Everyone knows the story of how My Chem formed. We can’t not, with every article alluding to ‘the Jersey rockers’ East Coast beginnings, when vocalist Gerard Way formed the band after witnessing the Twin Towers fall at 9/11′. So most people call today the unofficial birthday of the band, although they say everything really started to come together around October.
In the last couple of weeks, my forays onto the BBC website to avoid doing homework have become increasingly 9/11 centric. There have been stories of survivors, of those who were living in New York at the time, articles on how the word’s changed since. Now I know I’m biased – and there’s not a single person who was directly affected by the attacks that I don’t have huge respect for – but I can’t help but feel that the BBC’s missed out on a huge opportunity. My Chem are the most direct, most positive reaction to 9/11 out there. Hands down.
Today is in no way a celebration, no matter how brilliant MCR has turned out to be, and anyone treating it as such should turn on the news. However, it does mean we can respect the band so much more because of the history. It was born out of a day that spawned conflict, unnecessary racism, misguided hatred and countless avoidable deaths. The band itself has created nothing but positive energy (the odd suicide cult accusation and cursed drummer position aside). Saying that, I do like to think that My Chem is one of those things that, regardless of the state of the rest of the world, had to happen – so if 9/11 hadn’t, Gerard still would have had an epiphany moment and called his friends about forming a band and doing something worthwhile. Sadly, we don’t have access to a TARDIS so will never know what could have been; all can do is pay our respects to the victims and thank MCR for existing.
I realise that people deal with trauma in different ways, and I’m not going to start knocking the people who haven’t been able to walk into tall buildings or onto planes in a decade. But when I think of how much good has come from Gerard thinking “Fuck art” that day, I can’t help but wonder what the world would be like if everyone had had his reaction. If they had, we wouldn’t need to be fighting a ‘war on terror’, because it would have already been won. Around 3,000 people died that day, right? Well, at least 3,000 people have had their lives touched by My Chem (it’s probably more like three billion people in total when you look at record sales). At least 3,000 people have come out of a show feeling happier, or made friends through the MCRmy, or used the music to find strength within themselves that has led them to do awesome things.
That sounds like a pretty big “Fuck you, Bin Laden,” to me.
Francesca's Thoughts 
Hey, I do that Wed-ness-day thing too, I thought everyone did? Mr. Irvine does. Or maybe thats just his irishness…
Btw I might have to steal your belt frank….
…and the choccies….
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Oh, and i
like the bit at the very top of this page. About dancing sideways. Tis good.
Did i ever mention my newest form of exercise, to help git fit for D of E and World Challenge, is 5 minute moshing. No??? Well…
1.Everyone in my family, except the dog, Milo, leaves the house.
2. I turn up something fast like the club song, or Zero Percent, and look at the time.
3. I mosh, really hard, really fast, like at the show, for 5 minutes, whilst Milo gives me strange looks, and wanders over to see if i’m ok.
4. I stop after 5 minutes, pretty breathless, and repeat next time i have the house to myself. I
I plan to be able to mosh like that for about 15mins tops, without stopping. It’s good practice for the next show aswell.
Good idea, huh???
And of course, it will help me in Morocco. Who doesn’t mosh in the Sahara Desert. I mean, c’mon, all that space???
Infact, Jem, if you and i take ray guns, we could renact Na Na (Its sandy and deserty in the video) and then film it, and even die at the end. Laura can be baldy and a draculoid if she likes.
Fun times.
x 🙂
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Ooh, you have. As I replied, you commented. NICE.
But seriously, dude, I write about 9/11 and you discuss MOSHING?!!!
I like a bit of moshing.
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Our telepathy is spectacular.
thats because 9/11 is depressing….., duh. whereas moshing is so much more funnn!!!!
Off to see the inbetweeners wednesday. Should be good.
And typing that, i realise that i still say Wed-Nes-Day in my head when i write it. Habit i think. Even if it was from when i was like 6.
bel x 🙂
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Oh bloody hell, you’ve gone overboard.
It is depressing, I think we’ve altered the tone a bit through commenting.
I got DMs and an iPod and American Widow gloves and chocolate and a really nice jacket. Ooh, and a belt. Which says ‘My Chemical Romance’ on it. Non uniform day, here I come 😀
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oh hell yes.
i alsmost air punched to the nanana suggestion, but then i remembered im at school, and i might get a few interestin looks…
ah, well.
ill settle with a finger-air-puch instead……WHOOO!!!
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Well, that was deep.
x 🙂
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Thank you.
Er, have you lost your voice or did you run out of time to comment?! I was expecting a nice sub-blog.
There’ll be another post later.
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weirdly enough, when i was writing my second comment, your one wasn’t there. It said 1 comment. So i did another, so it wasn’t lonely. I posted it (Ishould start a workout video, don’t you think??!!) and then there was three!!!!
Brilliant timing, bday girl.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUU…….!!!!!!!!
My phone is out of battery. That is why i didnt text, if you were wondering. It kept bleeping round 4 this morning. I forgot to turn it off.
what did you get from your parenties and sibling????
x 🙂
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