Even with his band's new album, "The Black Parade," having earned the golden praises of countless music critics as well as netting the label of best new album of 2006, My Chemical Romance guitarist Frank Iero still feels just as awkward as ever.
The innovative album has reinvented the former emo group My Chemical Romance into a ruthlessly hard rocking, super group that could be placed amongst the ranks of legends.
MCR recently launched a world tour that is traveling to most places on this undersized ball of mud called Earth, and Frank is going along for the ride. That being said, it has already been quite a ride to get where he is now, sometimes almost unbearable.
"It did surface once or twice a day, there were times when it's like we are doing things that we never thought we would try and taking a lot of risks," Iero said. "We just had to trust in ourselves and the people that were around us."
Trusting in each other was a necessity, and MCR made certain to produce the greatest piece of musical effort possible despite how difficult things proved to be.
"We never left it as 'that's good enough,' it was really important to make it the best that it could be," Iero said.
And listeners won't be able to find any skimping on "The Black Parade." With a hefty budget backing the album and noted producer Rob Cavallo (Green Day) in their corner, MCR had a major weight advantage.
"Rob is one of the smartest people I have ever met. He is a genius and he knows so much," Iero said. "He really shines in creating tones that relate to people on an emotional level."
However, while recording the new album, MCR had to research their musical ancestry and pull influence from some of rock's greatest concept albums: Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."
"You have to go back and learn your history that has come before. These albums were so amazing and they were such defining records for these bands," Iero said. "They were incredible influences and they were used for reference."
While following suit with "The Wall" and "Sgt. Pepper's," "The Black Parade" is a concept album that explores rock's unanswered mysteries.
"I would say it's an epic battle between life and death," Iero said.
But keep in mind "Black Parade" isn't just a cookie cutter concept album - the effort has already proven to be an instant classic with no expiration date attached.
"This is going to be the record that in 20 years we will show our grandkids and I will be proud that I did," Iero said.
While "The Black Parade" is only MCR's third studio effort, they have already accomplished more than most bands do in an entire career.
"We started out as a group of friends growing up in Jersey writing music that meant something not only ourselves but to other people too," Iero said. "We have lived about 20 lifetimes, we have seen a lot and met a lot of people. We set out to make a difference."
Unimaginably, being a member of one of the biggest bands in the world isn't much different than being in one of the not-so-biggest bands.
"It feels bizarre, its one of those things that when growing up and playing music and being in bands, you always dream about," Iero said.
Either way, Iero and company haven't changed a bit despite the incomparable amount of fame that has graced them in the past few years, except for maybe dropping a few less "f-bombs."
"We're the same awkward people as we first started. We have grown up a bit, seen how kids reacted and realized there is a responsibility," Iero said. "Be a better person and watch what we say, if more people did that we would be living in a better world."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
