Not the Life It Seems The True Lives of My Chemical Romance

Author Tom Bryant has been given unparalleled access to the band over the years, and now he draws on interviews with Gerard Way, his brother Mikey, Ray Toro, and Frank Iero, as well as friends and associates, to bring their stories to life. In this unauthorized biography, he takes us behind the scenes from their very first show in front of thirty kids in New Jerseyandmdash;the Ways downing beer to calm their nervesandmdash;to international arena-storming superstardom. He sheds light on the personal demons the bandmates battled and the haunted recording sessions that resulted in the brilliance of The Black Parade. He also explores the genesis of their music, the constant reinvention that culminated in the visual splendor of Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, and the strains that led to their split in 2013.

Insightful and revealing, Not the Life It Seems presents one of the most adored rock bands of this century, their story an epic saga of self-belief and the pursuit of dreams.

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My Chemical Romance is the Nirvana of the post–hardcore generation. As the most significant band in alternative rock on both sides of the Atlantic for the past decade, My Chemical Romance has sold five million albums and played to packed arenas worldwide. In March 2013, their sudden break–up shocked the industry and made headline news in top music media around the world.

Not the Life It Seems is the true story of My Chemical Romance, a saga of the persistence, dreams, and dark forces that drive a band. Illuminated by more than twenty–four hours of firsthand interviews with the band members and those closest to them, it tells the story of an intensely private band in intimate detail.