Gerard way now. Gerard Way: 'I didn't sign up to be a rock star'

, musician, artist

After graduating in 1995 high school Belville Way decided to pursue a career in the comics industry. On this moment two comics were published: The Umbrella Academy and The True Lives of Fabulous Killjoys.

He went to school visual arts in New York, from which he graduated in 1999 with a bachelor's degree fine arts.

Career

In the early 2000s, Way worked in New York. It so happened that he became an eyewitness to the events of September 11th. This event prompted him to reconsider and radically change his life. He decided to connect it with music. Returning home, he formed a band with his high school friend Matt Pelissier, later joined by another friend of theirs, Ray Toro. Mikey, who, in order to play in Gerard’s band, dropped out of college and learned to play the bass guitar in just six months, became interested in his older brother’s new occupation. He also suggested the name of the group: it was borrowed from Irvine Welsh, author of the book “Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance”, which Mikey saw at work. The group performed on the East Coast and soon became quite popular in narrow circles. A little later, Frank Iero joined MCR as a rhythm guitarist, having seen them perform at one of the concerts and became interested in their unique style. A few months later the band released their first album I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love(2002). For Way, music became effective means battle against perpetual depression, alcoholism and drugs, which led to the writing of deeply personal songs such as “Demolition Lovers”, dedicated to his (now ex-) girlfriend, or “Helena”, written after the death of his grandmother, who had always been very supportive of Gerard and the rest of the group members.

Despite his success as a musician, Way did not give up drawing - he painted for his own and other similar groups. For example, album covers My Chemical Romance Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge(2004) and The Black Parade(2006) drawn by Gerard. Through his work, he also raised money for various charities, in particular to fight breast cancer. He also recorded a cover version of the song “Under Pressure” together with the group The Used to help those affected by the tsunami (to which all the money from the sale of this single was allocated).

Personal life

Way battled alcoholism and drug addiction for many years and has remained sober since August 2004. On September 3, 2007, after a concert in Colorado, Way married Mindless Self Indulgence bass player Lindsey Ballato. Currently resides in Los Angeles, California. On May 27, 2009, the couple had a daughter, Bandit Lee.

Discography

• I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002)
• Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
• The Black Parade (2006)
• Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010)
• Hesitant Alien (2014)

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Notes

Links

• Way, Gerard (English) on the Internet Movie Database

Excerpt characterizing Way, Gerard

The troops continued to retreat from Smolensk. The enemy followed them. On August 10, the regiment, commanded by Prince Andrei, passed through high road, past the avenue leading to Bald Mountains. The heat and drought lasted for more than three weeks. Every day, curly clouds walked across the sky, occasionally blocking the sun; but in the evening it cleared up again, and the sun set in a brownish-red haze. Only heavy dew at night refreshed the earth. The bread that remained on the root burned and spilled out. The swamps are dry. The cattle roared from hunger, not finding food in the sun-burnt meadows. Only at night and in the forests there was still dew and there was coolness. But along the road, along the high road along which the troops marched, even at night, even through the forests, there was no such coolness. The dew was not noticeable on the sandy dust of the road, which had been pushed up more than a quarter of an arshin. As soon as dawn broke, the movement began. The convoys and artillery walked silently along the hub, and the infantry were ankle-deep in soft, stuffy, hot dust that had not cooled down overnight. One part of this sand dust was kneaded by feet and wheels, the other rose and stood as a cloud above the army, sticking into the eyes, hair, ears, nostrils and, most importantly, into the lungs of people and animals moving along this road. The higher the sun rose, the higher the cloud of dust rose, and through this thin, hot dust it was possible to look at the sun, not covered by clouds. with the naked eye. The sun appeared as a large crimson ball. There was no wind, and people were suffocating in this still atmosphere. People walked with scarves tied around their noses and mouths. Arriving at the village, everyone rushed to the wells. They fought for water and drank it until they were dirty.
Prince Andrei commanded the regiment, and the structure of the regiment, the welfare of its people, the need to receive and give orders occupied him. The fire of Smolensk and its abandonment were an era for Prince Andrei. A new feeling of bitterness against the enemy made him forget his grief. He was entirely devoted to the affairs of his regiment, he was caring for his people and officers and affectionate with them. In the regiment they called him our prince, they were proud of him and loved him. But he was kind and meek only with his regimental soldiers, with Timokhin, etc., with completely new people and in a foreign environment, with people who could not know and understand his past; but as soon as he came across one of his former ones, from the staff, he immediately bristled again; he became angry, mocking and contemptuous. Everything that connected his memory with the past repulsed him, and therefore he tried in the relations of this former world only not to be unfair and to fulfill his duty.
True, everything seemed to Prince Andrei in a dark, gloomy light - especially after they left Smolensk (which, according to his concepts, could and should have been defended) on August 6, and after his father, sick, had to flee to Moscow and throw the Bald Mountains, so beloved, built and inhabited by him, for plunder; but, despite this, thanks to the regiment, Prince Andrei could think about something else, completely independent of general issues subject - about your regiment. On August 10, the column in which his regiment was located reached Bald Mountains. Prince Andrey received news two days ago that his father, son and sister had left for Moscow. Although Prince Andrei had nothing to do in Bald Mountains, he, with his characteristic desire to relieve his grief, decided that he should stop by Bald Mountains.
He ordered a horse to be saddled and from the transition rode on horseback to his father’s village, in which he was born and spent his childhood. Driving past a pond, where dozens of women were always talking, beating rollers and rinsing their laundry, Prince Andrei noticed that there was no one on the pond, and a torn raft, half filled with water, was floating sideways in the middle of the pond. Prince Andrei drove up to the gatehouse. There was no one at the stone entrance gate, and the door was unlocked. The garden paths were already overgrown, and calves and horses were walking around the English park. Prince Andrei drove up to the greenhouse; the glass was broken, and some trees in tubs were knocked down, some withered. He called out to Taras the gardener. Nobody responded. Walking around the greenhouse to the exhibition, he saw that the wooden carved fence was all broken and the plum fruits were torn from their branches. An old man (Prince Andrei saw him at the gate as a child) sat and weaved bast shoes on a green bench.
He was deaf and did not hear Prince Andrei's entrance. He was sitting on a bench where he liked to sit old prince, and near him a sash was hung on the branches of a broken and dried magnolia.
Prince Andrei drove up to the house. Several linden trees in the old garden had been cut down, one piebald horse with a foal walked in front of the house between the rose trees. The house was boarded up with shutters. One window downstairs was open. The yard boy, seeing Prince Andrei, ran into the house.
Alpatych, having sent his family away, remained alone in Bald Mountains; he sat at home and read the Lives. Having learned about the arrival of Prince Andrey, he, with glasses on his nose, buttoned up, left the house, hastily approached the prince and, without saying anything, began to cry, kissing Prince Andrey on the knee.

