They were a band formed by two high school friends one week after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, and before long they were co-headlining the Vans Warped Tour, bringing emo to the mainstream, and encouraging a generation of black-clad youth to be themselves – but now My Chemical Romance has called it quits.
"Being in this band for the past 12 years has been a true blessing," reads a statement on the band’s website that was posted Friday. "We've gotten to go places we never knew we would. We've been able to see and experience things we never imagined possible. We've shared the stage with people we admire, people we look up to, and best of all, our friends.
“And now, like all great things, it has come time for it to end. Thanks for all of your support, and for being part of the adventure."
Later that night, front man Gerard Way tweeted, “Beyond any sadness, what I feel most is pride,” with a photo of a straightjacketed escape artist dangling by his ankles.
Way, along with bandmates Ray Toro, Mikey Way and Frank Iero released four studio albums. The Black Parade was their biggest success, reaching number two on the Billboard 200.
The announcement no doubt led to some streaked eyeliner on the faces of fans, many of whom took to Twitter, some expressing sadness, thanking the band and wishing them goodbye, while others seemed to go into denial, hoping the band would once again reform under a different name, as they did when they performed live as the Black Parade. Still others saw the announcement more scientifically.
But one fan summed it up succinctly: "My Chemical Romance saved and ruined my life. Forever."
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