Frank Iero recalls how he felt after My Chemical Romance ended in 2013
Frank Iero has joined forces with Ernie Ball for the String Theory interview series. In the exclusive interview, Iero opens up about My Chemical Romance‘s career and how he has grown as a musician over the years.
As well, Iero reveals why the time following My Chemical Romance’s disbandment in 2013 was particularly “scary” for him.
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Iero begins the Ernie Ball interview by discussing My Chemical Romance’s influences at the start of their career. He says that the variety of musical influences MCR had greatly shaped their unique sound and style from the very beginning.
“My Chem was a lot of different influences that, on paper, didn’t necessarily work together, but somehow, in real life, did,” he shares. “We were writing these songs based on what we wanted to hear and the things that we grew up listening to. There’s [Iron] Maiden in there, Misfits, [David] Bowie and Queen. That shit wasn’t happening in hardcore and punk rock at the time, it just wasn’t. That’s how it started and that was the jump-off point. Then, we ended up doing our own thing that was even more batshit crazy.”
Iero further shares that the band’s different approach to the genre made things difficult during the early days. As My Chemical Romance worked to establish a fanbase through live shows, they found that they were treated differently because of their sound.
“Getting in that band in those early days of shows, it was hard for us because we were so different from every other band that was playing at the time,” he continues. “We weren’t really accepted or championed in that way say like a straight-up hardcore band would be.”
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Iero also details other fond memories he has had while in My Chemical Romance. He recalls one of their first big shows supporting Jimmy Eat World and how the band introduced him to a whole other side of music.
As well, Iero reveals how he truly felt about My Chemical Romance’s disbandment in 2013. Although it was a particularly “scary time,” Iero was able to both grow as a human and musician during MCR’s hiatus.
“When My Chem ended, it was a feeling a closure on that but also, at the same time, this panic sets in because you have done something for so long and it almost defined you,” he says. “There’s comfort in that, but there’s also this feeling of, ‘Oh my god, well now what do you do? Who are you?’ If that didn’t actually define you, what do you do now? It’s a scary, scary time.”
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He goes on to share that he thrives off of scary things. My Chemical Romance’s hiatus gave him the push to work on other projects including Frank Iero and The Future Violents.
“I feel like the things that scare me are the things I gravitate towards,” he reveals. “I love doing that shit. Like if it scares the shit out of me then I have to do it. I ended up learning so much more about myself and what I can accomplish by doing those things.”
My Chemical Romance are set to embark on their return tour next year. The band was forced to postpone the tour due to coronavirus.
Frank Iero’s full interview with Ernie Ball is available to stream below.
What is your earliest memory of My Chemical Romance? Let us know in the comments below.
