The best music happens when you have a personal connection to it. That same philosophy can extend to the instrument you hold in your hands: if a guitar means something special, you're bound to do great things with it.
Frank Iero
When you break it all down, my punk rock is my dad's blues. It's music from the underground, and it's real, and it's written for the downtrodden in uncertain times.
If you don't listen, you're never gonna learn.
The relationship between 'My Chemical Romance' and Michael Pedicone is over. He was caught red-handed stealing from the band and confessed to police after our show last night in Auburn, Washington. We are heartbroken and sick to our stomachs over this entire situation.
I also remember the second band I was in ever. We were called Hybrid. We got a show at this local street fair, and we were playing on the back of a flatbed truck. There was an ad in the paper, and it said that 'Hybird' is playing. I was so mad.
My dad was very influential with the music he exposed me to. He was really into blues and folk, so he'd play me guys like Muddy Waters and T-Bone Walker and Richie Havens - a lot of very emotional players.
I think my least favourite thing to listen to is perfect songs, perfect performances. They don't feel human to me, and in that respect ,they lose any kind of sincerity. I don't know why. It's just my ears.
I love players like Thurston Moore. I mean, you can put notes down on a sheet of paper, and if you practice and get your chops up, you can play like an Eddie Van Halen or a Steve Vai. But nobody can do what Thurston Moore does; he's his own guy. He talks through his instrument in a language that's all his own.
These days, all we hear about is that the industry is in trouble. Everybody is so scared, but our mission statement is having no fear.
We've always wanted to do it, something you could dance to, and deep down we always thought we could bring something to the table if we could do it, but the live shows always made us pull back and be a rock band.
I have 'Purple Rain' on purple vinyl.
A guitar solo in the same part of every tune - that's been done so much. I think solos shine more when you have them in specific and unexpected places.
Anytime you put yourself in a creative box, it's going to stifle you; it's not conducive to the writing or recording process.
My father gave me one of those small, box-sized travel players when I was a kid and just a handful of records that he had. 'Zeppelin IV' was one. 'The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl,' which is just about the worst record ever - you can't hear anything, just screaming in the background. I think there was maybe, like, an Animals record.
I have no want or desire to solo. I'd rather create melodies and accompanying parts.
Publishing the lyric books, poetry or comics of other musicians I know. That's the thing I really want to break into!
MS is terrible for anybody, and all of the stories are important.
About six years ago my family was affected by multiple sclerosis.
I miss Jersey so much; I'm really connected to it. I love the big malls, the diners.
My first show was when I was a high school freshman, but it was at the junior class dance. My older friend and bandmate booked it.
People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.
I always wanted to be in bands.
I grew up in that band. Some people go to college and get a Master's. I went to My Chem academy, and I feel like I graduated with honors.
I'm kind of a feel player. I'll stretch out before a show a bit and do some playing, but that's about it. I'm not one of these 10-hour-a-day playing guys.
I think the days of just filling the time and putting a disc out is over, and I'm glad, because those are some of my least favourite records.
With our first record, we wrote concept songs but not a concept record.
I'm a fan of records you get and you listen to them from beginning to finish - records where everything is there for a purpose. There was never any filler on those records - it was all well planned out.
