Title: My Chemical Romance - Frank Iero
Source: Taste iT TV
Date: Uploaded May 13, 2012 (Conducted May 25/26, 2011)
Transcribed By: Cassie
—-[Frank and interviewer Brigitte Maenhout sit in what appears to be a very cramped space for a “chat.”]
Brigitte Maenhout: You know, I’ve been a My Chem for a long time, and what I admire most about My Chem is that you guys always stay who you are, and that’s not an easy thing to do, so—
Frank Iero: I mean, it is and it isn’t, you know? I think being in this business and doing what we do, there’s a lot of outside bullshit that gets talked to you, and we’ve done a pretty good job of kind of staying within our bubble. I think that’s the survival of the band kind of thing is to not really listen too much to the outside- [makes air quotes] “outsiders,” if you will. You know, and kind of keeping your head down and doing what you love to do, and just remembering the real reason that you do this as opposed to like all the hooplah that goes along with it. Definitely, that keeps your [inaudible mumbling…] kind of thing.
I just don’t— I don’t see the point in changing who you are because of whatever [kind of recognition?] or things that are happening. That’s not the point.
Brigitte: But, were you always like that? Because I remember that I kind of had to learn it; because, as a kid, you go through phases where well, stupidly sometimes, you kind of want to fit in—
Frank: [frowning in thought] No… You know, well— It’s kind of cool we were talking about this the other day, and it’s like: We’ve been a band for, like, 10 years now, and when I joined the band, I was like 18, maybe 19. And so, I learned a lot. I grew up in this band, basically. You know? And everybody has their pitfalls. When you’re young, you think you know it all, and then you hit 20 or 25, you go crazy and you realize that you really didn’t know shit at all. And then, you’re like, “Holy shit! I’m 25, and I don’t know a fucking thing!” And you can either embrace that or you can make it drive you nuts, you know?
But, uh, having a really important, like, support system and being able to do this with the greatest guys I’ve ever met—that helps a lot. I’ve learned so much from these dudes. Not even just as being a musician, but to be a better person. I got really lucky. They’re really good dudes.
Brigitte: Yeah? Hmm. Well, I can see that. I mean, I—yeah, I mean, I know Gerard a bit, but I can definitely see that they are very genuine people—
Frank: Yeah. Absolutely.
Brigitte: You can even see it onstage.
Frank: [chuckles]
Brigitte: It’s true! Like, look at Ray when he’s onstage— [laughs]
Frank: [grinning] Oh, yeah. I love watching him play. Oh, man.
Brigitte: But, you all have that. You all have your, like your personality that shines through, and that’s really awesome for a band, to see that, and—
Frank: Thank you.
Brigitte: You’re welcome. But, you were talking about that you don’t know things. And I’m going through phases now where I keep on discovering so much more while I’m growing older. Is that the same for you?
Frank: Absolutely. That’s what life’s all about, is learning lessons, you know? Whether it be a good experience or a bad experience, or learning what not to do. You have to evolve. You can’t be the same person that you were at 13 that you are at 23. You just can’t. I think if you stay stagnant, especially artistically, it’s the death of creativity if you stay stagnant. That’s the thing: they say you get older and wiser, but you don’t get smart until you’re like way into your 60s.
Brigitte: Yeah, I agree. Are there certain—. This is quite personal, so if you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to. But, I notice that in myself is that there are certain things I really start thinking about like if I’m lonely, it’s not really, like, the meaning of life, but especially, like, “why?” I keep on asking the question “why?” for everything, basically. Is that the same thing for you?
Frank: Nah, yeah. I mean, well— You know, it’s one of those things too. It’s a fine line. I think it’s human nature to be curious about “why?” And what does this all mean, why are we here, what are we doing? And, at the same time, you can’t let it overcome you. You know? Because, really, it’s just as simple as just—at least for me, it’s “to make the world a different place.”
