My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way Comes Out Swinging
What is it with emo boys and their need to duel? First Brandon Flowers spends most of 2005 and 2006 talking smack about everyone he can find, especially other black eyeliner aficionados like the Bravery frontman Sam Endicott, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy, the boys from Panic! At the Disco and the entire emo genre. And now Gerard Way has announced that he’s never engaged but only because he’s never met a worthy opponent. After Kasabian’s Tom Meighan described My Chemical Romance‘s music as “weird and dark” (to him, it’s derisive, his music is sunny and dull) and announced that My Chem would never last. In response, the easily goaded Way came out swinging. “This band [meaning My Chem] has never had a bullshit war ever. I haven’t found an opponent worthy enough yet,” Way boasted. “If you’re gonna take me on, you’d better have the balls for it! If you’re gonna talk shit about us, you’d better have the juice. And we haven’t found anybody with the juice yet.”
We suspect that — after an adolescence spent dateless and defending their lunch money — these formerly meek and docile boys are psyched about any chance to flex their (admittedly bulk-challenged) muscles and act like the bravado-filled jocks who used to beat them up. And for reformed nerd-filled bands like the Killers, My Chem, the Bravery, Panic! At the Disco, and Fall Out Boy, it is only with fame (which for Panic!, also happens to coincide with high school) that this opportunity comes. Notice that they rarely battle outside the emo family, and last time we checked, Pete Wentz was the only one of these dudes to actually throw down and fight (he recently attacked a security guard in Albuquerque, New Mexico). Meanwhile, the dudes from My Chem and Panic! last clashed with lager bottles onstage in England … and the bottles won.
So. We have to ask: Is there anyone out there with the “balls” and the “juice” necessary to take on My Chemical Romance? We think so. But who?