Why Did The Romance Have To End?

I think My Chemical Romance has been one of the greatest bands of our time and will continue to be so. Their raw energy and angst has fueled every teenage dream that I’ve had and spurred me on to try harder to be better, faster, stronger and more emotional about things that really matter. They came like a shooting star into my life and like most shooting stars are now gone, but their legacy will remain.

It was a shock when I heard they had announced their break-up. It was simply so hard to fathom, I sat there for ten minutes with my mouth open, sputtering words of denial and anger. Why? How could they do this to me? I felt as if they had wronged me personally because a world without MCR is a difficult world to live in.  My throat closed up and all I wanted to do at that moment was cry because this band meant more to me than I had realized. It’s true you don’t miss something until it’s gone.

Their third studio album and [arguably] most celebrated and successful one, The Black Parade, changed my life. It made me understand how intense music can be and never have I seen lyrics so artfully crafted. Gerard Way is a fantastic idol. A man of immense intelligence and a man who understands the change music can bring in a generation. I’ve spent so many years listening and re-listening to the Black Parade that I have memorized the lyrics of most of the songs and each of the guitar solos. I can’t even choose one favourite song from that album since I love them all so much. It seriously feels like there are little nettles in my belly when I think about the fact that MCR will no long create such masterpieces.

At the end of the day though, reading Gerard Way’s letter on why MCR broke up put a lot of things into perspective for me. I understand that it was time for them to end their journey as a band because all good things do come to an end as much as we don’t want them to. Perhaps someday they will reunite for a concert or collaboration to give us members of the MCRmy a little treat.

I want to celebrate this band. I want to celebrate what they have come to mean to me since the first time I discovered them in 2006  and how much they’ve taught me as I’ve grown up. They are one of the biggest names in Alternative Rock and have influenced so many other good musicians and inspired so many. I don’t think I’ll ever stop being a fan because as frontman Gerard Way said:

“My Chemical Romance is done. But it can never die. 

It is alive in me, in the guys, and it is alive inside all of you.”

Long live the Romance.

Losing A Legend

I can’t really call myself a ‘big fan of Whitney Houston’. In fact I was only deeply in love with one of her songs which is of course the eternal ‘I Will Always Love You’, so I’m not going to come at you sprouting lies of ‘oh I was always such a huge fan’ as most people are nowadays. But the morning my father told me that one of the greatest legends of music had passed away, I did feel an immense sadness well up within me.

Whitney has always been a topic of discussion across the globe, and to be honest the horrid things said about her toxic marriage, drug addictions, weight loss and music in the past few years has rivaled that of only Michael Jackson. Which brings us to the question: How long can a celebrity bear the pressure? How long before they crumble under the immense weight of the entire planet juggling around accusations, rumours and scandals?

Michael Jackson

The truth is the majority of us are immersed in the gossip of celebrity lives and no matter how much we want to convince ourselves that we are not a reason for them to feel pain, our words/actions and responses to their work have a lot to do with their troubled psyches. The way of the world is such that this pressure will not ease. Celebrities sign up for a life of  speculation and have to learn to balance the workload, the criticism and the praise. I know I’m being a little harsh, but a fact is a fact.

A lot of what decides the fate of a celebrity lies in their own hands. It’s all about how you cope with the cards handed to you. Sometimes celebrities shove their own fates down the toilet when they involve themselves in the world of drugs, alcohol and ceaseless partying. Examples of incredibly talented musicians we’ve lost due to this include Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and most recently the beautiful Whitney. All these deaths either involved alcohol and/or prescription medication, all of which indicated these people were under some immense stress or carried a huge burden that they ended up succumbing to. It doesn’t help that they are constantly surrounded by people who lead them on the believe a snort of cocaine or a drink will fix all the problems.

Amy Winehouse

It’s incredible how much pain each of these human beings, humans like you and I, had faced in their lives. In most cases it seemed like things were turning around for them and they were ready to make amends for the mistakes they had made but were snatched away before it had all even begun. Michael was about embark on his incredible ‘This Is It’ tour. Amy was in the middle of recording a new album and was reconnecting with her fans. Whitney was all set to attend the Grammys which took place just a day or two after she died. It is so painfully ironic they left things unfinished just when they were on the path to recovery.

On a brighter note there are musicians in the industry who have tasted but conquered the hypnotic power of drugs and are living inspirations to people around the globe. Some of these courageous celebrities include Marshall Mathers aka Eminem, David Bowie, Keith Richards [The Rolling Stones], Ozzy Osborne [Black Sabbath], Dave Navarro [Jane's Addiction] and Elton John.

Dave Navarro

These musicians have proved that there is always a way to conquer your demons and though it might take time, money, strength and cause immense physical and emotional pain, the outcome is always worth it. It really is a tragedy when the world loses a musician of immense talent because the person had so much more to contribute to the music industry as was the case with Whitney Houston. There were so many songs left to sing,  people to meet and thousands of smiles to inspire.

One thing is for sure, however. We will always remember Whitney for her beautiful smile, immense talent and powerful voice. She is and will continue to be an inspiration for millions around the globe. Rest in peace Whitney. We will always love you.