I think the worst thing you can do is to live your life and have the world be the exact same place it was before [Inaudible, speech covered by background noise]. If you don’t make a mark or you don’t make a difference or you don’t inspire other people, then what was the point? If the world’s the same place whether you’re here or not, then that’s just a bummer.Brigitte: Wow. You know what. I never thought about that. That’s—
Frank: And, hopefully, it’s in a positive way. But, [inaudible, mumbling] just striving to be passionate about anything, you know, and really put your heart and soul into it and be happy. That’s really all— I mean, other than the secrets of the universe, I think that’s all that we can really fathom right now, and I’m fine with that. I’m fine with just going out there and doing what I love to do and hopefully inspiring people along the way. And now that I have a family, too, it’s like, “Wow. Now I know what I was here for.”
Brigitte: Yeah?
Frank: Yeah, absolutely.
Brigitte: Yeah, for me, that’s still hard to understand. I mean, I have a little niece, so I know that, but—
Frank: That’s the thing [mumbles] life. You have to come to grips with the point that you’re never going to understand. And that’s okay.
Brigitte: Yeah?
Frank: I think so.
Brigitte: [grinning] That’s cool, because a lot of people are control freaks and that’s the thing they fear most—
Frank: I’m sure.
Brigitte: —is not being in control.
Frank: Yeah. Well, why would you want to be? I think life would be boring if you controlled it.
Brigitte: That is very true, but, I mean, I think we’re taught from a young age that we have to be in control. That otherwise it’s [air quotes] “dangerous.”
Frank: Yeaahh, but that’s the same thing as like—at least for me—like if religion or this believing in Santa Claus kind of thing is to keep people in check, you know? For people that like don’t care about right or wrong, but like, “Well, fuck it. If I’m not good this year then Santa will bring me coal.” It’s like the same thing, like, if you’re not good then you’re going to go to Hell, but I think you should really—. Everybody knows innately right or wrong, unless you’re Schizophrenic or like, you know—. So, just to make the world a better place and to just— It’s fulfilling to be a good person, I think.
Brigitte: Yeah, you’re right. Well, you’re very right. And, we improvised this so I’m not going to take up too much of your time, because—
Frank: [appears to say something reassuring]
Brigitte: I mean, I just—I can’t believe how nice you guys are. Like, I just ask you to do this and you just do it. It’s amazing.
Frank: [three inaudible syllables that make both laugh. If you know what he says, please, submit corrections]
Brigitte: But, you know what? Stay who you are, because you are inspiring to kids out there, and it’s incredible. Even with it the #SINGItForJapan—
Frank: Also, and that’s the thing too: I feel extremely fortunate to be able to do what we do, and to be in a position where you can actually change things for the better and give a little bit back, you know, and encourage other people to do the same—that’s a great feeling. I hope we can even contribute like [holds up his index finger and thumb about an inch apart] this much to a terrible tragedy. And I think that it should be at least innate in humans that when something goes wrong, to forget about all the dumb shit like all our different countries or, like, trade things. It doesn’t fucking matter, like, when people need help, you band together to help. And uh, hope you can.
Brigitte: Yeah, I agree. Well, thank you very much, Frank.
Frank: [they shake hands] Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Frank: You’ve helped me and [gestures at camera] a lot of the fans and [trails off as Frank waves and the video fades]
#MCR #MCRMY #TasteiTTv … (continued) and then, later on that evening: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FD27Y4teuoM
#MCR #MCRMY #TasteiTTv before the new stuff… trip down memory lane. :D This is how it all started… 3rd of April 2007 - Cologne, standing with a cardboard sign on the front row of the My Chemical Romance show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBos13FQaLw
#MCR #MCRMy I have a real treat coming up on Taste iT Tv for all #MyChemicalRomance fans. Something that was done a long time ago, but because of the circumstances it was filmed in, I needed help with the editing and luckily, @ChrisDoney has helped me out! So you can expect a great new MCR interview, it’s something you haven’t seen before on taste it tv… so… I need your help now. Can you help me find all MCR fans on the planet? Get them to like our FB page (http://www.facebook.com/TasteiTTv), join the twitter (www.twitter.com/tasteittv) and subscribe to the youtube (www.youtube.com/TasteiTTv)? I just want everyone to see it :) I hope u can help me out! PLEASE RT!!!
