My Chemical Romance is currently in the midst of a big world tour, and they just debuted a new song live while performing at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium.
Titled “War Beneath the Rain,” the song was written years ago, before their 2013 split — as noted by Stereogum — with frontman Gerard Way revealing that they recorded the song at a studio in North Hollywood for “a record that never came out,” which is likely The Paper Kingdom project.
“This was one of the songs we really loved from it,” he added. “It was just us in the studio with our friend [the late studio engineer] Doug McKean—he was there recording it. His family’s here tonight. I want this to go out to them.”
The sold-out Long Live The Black Parade tour started July 11 in Washington state, and is making its way through the U.S. over the next couple of months before ending in Tampa, Florida, on Sept. 13. After that, MCR will head down to South America and Asia in 2026.
During the band’s stop at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, the emo band surprised the crowd by covering the Pumpkins’ 1995 hit song. In response, the Billy Corgan-fronted band shared an Instagram post featuring several TikTok memes that joke about the resemblance between Corgan and MCR frontman Gerard Way, as fans often speculate that they resemble father and son.
The Smashing Pumpkins Inspired the Way Brothers to start MCR
The ties between My Chemical Romance and the Smashing Pumpkins run pretty far back, believe it or not, to before MCR ever even formed. In fact, MCR bassist Mikey Way once told Rock Sound that seeing the Pumpkins on their 1996 Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness tour was a significant part of what inspired him to form a band.
“I remember that and the energy in the room. I was so awestruck, that they were playing Madison Square Garden a day after or two days after, and I was like, ‘I gotta go again,’” he continued, revealing that he wanted to bring his brother, Gerard, to the MSG show.
“I think my brother had that same kind of revelation I did that night when we saw the Madison Square Garden show,” Mikey added. “I remember nudging him and being like, ‘This is what I want to do. This is what we’re gonna do — and we’re gonna play in this room.’ And I remember him completely agreeing with me at the moment and being like, ‘You’re absolutely right.’”
The post My Chemical Romance Just Debuted a New Song Live—Written Before Their 2013 Split appeared first on VICE.
