The Evolution of My Chemical Romance and the MCRmy

I am doing my final essay for my AP Language class, and i have talked to my teacher and decided to do it on the Evolution of My Chemical Romance and their fandom, and what it means to be in the fandom. i figured that what better place to gain some insider info (other than myself) than one of the largest My Chem forum on the web.

so, if you would like to be part of my research (and consequently, my essay) and would like to contribute, just reply in this topic about how you feel about MCR.

just in case you need a kickstart, or want some specifics, i'll put some questions below:

-What does MCR mean to you personally, music wise, and as people?
-How did you come to know MCR, and how do you think they jhave effected you as an individual, or musically?
-How do you feel about the fandom associated with them(MCRmy)? do you consider yourself a part of the MCRmy?
-How do you feel the band has evolved over the years, personally and musically?
-Why do you like/love them the way you do?

more questions may be added as my essay evolves, and you do not have to stick to the ones i've supplied.

i would greatly appreciate anything you have to say, positive, and if necessary, negative.


p.s. If this is considered spam by the mods, i appologize.

I'LL ANSWER YOU TONI- I might not specifically answer all the questions, but here I go...

I first got into MCR while I was in hiatus from the internet... I honestly just picked up their CD because I liked the art on the cover. (That seems to be the way that I find most bands I love, but I'm digressing already) At the time, I really didn't like or listen to music all that much, and when I did turn on my radio I didn't hear anything I thought was terribly special, so I didn't really have high hopes for MCR. I'm happy to report that I was wrong; something about their music really just struck a chord with me. Exactly what, I still can't tell you, but even back then when I didn't even know their names I had a feeling that this was a band with some sort of vision. They mean a lot to me because they were the first band in which I saw something special, and even though I've branched out a lot musically, MCR still holds a special place in my heart.

I only became a fan in the middle of TPB, so I was not with them from the very beginning to witness their evolution firsthand... One thing we all know is that they hate being called an emo band, but as much as they said it before, I think it really took until Danger Days for them to go out and prove it. With the heavy makeup and black and white color scheme, it was easy to judge them as emo without really taking a listen, and with the totally opposite theme of Danger Days, I think they really sensed it and reacted. Not to mention the music; my most favorite bands in the world each have distinct records, meaning that if you took one song off one record and put it onto another, it just wouldn't fit, and MCR is no exception. I absolutely love this in a band.

Now that we've established that I am a fan of MCR, I must say that I'm hesitant to call myself a fangirl. To me, a fangirl is one of those insane girls who is utterly convinced that Ferard is real, hates on the wives of the band members, and just generally takes it too far. I realize this happens in every single fandom to ever exist, but for what it's worth I haven't noticed a whole ton of it in this fandom, compared to some of the other ones I've been a part of. I'm probably not the best person to ask this question though, I tend to stick to INO only as far as MCR fandoms go.

Wow Toni, I feel like I wrote your whole paper for you. Hope some of this helps!

-What does MCR mean to you personally, music wise, and as people?
Untill I really heard MCR I'd never really felt a connection with music before. It's music that has a way of affecting my moods like no other music has before. As for them as people... They all seem like genuinely nice people even if a little unorthodox. I feel as though they mean a real lot to me but I'm not entirely sure why.

-How did you come to know MCR, and how do you think they have effected you as an individual, or musically?
Well I first really started hearing them when a friend of mine go tme into alternative music and I started watching the alt. music channels. I'm not 100% sur ehow they've affected me personally. They inspired me with a greater interest in the macabre and that I like to express myself by wearing mostly black. I see the world differently as i connect most things to MCR and they make me feel alright about being an oddball.


-How do you feel about the fandom associated with them(MCRmy)? do you consider yourself a part of the MCRmy?
I'd say that I do consider myself part of the MCRmy, and the MCR fans that I have met are great. It's not often that I have been around other MCR fans, but I feel a level of acceptance that I don't usually get.

-How do you feel the band has evolved over the years, personally and musically?
I'm not too sure about personally.... other than Gerard going from saying things like "We'll always find ways to be darker" then making Danger Days. Their is a distinct musical transition getting progressivley darker and grander throughout the first 3 albums to going very different on DD. Personally, i feel that the first 3 were the best 3.

-Why do you like/love them the way you do?
I still ask myself that very question. because I love them a lot. Is this just from music that has such a connection with me or is there someother reason why I feel such a need for a greater connection with this band.


-Note: i've only been a fan since late 2007. Somtimes this feels like a lifetime and others not long enough.

-What does MCR mean to you personally, music wise, and as people?

MCR has been a consistent source of entertainment, intellectualism, and a sense of community in my life since I found them when I was 12. Like a Pixar movie, I find something new every time I listen to their music. Even if they were to stop making new music, I would have more than enough to explore in what they've already created.

Music-wise, I love the style. I can't say what I like about them. It's the same reason I love chocolate and dancing; I just do.

As people, I think MCR (at least Gerard) are geniuses. The concepts, the imagery, the messages, the form, all of it is so thoughtful and sconstructive. And it comes from these people. I admire them as artists.

-How did you come to know MCR, and how do you think they have effected you as an individual, or musically?

It was them that inspired me to become a musician. In 8th grade, I picked up a guitar for the first time after writing myself a note addressed to my 18-year-old self, urging her to do something musical in her life. In that note, I ordered my future self to write music, and if she forgets the passion she ever had for music, to pick up a MCR CD and listen. Now, I practice guitar and singing every day for at least an hour. I've covered a lot of songs (many of them MCR) on my YouTube channel. I look to MCR for ideas in terms of song structure, lyrics, concepts, just about everything.

-How do you feel about the fandom associated with them(MCRmy)? do you consider yourself a part of the MCRmy?

I don't consider myself part of the MCRmy, to be honest. I think that's a personal thing, though. I usually don't associate myself with any groups whatsoever because I don't want to be associated with every single person in that group. Of course there are some people in any fan group I would be ashamed to be compared to, and MCR's fanbase is no different. It doesn't mean I look down upon anybody in the MCRmy, though.

-How do you feel the band has evolved over the years, personally and musically?

They've evolved enormously. I think musically they've stopped restricting themselves to one specific type of music. They've learned to take risks and to not feel obligated to fit percieved or real expectations set by the fans. In other words, they've stopped feeling like they need to be 'dark.' Personally, they've done the same thing.

The counter-culture group we call "emo" began by people like MCR, trying to escape trends in fashion, music, tastes, etc. But once "emo" became an actual thing, a social movement, it became against what the band stood for. They were looking to escape and defy trends, not create their own. Once they realized they weren't defying trends anymore, they took a step back and reassessed their goals and redecided what would be the best way to achieve their goals. They're still doing the opposite of people want, but now that people want dark and depressing music, they're moving away from it.

-Why do you like/love them the way you do?

I explained it mostly in the last paragraph, about how they keep escaping and defying expectations. My personal experiences very much mirror the evolution of MCR as a band. Even though I didn't learn it from MCR, I learned to have integrity, and to be an individual instead of a part of a group. These are all lessons MCR learned at the same time I did, and I feel like both them and I think very similarly.