And if u know any other ideas on how I can reach more MCR fans, please let me know. Feel free to post it on forums… all your help is REALLY appreciated!!!! Thanks so much! Bri x
What do you think about sex?
I have been wondering a lot about it. Cause in the society that we get projected to us through that stupid electric box that keeps us quiet (not saying that this reflects the real society, it is just presented to us in that way, and as a group of lemmings, some of us just seem to accept that little box as a truth machine), we see sex as pure pleasure. An animalistic act that has become as common as unwrapping a chocolate bar. And it’s ok, you can indulgence in it, it’s ok to have one night stands and just enjoy yourselves… as long as it’s mutual of course.
But is it? Even besides the fact that there are a bunch of idiots out there who all of a sudden seem to forget that there could be some consequences, like children being born into an unloving environment… but even besides that…
Is it ok? Shouldn’t we raise our kids and remind them of the beautiful and powerful emotion that sex can be? It is so much more then what it is portrait to be. It creates a connection, a deep connection. And it has a larger impact on both people involved. After all, you are ‘being intimate’… do you really want to be intimate with some drunken stranger on a beach in Spain?
I am trying not to preach here, because the most beautiful thing in life is that you are free, free to make your own choices and that is how you learn. But, through my experiences, I know where I stand now, I think it is sad that young minds grow up with the idea that sex, is just sex. That it’s just a low level pleasure…
Reading more and more and learning about different civilisations, opinions, religions, history… I see more and more evidence that sex is not as ‘innocent’ (not the true innocent, but innocent as in without consequence) as it is perceived to be. Sex, is powerful, it seems to have a much larger impact on the people involved than they even realize. It almost seems like it is a way to transmit powers between people and to bond people. It’s quite interesting where you find references to this ‘power’ not only through sources where you would expect it, like religious texts, but even in 20th century business books. But it’s all written very vague. They all hint to the dangers, to the power, to the force of sex and that it is something not to be meddled with in an animalistic way, but they don’t explain why.
So I was just wondering if anyone had found any in depth information. I would definitely like to learn more… and let me know how you feel, what you think…
#positivity #MyChemicalRomance My answer/opinion to this question by @Larrylog33 @GerardWay: “Gerard said in an interview tht he thot ppl were more afraid to live and make decisions than to die. what do you think about that”.
I think some people are very scared to make decisions and are very scared of life and to some, death seems easier. It’s a decision that takes away everything. It takes away their problems, their negative views, their guilt in some cases.
BUT it also takes away the positives, the friends, the possibilities, the growth, the changes that are possible and abundant in life. Why is that?
Why is it that some people reach stages in their lives where they feel as if there is nothing but darkness around them?
Well, I can’t answer for every one and I can only say what I have observed, so I don’t know if this is the truth, but this is what I think. I think at this moment society teaches us too much to walk in the rails. To blend in, to do what ‘we are supposed to do’ to live how they want us to live. And u know what… it doesnt work that way. Every one is different and everyone has a way to live, has a way that makes them happy. every ones has different possibilities and talents in their lives. When they can live in line with who they really are, they are happy. They see all the positivity, they look forward to what life throws at them, because they know that with their talents they will be able to bend anything that gets thrown at them into something amazing and wonderful. People are meant to discover who they really are and they shouldn’t be told who they are supposed to be. In the long run, it doesn’t do anyone any favors.
Now to answer the core of your question, Are ppl more afraid to live and make decisions than to die? My answer is:
I hope not. I believe and have hope that people are starting to see that there are more and more ways to start becoming themselves again. And I hope that majority is brave enough to believe that with me.
