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September 5, 2006

Bring Two Bucks (And Your Eyeliner)

MTV's race to embrace mall punk is in high gear; hot on the heels of giving the bottle-beaten Panic! At The Disco a Video of The Year nod, Music (ha) Television is hosting My Chemical Romance at the MTV2 $2Bill Concert at Philadelphia's Trocadero tomorrow night. Who's going? It may be a hike from New York but, with a ticket that cheap, you crazy kids will have plenty of cash left over for makeup!

MCR hit the MTV VMAs for a dramatic, rooftop rendition of "The Black Parade." Now, we honestly couldn't get through the whole thing (which could be due to the one-minute drum roll intro), but we wanna give 'em props for bringing some showmanship with their "rock."

If you turn up the volume and listen really closely, you'll hear Freddie Mercury rolling over in his grave.

This album's going straight to #1, isn't it? (Sigh.)

Posted at 6:56 PM in
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34 Comments

im not saying he wasnt dumb before, but he looks even worse with bleached hair.

Posted by: goo at 09/05/06 7:47 PM | Reply
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I'll admit that I'm a fan of My Chemical Romance, but this song wasn't that good. A bit too much of whatever it is. Hopefully the album will be better than this.

Posted by: Robert at 09/05/06 8:14 PM | Reply
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That wuz awesum and I mean Kangaroo Jack awesum.

Posted by: LOSER at 09/05/06 8:17 PM | Reply
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Is all this You Tubing really necessary?

Posted by: Ferris at 09/05/06 8:34 PM | Reply
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I was so confused to why MTV was so pumped about this MCR performance. they made it sounds like it would go down in VMA history, and that was their first mistake- hyping it up. the second mistake was that the song and performance sucked. snore.

Posted by: liv at 09/05/06 9:08 PM | Reply
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Sounds like theyre ripping off American Idiot.

Posted by: Rich at 09/05/06 9:14 PM | Reply
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Sounds pretty sucky. As for Freddie Mercury rolling over in his grave, I sure hope this crap doesn't wake him up.

Posted by: theKING at 09/05/06 9:16 PM | Reply
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I am intrigued by this post, because it seems to say a lot of things about the nature of music blogs when it comes to perceived "good bands" vs. perceived "bad bands." Obviously a band's quality is a matter of opinion, and let me start this by saying that I dislike both My Chemical Romance and Death Cab For Cutie (although I used to be a pretty huge DCFC fan), and I am not singling out Stereogum as the only culprit, just the one that led me to type this right now.

On this post, My Chemical Romance is trashed, obviously. Stereogum couldn't get through the whole performance, the site refers to MCR as a "rock" band, and there is disgust at MCR's success. OK, fine.

Now, just a few posts down, there's a favorable post on Death Cab For Cutie. Here's the question: What makes My Chemical Romance a "rock" band, and Death Cab for Cutie a rock band? Is it just because Death Cab for Cutie is popular amongst the indie crowd, and MCR is popular amongst the mass-market, MTV crowd? I'm the first to say that both these bands suck giant mule dick, but at least MCR is doing something unique. They've obviously tapped into something that means a lot to a lot of kids (with an encyclopedia's worth of Ultragrrrl hyperbole to show for it), and their whole gothy punk theatrical shtick is at least different and their own invention (with AFI, Panic at the Disco et al's widespread fame coming after). They took some risks, developed their act, and they took off. They have a vision, as misguided as it may be to people who don't like their crappy songs.

Then there's Death Cab for Cutie, which has been pumping out the same mellow vagina rock since Something About Airplanes. They've released what is essentially the same album five times since 1999. There is absolutely no growth there. Their rise to mid-level fame came because of repeated namedrops on a hit TV show (The OC a hit...remember THOSE days?).

Look, this could go on forever, but it's just something I've noticed lately on music blogs, which were supposed to be this great revolutionary equalizer. Why are some bands instantly dismissed, and their status of even being a legit band called into question, while so many others are just assumed to be good and cool because, well, I don't know. Because Seth Cohen or some other tastemaker said so?

Posted by: Joey at 09/05/06 10:03 PM | Reply
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You know what Joey

You REALLY need to check out So More Scene if you want to read a blog that likes emo rock. Scolding Amrit for this post is like chiding a Yankee fan for mocking Carlos Beltram.

What is unfortunate is the assumption that all indie fans are disheveled snobs who roll their eyes at the sunrise. Just because I like Ratatat, doesn't mean I will scoff if you like MCR. They have many fans. I'm just not one of them. I doubt Amrit is either. If anything, he is the bigger person for letting indie fans decide for themselves as opposed to not even putting the video on his site.

Posted by: Mo! at 09/05/06 10:43 PM | Reply
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Stereogramps is just pissed because MCR could kick his ass and his other cutie fag indie bands used to get the shit kicked out of them in high school

Posted by: mexico at 09/05/06 10:46 PM | Reply
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On THIS site not his site.

Posted by: Mo! at 09/05/06 10:46 PM | Reply
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well, i'm an indie snob, so maybe my taste is bad, but that song is total sheeit. i made it about two minutes in, the drama was too much, and i needed a beer. who is my chemical romance?

Posted by: joshua at 09/05/06 11:05 PM | Reply
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mcr have done better.
but i've seen and heard much MUCH worse from other bands out there.