“I haven’t even had coffee yet. This is crazy,” complains a jet-lagged Gerard Way over the phone from Portugal. Almost two years have passed since the breakup of his band My Chemical Romance, but 37-year-old Way has no more free time. The concert in Lisbon, where not a single ticket was left at the box office, is just the start of a European tour that will last for several months.

Performances where Gerard performs songs from the album “Hesitant Alien” are held with sold-outs - both in London and in Moscow, where tickets ran out a couple of months before the concert. All this is understandable, the fans’ love is so strong. One thing that is not clear is why a rock singer from New Jersey who has recorded several platinum albums suddenly begins to throw around the names of ancient indie bands from the UK in his interviews.

You say that you recorded the album inspired by the Britpop scene of the 90s. How did you dig up this junk?

When everyone in America listened to grunge, I didn’t find myself in these songs. The music that was coming from England at the same time told a much better story about my life - it seemed to me that they were singing exactly about how I was living in my New Jersey.

And what did you like most about those years?

Perhaps Pulp. My favorite track is “The Fear,” the first on the “This Is Hardcore” album. I loved Blur, they were the first ones I listened to, and then I really liked Elastica. And I've always loved Lush, even though it's not considered Britpop.

Doesn't it seem strange to you that the former vocalist of an American rock band that sold millions of records is a fan of the forgotten band Elastica?

There is a little, but nothing can be done.

The British Daily Mail called your band "leaders of a sinister emo cult"...

Yes, it was a little over the top. They constantly wrote things about us that were not true or slightly distorted our words.

Your photo on the album cover strongly resembles David Bowie. Is this a conscious imitation?

Ha! No, I don’t think I was imitating anyone on purpose. I wanted the cover to look like it came from that era between the mid-70s and mid-80s, which included everyone from Iggy Pop to Gary Numan.

These people were younger than you when they recorded their classic songs. Is it possible to be a rock star at 40?

I never considered myself a rock star. I did not sign up for this and never played this role. I don't think my next album will be rock. I have nothing new to say in this music.

What about your image? What would you do if you suddenly went bald?

Oh, my God... Then everyone would admire the imperfection of my elongated skull, and this sight is not for the faint of heart. It's good that I'm not bald, in general. Lord, I really am almost 40!

Do you think you will ever sing My Chemical Romance songs on stage again?

Here good question. I was thinking about this recently. This could very well happen.

Last geeky question. I heard you were into the Dungeons & Dragons board game...

Yes, I still collect all sorts of things related to her. And in general I big fan Games Workshop products, I have a lot board games their production.

What character did you play in Dungeons & Dragons?

I always played as a half-elf ranger. I like rangers, they are trackers and can use a bow. The hardest thing is to find a cleric for your party: choose among your friends someone who wants to play a character who walks around with a mace and heals people.

Gerard Way is popular American artist. He was born on April 9 (according to the horoscope Aries) 1977 in Summit (USA, New Jersey). His height is about 175 centimeters and his weight reaches 67 kilograms. Full name– Gerard Arthur Way.

