Author Archive: Chris
My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade Set For Musical Debut
According to this weeks issue of Kerrang! magazine, a musical version of My Chemical Romance’s breakthrough album, The Black Parade, is set to make it’s debut in 2015. The show will be produced by MCR fan, Alexandra Conroy, who hopes for a run of the show on Broadway. Following excerpt from Kerrang! magazine.
It’s one of rock’s most theatrical concept albums ever, and now The Black Parade looks set to follow Green Day’s American Idiot in taking a new life on the stage.
My Chemical Romance’s crowning glory – released in 2006 – is currently undergoing its transformation from thee-million-selling record to full-scale theater production in the U.S. with a view to opening later this year or early in 2015.
“I’ve always been in love with this album,” playwright Alexandra Conroy, who’s been working on the project since 2010, tells Kerrang!, “I was about 15 when the album came out, and I was in (New York’s) Times Square right outside Virgin Megastore store, and it was the first time I head Welcome To The Black Parade in stereo. I felt the earth move, and after that I knew the album was something special.“It’s defiantly my own interpretation (of the narrative),” she explains. “It’s a story about a young German woman named Helena during the tome of the Nazi occupation of Poland in the 1940s. Helena is so sheltered because her father is a high-ranking officer rising in the ranks, and she doesn’t really know all thetragedies of war. She happens to meet Ari, one of the Jews from the Warsaw ghetto, and it’s defiantly a Romeo and Juliet story. They attempt to run away together… and thats all I’m going to tell you so I don’t ruin the ending!”
With the production’s script finished, Aleandra is currently in the process of taking some of MCR’s most beloved songs and fitting them to the story.
“I really want to stay faithful to the originals because they are such great songs”, she says. “Because it’s musical theatre, some songs are duets, and there may be a little more harmony in there. I think maybe I’ll make three songs a little more acoustic and intimate, so you can maybe feel more what the characters are, but other than that I wouldn’t touch them. They won’t run in the order that they do on the record, though.”And while frontman Gerard Way continues to explore new projects since My Chem’s split in March 2013, Alexndra had an offer to extend to him…
“I think the bands really going to love it, because it’s something different,” she begins, “And, y’know, if Gerard is reading this, there’s a pat he would e perfect for if he wants to dabble in Broadway! (laughs)”.
For more information on the project, check out BlackPaadeMusical.com. There are also official Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr pages for the production.
Head on over to Kerrang.com for more information on the current issue, which is available now.
My Chemical Romance Release Final Track, “Fake Your Death”
The accompanying video features the stone bust from the upcoming greatest hits album cover, and a selection of never before seen footage from some of the bands various video shoots.
The track is available for download on iTunes now and will be the lead on the upcoming geatest hits album, “May Death Never Stop You”, due for release on March 25. An exclusive CD/DVD & T-Shirt bundle is available for pre-order in the official store.
My Chemical Romance Poster Special In Kerrang! Magazine
Head on over to Kerrang.com for more.
My Chemical Romance Greatest Hits, “May Death Never Stop You”
Warner Bros Records are set to release a My Chemical Romance Greatest Hits compilation in January 2014. The compilation titled “May Death Never Stop You”, features original artwork by Gerard Way, which he recently unveiled via Twitter.
The glossy cover features a derelict stone bust resembling Gerard Way in a Black Parade outfit. The headstone reads ‘the end’ followed by MMXIII, 2013 in Roman numerals. The photograph was taken by Jonathan Weiner in a cemetery in Los Angles, with Way art directing and overseeing the project.
No track listing has yet been confirmed, but the compilation will most likely include up to 24 of the bands singles, from their debut “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” to their final release “Burn Bright” from “Conventional Weapons”.
Some of you may remember the unofficial greatest hits compilation released by Star Mark in 2009, which included 22 tracks, largely from “The Black Parade”.
What are your opinions on the release of a greatest hits album? What tracks would you like to see featured?
Fan Tribute Videos To My Chemical Romance
Trawling through YouTube, I have come across some pretty impressive fan-made tribute videos to My Chemical Romance. My personal favorite (above) titled “My Chemical Romance – Please Don’t Go”, made by YouTube user BloodyHeavens, features a montage of footage set to “Illusion” by VNV Nation. Another great by Kayla Jewell, titled “The End of My Chemical Romance” is a fairy glossy tribute featuring tweets, images and music video footage, set to “The End.” from “The Black Parade”. Make sure to check out both clips and feel free to leave any you’ve found in the comments below.
Andy Biersack Comments On My Chemical Romance Split
Artisan News have uploaded a video to YouTube, in which Black Veil Brides Frontman, Andy Biersack shares his views on the bands split. The brief interview includes his thoughts on the music, Gerard Way as an icon and how My Chemical Romance’s concept albums inspired Black Veil Brides as a band.
Fans React To My Chemical Romance Split
Kerrang.com have posted a blog containing a selection of their favorite comments from fans regarding My Chemical Romance’s split. For a band that were so connected with their fan base, it is hardly a surprise that the news left many fans with mixed feelings.
“We were inundated with emotional Tweets and comments from you on our website. Some of you were distraught, others were angry and some people were just glad that they were along for the ride. We’ve put together a selection of your reactions.”
Check out the post at Kerrang.com to see how fans reacted. Also keep an eye out for the following comment, which was one of my own!
“Being a fan for almost a decade and running one of the biggest MCR fansites for over 7 years, this news will have a big impact on my life. ” – Chris