What people didn't "get" about My Chemical Romance's 'The Black Parade'

In the latest issue of AP, we take a look back on the Class Of 2006: classic records from Underoath, Brand New, AFI, Escape The Fate and, of course, My Chemical Romance.

Bassist Mikey Way looks back on The Black Parade’s strenuous recoding process and, among other things, what he believes people didn’t “get” about the LP when it was released.

Read more: My Chemical Romance break silence: “There is no reunion planned”

“Eight, nine or 10 years back, so many different labels were being thrown around about what exactly [My Chem] were. There were endless catchphrases to classify us, but we always stood firm that we were making rock n’ roll music as a rock in’ roll band.”

He added, “Thankfully, the album is being remembered better than I ever could have possibly imagined. 10 years later, it’s always an elephant in the room when it comes to the subject of My Chemical Romance, and I welcome that.” You can read two excerpts from the interview below.

Listen: Hear Twenty One Pilots' Tyler Joseph sing My Chemical Romance 

My Chemical Romance startled the scene last week after they updated their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter, shared a teaser video with the opening keys to their iconic track, “Welcome To The Black Parade” and put up pre-orders for new shirts. But alas, there is no reunion planned—just a re-release of The Black Parade.

AP 338 is available for pre-order now. Not only does it offer a look back at some of your favorite records, but it offers a glimpse into the future for one of our scene’s biggest acts: A Day To Remember.

What is the one thing you think people never really “got” about the album? Did anything get lost on the audience that you had hoped would be recognized?

I feel like the aspect of the record that people didn’t “get” at the time, has grown crystal-clear to most now. Eight, nine or 10 years back, so many different labels were being thrown around about what exactly [My Chem] were. There were endless catchphrases to classify us, but we always stood firm that we were making rock n’ roll music as a rock in’ roll band. I think hindsight is 20/20 and more people share that opinion today.

How do you want this album to be remembered? 

Thankfully, the album is being remembered better than I could have ever possibly imagined. 10 years later, it’s always an elephant in the room when it comes to the subject of My Chemical Romance, and I welcome that. It is an honor and privilege to be part of the band responsible for such a legacy.