Today I did a grading in karate that involved forty-five minutes of sitting still on wooden floor and five minutes of trying to get my legs to do what I wanted them to (I failed on that front) so I was going to save all my IMCRD stuff for September – when I’m planning a huge Interwebz My Chem party – and just go on Twitter. Then I heard that Amy Winehouse died. ‘Cause of death is yet to be explained’, etc… But everyone knows it’s more than likely that she overdosed on some form of drugs or alcohol.
It reminded me instantly of this week’s Kerrang! interview with Gerard and Mikey. They discuss growing up together, the Smashing Pumpkins and how they used to be called ‘the chemical brothers’… Mikey said using drugs was “Like installing a shut-off switch in the back of my neck,” and later added “People I knew started to drop dead from mixing things and that’s a wake-up call – if you go to the barber shop enough times, eventually you’re gonna get your haircut.” It sounds like Amy finally got her turn in the seat… She was twenty-seven.
To be honest, I never really approved of Amy. I wondered why the hell she was encouraging her listeners to say “Fuck rehab.” I did, however, totally envy her voice and love the fact her first album was called ‘Frank’. As I curled up on the sofa earlier and watched Isobel and Maxim play Monopoly, feeling vaguely guilty for not doing a My Chem Day post, it occurred to me why there’s a My Chem day.
No one in the band is perfect. Neither do they encourage anyone else to be perfect. But, to quote one of my sensei’s favourite sayings, “Lead by example, don’t be the example.” Which is exactly what My Chem do. Gerard and Mikey have both had drug problems, but they’ve both gotten through it (with each other’s support a big factor, by the sounds of it). Now in their thirties, they’re doing stuff that couldn’t have been remotely possible if they’d stayed in the queue for those haircuts. And that’s the big difference between My Chemical Romance and singers like Amy Winehouse, rest in peace.
Regardless of what she actually died of, maybe Amy’s death will slap some of her hardcore fans in the face. She had immense talent and only managed to record two albums… What could she have been capable of making? To quote Jimmy Urine (shut up I’m tired), “You didn’t give a shit bout her when she was a living drug addict now you miss her cuz she’s a dead drug addict.” Mikey and Gerard were living drug addicts and now they’re living recovered drug addicts. Legendary live shows, the mantra ‘MCR saved my life’ and an internationally recognised celebratory day established by fans speaks for itself.
So when you think about it, this post was completely pointless. Happy first-day-of-the-summer-holidays, everyone.
Francesca's Thoughts 
wow. that was kind of deep. The bit where you said “it occurred to me why there’s a My Chem day…” kind of reminded me of an assembley. But better. If Dr. Hayman did assembly’s like that, than i might stay awake through them. Instead, we have to sit on a balcony, on really uncomfy wooden benches, squashed, usually with Danushri’s (nope, this is actaully the name of a girl i know. I’m not entirely sure if i spelt it like, but all i know is that her first name is about a third of the lenght long of her last name. don’t even ask what that is. Ask jim jam (jemma)) flipping hair on my legs, being told to shut up, and listen to hayman ramble on about why laughter is so important and how it helps us to learn. i don’t know really what the whole thing was about. we tuned out 3 minutes in. what are assembly’s like at our schools apparent rival?
How did i even get on to talking about assemblys?
anyway. Happy IMCRD everyone for yesterday. And just so you all know, saturday wasn’t my first day of the holidays. Thursday was. Well, wednesday really.
have fun doing what you do.
Bel/sub-blogging mouse (where did the mouse bit come from in this name?)/the abominable migraine/toxic waste/(my much duller, more boring, actual name) Isobel.
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You know me, shallow as a puddle with odd diving-pool depth.
I always sit through assemblies thinking, “I could do this so much better!” I do this in class too. “No, no, you’re teaching it wrong!” At least you guys get SEATS. We sit, cross-legged, on the sports hall floor. Clapping. Trying not to laugh at bad SING renditions. Failing.
Can’t remember where Sub-Blogging Mouse came from, but you should capitalise them… I read through that and part of my brain went “What migraine? Toxic waste?! Eh?!” Then I realised.
😀
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