Posted by: frankie at 09/05/06 11:22 PM | Reply
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The first thing i thought when i watched this on mtv was 'why the hell are bands like this and the killers trying so hard to sound like Queen?'

right on amrit that I'm not the only one who thinks this!

Posted by: Buckeye at 09/05/06 11:40 PM | Reply
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Dudes, if you see the post is about My Chemical Romance and you don't like My Chemical Romance, then why read the post? Simply to complain about its existence? The fact that you took the time to post something about it, along with all the other posts and discussion generated from it, has already proved it was worth putting up. Really, is your time that precious that you can't be bothered? The fact that you're analyzing their place on a blog proves otherwise. Personally, I'm not a fan, and that performance was way of the top. I respect them though, they can write a catchy tune. F-ing Helena.

Posted by: Frankie Lee at 09/06/06 12:05 AM | Reply
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Frankies "Contradiction" Lee

Posted by: dude at 09/06/06 1:03 AM | Reply
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Never claimed my time was precious, that's why it's ok for me.

Posted by: Frankie Lee at 09/06/06 1:20 AM | Reply
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Go to a Metal site and Keane will instantly be dismissed. Go to a blues site and Fall Out Boy is going to instantly be dismissed. Go to an Emo website and Mariah Carey is going to be dismissed. It's all a matter of opinion, and if you go to an Indie music blog, the opinion is going to be slanted towards DCFC over MCR. You could break it down and describe why one band is technically a better band, but if that were the answer, Yngwie Malmsteen would be the God of music.

Posted by: dude at 09/06/06 1:20 AM | Reply
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Who said their time was precious?

Posted by: Rza at 09/06/06 1:27 AM | Reply
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wait, who said yngwie malmsteen wasn't the god of music?

Posted by: min at 09/06/06 2:04 AM | Reply
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i didn't know platinum blonde could be that sexy.

JAYkay.

Posted by: tiffany at 09/06/06 2:38 AM | Reply
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i think ben gibbard is the fat kid in the front of the dead boy choir. so why are we splitting hairs here?

Posted by: nick at 09/06/06 2:44 AM | Reply
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Sarah's going to scratch out your eyeballs for this post, Amrit.

Posted by: pageblank at 09/06/06 3:47 AM | Reply
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I couldn't get past the 'elevator' scene. god. I was overcome with cheesy chills.

Posted by: Amanda at 09/06/06 9:52 AM | Reply
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musical taste will always be subjective. but if everything is okay because SOMEONE likes it, well then, doesn't that mean that everything is good? doesn't that logic negate the entire basis of music criticism? i'm not a MCR fan, but have actually enjoyed listening to their singles, on occasion. that does not mean that i can't say that this song os terrible. from concept to execution, it just isn't good. i find it interesting that the people defending MCR aren't actually saying anything about this massive pile of crap.

Posted by: KT at 09/06/06 9:57 AM | Reply
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you can hear the studio version of this song here: http://resonator-mag.livejournal.com/40837.html

it's still not very good, but the guy's singing sounds a bit better.

Posted by: george at 09/06/06 11:35 AM | Reply
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what is so bad about aiming for a sound that is reminiscent of queen? i think it's great that they're expanding their musical influences. and i think the new song rocks (hearing it on radio) but yeah, the vocals could be better and the vma performance was over-the-top (pun intended) and not in a good way.

Posted by: finn at 09/06/06 11:59 AM | Reply
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I fucking really don't like MCR... but 'Helena' was a good song and is miles and miles beyond fucking Panic! which seriously sounds like Musak with Alvin And The Fucking Chipmunks singing over the top... MCR aren't my cup of tea but I'll take them anyday over Cartel, P!@TD, Fall Out Boy and every other fucking band that MTV/FUSE seem to really really like...

Posted by: Patch at 09/06/06 12:00 PM | Reply
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I think the MCR & Queen comparisons started with Dave Grohl in Spin about a year ago. He mentioned that Helena sounded like a Queen song. He also mentioned that the makeup and piercings were kinda lame and they'd look at themselves in ten years and regret it. Apparently their marketing team missed that part of the article.

Posted by: mrbenning at 09/06/06 2:06 PM | Reply
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Is it just me or does gerard look a little bit like lonelygirl15?

Posted by: fletcher at 09/06/06 5:48 PM | Reply
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omg, i think i've heard this song before...better made by david bowie and the beatles! ;-)

Posted by: adam at 09/06/06 7:47 PM | Reply
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Is it just me or does gerard look a lot like lonelygirl15?

Posted by: fletcher at 09/06/06 8:19 PM | Reply
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MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ROCKS SO DO THEIR SONGS.THEY'RE ONE OF THE BEST BANDS EVER
GERAD WAY,MIKEY WAY,AND FRANK IERO ARE SO FUCKIN HOT!
I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO THEIR CONCERT THEY ROCK SO MUCH!!! YOU'LL BE SINGING SO LOUD AND HARD YOU WILL LOSE YOUR VOICE,YOUR EYES WILL BURN OUT FROM THEIR HOTTNESS! IF YOU THINK THEY SUCK THEN YOU FUCKIN SUCK AND DON'T KNOW WHAT MUSIC IS!!
I went to dinner with them!!!
ha!ha!ha!you didn't bitches!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: MONICA CUHA at 11/14/06 12:30 AM | Reply
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God I love My Chemical Romance... But I really like the albums version of the song! Plus it only really showed Gerad not anybody else which sucked!

Posted by: Megan at 12/23/06 7:32 PM | Reply
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