and more mature compared to the more trendy groups of the mid to late 00's. A lot of active Jimmy eat world/SDRE fans are in their 40's, haha. But of course, the same can be said for the older MCR fans as well. A fanbase can have a lot of impact on a band.
Bro, the first album is the best of all. Listen to bullets and you will not be disappointed. 🔥🔥
Love this reaction video man. Appreciate your honesty and insight.
if you like this album, black parade is a MASTERPIECE i heavily recommend you check that one out too!!! loved the reaction, cant wait to check out more of your stuff
They wrote their own songs.
Black parade is definitely worth listening to if you like this album
Sorry but I can't believe that someone who's clearly been in the pop/emo/punk scene like you could he a HATER of bands like blink-182 and My Chemical Romance
PLEASE REACT TO THE BLACK PARADE ALBUM, I swear dude, you will see why they are undeniably the last amazing real rock band
I’m sure you’ve heard it 10,000 times already but if you think this album sounds good and is well arranged, just listen to The Black Parade. This isn’t an emo/scene band. They’re honesty more like a punkier Queen. But you haven’t seen that just yet ;)
Edit: catch a subscription btw, you’re great, love your content and your vibe, this vid won me over man
3:32 "yall know anyone like that?" yeah, ME, im a girl named helena AND I LOVE THAT SONG
i'm pretty sure that the music video for the ghost of you is supposed to symbolize the fear that gerard felt for his brother mikey (guitarist with glasses) during his battle with addiction, hence him dying at the end
also your reactions are exactly how i wish people would react when i play this album 😂😂😂
i think it’s very much possible that Gerard put this experience into his acting. the idea of mikey dying at the end wasn’t his though and didn’t come from the band at all, but instead from marc webb, the director of the video
theres definitely like basement shows of them performing for their debut album on youtube! they are all like, 2002-2003 quality but they're around! their first album was, in my opinion, much more punk leaning for most of the album! so if thats your kinda thing you might wanna check it out!
I love your reactions
I loved your face in Im Not okay, so confused hahaha and really good reaction
I’m super passionate about this subject lol so my apologies!!But if you were to dive into the (now) fan favourite albums of the so called “emo trinity” (Panic!, FOB, My Chem) you’d be taken aback by how starkly different their sounds are and it’s just a really good display of how the label emo in the mid 2000’s, meant absolutely nothing but dudes in eyeliner (it’s the only common feature)
Folie a Deux by FOB- funky guitars, soul and rnb influence (literally Pharell produced tracks and a Lil Wayne feature), literally has a song on it that could be a Stevie Wonder track (horns and the lot). Three Cheers by MCR, obviously… horror punk (punk with gothic and horror movie inspired aesthetics/themes) with metal and post hardcore twinges. And Pretty. Odd. by Panic! which…. is Ryan Ross and Brendon Urie’s go at writing Pet Sounds, also including baroque style instrumentation and a literal Creedence Clearwater style country song.
Obviously emo is a legitimate genre but the definition of it has been absolutely mangled by lumping together every even slightly alternative band that was in circuit at the time, thus kind of changing its definition in the process, and that’s the only reason the “scene” existed- easier to market (especially if they’re all already friends anyways).
As others have said, you should really listen to The Black Parade album.
I am in my 50s and although I had heard of the band, was really introduced to them through my sons a few years ago. It's not really my style of music. But the concepts behind their albums is what drew me to them. Especially The Black Parade.
The concept is so much more developed than this album. And, in my amateur opinion, their music matures much more by that album.
I like unique things and I love a good story. The Black Parade has both.
39:49 He's soooo singing like Thom Yorke in Interlude omg 😱😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍✨️
Again I watched you doing a full album. So important to me apparently 😊 Seeing others liking what MCR did/does. I hope you've done a reaction to The Foundation of Decay. I'll check,but if not shame. Hugs from Sweden.
you're gonna absolutely LOVE The Black Parade
34:00 the band said they wanted the video to subvert expectations, that's why it's maybe a little weird
I know like all the lyrics to im not okay. BECAUSE ITS FR
Youreon point with the theatrical comment. In the black parade (which you probsbly already listened to) it gets full theatrical.
Must go into a deep dive of escape the fate... from Ronnie to craig...you'll get it when you listen..mthanks and please.
You need to listen to their first album. It's better than the black parade imo
no bro its like 3rd place with revenge on second and the black parade on first. still an amazing album tho demolition lovers and vampires are one of my fav songs.
@@tomer9989 opinions cant be dissagreed with, brought u my bullets its my personal favourite aswell, xD you cant say its not because you have a diff opinion
theres a difference from best and favorite. one is the best and the other is your favorite. that's possible.@@XyreinCS
@@tomer9989 no one talked about it being their best, the original comment said that their opinion was that ibymb was better than black parade. An opinion, no individual or group of people can choose a bands best album. music is subjective and everyone can think different things
No it’s not bro💀
react to the black parade album. It's top tier
Listen to The Black Parade, that is an album inspired in The Wall and Night at the Opera, but with a patient of cancer.
You should definitely react to their next album, it's a concept album.need you to react to Life On The Murder Scene their video diary - you get a lot of information about the making of the album and the band. It's a very interesting video.
29:40 reading 2006 is that 😂 uk hated them then started to like them by the end
My favorite album, I love these songs
So Gerard actually sees them more of a rock sound vs emo and I’m happy to see more are finally hearing it. Most were turned off based on straight image but once actually listening, it made sense and they enjoyed it. Highly recommend the Black Parade album. Both are concept albums but this one it’s not as noticeable, but you can look it up.
everyone says you're gonna love the black parade but trust me, I'd move to "I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love" first then The Black Parade. It took me a while to appreciate the black parade coming from this album first and even now i only like a couple songs. same for Danger Days but Three Cheers is absolutely their best work IMO
I'm exactly the same. Revenge is their best album and the first I was introduced to, then I heard their Bullets album and loved it just as much. Then by the time Black Parade came around... maybe I was going through a major transitional time in my life but it did not speak to me much. Then when Danger Days came out... it was definitely different but I liked it more than Black Parade. But at the same time I didn't give BP much of a chance because I became disappointed, expecting it to be like Revenge and Bullets but it just wasn't the same to me. I was already expecting DD to be totally different than the first two so I was more open-minded. So long story short - it's really my own fault I didn't give BP a chance... at the end of the day MCR is one of the best bands of our generation and will always be.
it is a concept album lol
barely. it was SUPPOSED to be, but gerard has said he gave up on it and just wrote the songs he wanted to write
@@ghijbvhiigvh3940 when
@@ghijbvhiigvh3940 I mean if you read the lyrics there is a semi clear story. (not the end obviously, gerard literally had to explain it but yk). If we would be talking about bp then absolutely. Might be a bit biased cuz i adore the demo lovers storyline haha.
You really should listen to THE BLACK PARADE album. It’s technically PEAK MCR
i have a playlist of mcr stuff including old old old basement show type recordings if ur interested