WTF HAPPENED?!!!
Quote:
3/5 of My Chemical Romance Currently on Tour
Reports streamed in last evening that Frank Iero has suddenly left the My Chemical Romance UK tour, after not appearing at the show in Aberdeen on Monday night. Fans at the show reported that Gerard said he had to fly home due to "personal reasons and issues," but said he would be back, even though they were all thinking of him. What, exactly is going on remains unknown, and it's probably better that way. There's rampant fandom speculation, as is always the case... but the good thing is it doesn't seem to be his health.
Meanwhile, due to his wrist injuries, Bob Bryar is also not playing with the band. According to Bob, he played the late October Hoboken, NJ show with his wrists in incredible pain, and against doctor's advice, went on to play the two opening shows for Bon Jovi before having to accept that he needed time off. Hence, why the band controversially cancelled their Maine show.
While we all joke "is My Chemical Romance cursed?" this does make me wonder:
Are we, the fans, destroying our bands? Do we expect too much from them?
This year alone, I saw My Chemical Romance twice, in February and October. And I'm bumming that I didn't make it to more shows. I suppose I could have, too, since they never stopped touring. There is no way this does not take a massive physical, as well as mental, toll on the band. On any band.
How many bands left tours this year, only to officially break up weeks or even days later? How many of these bands were scheduled for weeks on end with no days off? Or maybe a single day of downtime in Akron, Ohio? They're not seeing their families or friends, they're sleeping on buses or in vans -- with the smaller bands doing what they can to not get their stuff stolen, as that's a stressful epidemic right now. They're eating what they can.
And while most of the bands I have ever talked to say they love being on the road and meeting the kids, playing their songs, all of that... it's not quite natural to have people working virtually non-stop for months at a time. The travel with overnight drives, lugging gear around, dodging crazy fans... the stress is incomprehensible.
And of course, we want to see the bands. And they want us to see them. They want to make us happy. I know I get petulant when I see west coast only tours for bands I like, or want to see bands over and over, so I'm sure as hell guilty of exactly what I am talking about. If someone told me I could buy tickets for My Chemical Romance today? Despite thinking they need and deserve time off, I'd buy those tickets, go to the show, and angle myself into the best position possible once the show happened.
I'm not sure that there's an answer, or even as much of a problem as I've laid out here. After all, the guys in these bands are all adults and old enough to say, "hey, I kind of need a few weeks off." It's still hard to hear one of your favorite bands is having such a hard time.
Either way, here's hoping for a speedy recovery for Bob and that whatever is going on with Frank isn't serious.
Reports streamed in last evening that Frank Iero has suddenly left the My Chemical Romance UK tour, after not appearing at the show in Aberdeen on Monday night. Fans at the show reported that Gerard said he had to fly home due to "personal reasons and issues," but said he would be back, even though they were all thinking of him. What, exactly is going on remains unknown, and it's probably better that way. There's rampant fandom speculation, as is always the case... but the good thing is it doesn't seem to be his health.
Meanwhile, due to his wrist injuries, Bob Bryar is also not playing with the band. According to Bob, he played the late October Hoboken, NJ show with his wrists in incredible pain, and against doctor's advice, went on to play the two opening shows for Bon Jovi before having to accept that he needed time off. Hence, why the band controversially cancelled their Maine show.
While we all joke "is My Chemical Romance cursed?" this does make me wonder:
Are we, the fans, destroying our bands? Do we expect too much from them?
This year alone, I saw My Chemical Romance twice, in February and October. And I'm bumming that I didn't make it to more shows. I suppose I could have, too, since they never stopped touring. There is no way this does not take a massive physical, as well as mental, toll on the band. On any band.
How many bands left tours this year, only to officially break up weeks or even days later? How many of these bands were scheduled for weeks on end with no days off? Or maybe a single day of downtime in Akron, Ohio? They're not seeing their families or friends, they're sleeping on buses or in vans -- with the smaller bands doing what they can to not get their stuff stolen, as that's a stressful epidemic right now. They're eating what they can.
And while most of the bands I have ever talked to say they love being on the road and meeting the kids, playing their songs, all of that... it's not quite natural to have people working virtually non-stop for months at a time. The travel with overnight drives, lugging gear around, dodging crazy fans... the stress is incomprehensible.
And of course, we want to see the bands. And they want us to see them. They want to make us happy. I know I get petulant when I see west coast only tours for bands I like, or want to see bands over and over, so I'm sure as hell guilty of exactly what I am talking about. If someone told me I could buy tickets for My Chemical Romance today? Despite thinking they need and deserve time off, I'd buy those tickets, go to the show, and angle myself into the best position possible once the show happened.
I'm not sure that there's an answer, or even as much of a problem as I've laid out here. After all, the guys in these bands are all adults and old enough to say, "hey, I kind of need a few weeks off." It's still hard to hear one of your favorite bands is having such a hard time.
Either way, here's hoping for a speedy recovery for Bob and that whatever is going on with Frank isn't serious.