Gerard was born into the family of Dona and Donald Way. By origin, Gerard has Scottish and Italian roots. In addition to Gerard himself, the family also raised him younger brother named Mikey Way, who today is also famous musician. Essentially, Gerard was raised by his beloved grandmother, Elena Lee Rush, who always spent time with him. Thanks to her, he learned to draw beautifully, sing and not be afraid of anything. IN primary school he was able to perform for the first time in front of a large audience at one of school plays where he got it the main role Peter Pan.

The legendary Bon Jovi helped him fall in love with music. One day, he was listening to some records and came across the works of Bon Jovi, from then on he decided to become musical performer to become like him in the future. Then he became addicted to drawing and singing. While his peers spent long periods of time at various parties, Gerard devoted all his time to his own development.

In high school, he went a little astray, and for a period he led an immoral lifestyle, but later he took the right path. At the age of sixteen he wrote various comics about a serial killer. After graduating from school, he decides to enter the Institute of Fine Arts in New York and continue his endeavors in the comics industry. After receiving his diploma, Gerard becomes an intern at DC Comics.

Music career

Gerard Way founded My Chemical Romance in 2001, which had its share of fame until it split in 2013. After that he released his debut solo album in 2014 and called it "Hesitant Alien", which was able to reach number one in the UK charts.

He is also the lead vocalist of The Hormones, along with guitarists Ian Fowles and Matt Gurin, drummer Jard Alexander and pianist James Davis.

Relationship

Gerard Way marries musician Lindsay Ballato (Lin-3) in September 2007. Their wedding ceremony took place behind the scenes of Gerard's next concert. In May 2009, their daughter Bandit Lee Way was born. Currently, the entire Way family lives in Los Angeles.

Gerard Arthur Way(eng. Gerard Arthur Way; born April 9, 1977) - American musician, former lead singer of My Chemical Romance (2001-2013), and comic book writer.

Biography

Gerard Way was born in Summit, New Jersey, the son of Donna Lee and Donald Way. The family later moved to Belleville. He is of Italian descent on his mother's side and Scottish on his father's side. He first began singing in public in the fourth grade, performing the role of Peter Pan in school play. His maternal grandmother, Elena Lee Rush, taught Gerard to sing, draw and perform from the very beginning. early childhood. Gerard was very surprised to realize that he could actually sing. Way later recalled: “She taught me everything I know.” At school, Gerard was not popular, had a reputation as a “fat loser” and was a very amorous young man. However, one of the girls who was once the object of his admiration went to Greece, and the second even posed in explicit poses for her boyfriend, which seriously upset Gerard, he “was just swimming in this pit of despair, jealousy and alcoholism.”

At age 15, according to Gerard in an interview Rolling magazine Stone, he was held at gunpoint: “They attacked me with a .357 Magnum revolver, put the gun to my forehead and forced me to kneel and put my hands behind my head.”

After graduating from Belleville High School in 1995, Way decided to pursue a career in the comics industry. At the moment, two comics have been published: The Umbrella Academy and The True Lives of Fabulous Killjoys.

He attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City, graduating in 1999 with a BFA.

Career

In the early 2000s, Way worked in New York. It so happened that he became an eyewitness to the events of September 11th. This event prompted him to reconsider and radically change his life. He decided to connect it with music. Returning home, he formed a band with his high school friend Matt Pelissier, later joined by another friend of theirs, Ray Toro. Mikey, who, in order to play in Gerard’s band, dropped out of college and learned to play the bass guitar in just six months, became interested in his older brother’s new occupation. He also suggested the name of the group: it was borrowed from Irvine Welsh, the author of the book “Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance,” which Mikey saw at work. The group performed on the East Coast and soon became quite popular in narrow circles. A little later, Frank Iero joined MCR as a rhythm guitarist, having seen them perform at one of the concerts and became interested in their unique style. A few months later, the band released their first album, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002). For Way, music became an effective tool in the fight against persistent depression, alcoholism and drugs, which led to the writing of deeply personal songs such as "Demolition Lovers", dedicated to his (now ex-) girlfriend, or "Helena", written after the death of his grandmother. who has always been very supportive of Gerard and the rest of the band.

Despite his success as a musician, Way did not give up drawing - he painted for his own and other similar groups. For example, the covers of the albums My Chemical Romance Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004) and The Black Parade (2006) drawn by Gerard. Through his work, he also raised money for various charities, in particular to fight breast cancer. He also recorded a cover version of the song “Under Pressure” with by The Used to help victims of the tsunami (to which all the money from the sale of this single was allocated).

Personal life

Way battled alcoholism and drug addiction for many years and has remained sober since August 2004. On September 3, 2007, after a concert in Colorado, Way married Mindless Self Indulgence bass player Lindsay Ballato. Currently resides in Los Angeles, California. On May 27, 2009, the couple had a daughter, Bandit Lee.

Discography

• I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002)
• Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
• The Black Parade (2006)
• Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010)
• Hesitant Alien (2014)