Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance

If you ever wondered about the early days of Gerard and Mikey Way, the truly rigorous process that was the recording of "The Black Parade", or wanted a closer insight into the break up of My Chemical Romance, then this book is for you.Told almost as a historical piece, Kerrang! reporter Tom Bryant puts together a cohesive history of My Chemical Romance from the early days in New Jersey all the way to what could be construed as the end of their story. Sometimes told from his point of view, as the majority his information comes from multiple interviews with the band, this book is full of humor, heart, drama, and even sorrow that were the twelve years that made up the history of My Chemical Romance.The only complaint I have with the book is with page 128. As I was reading the book and reached that page, I noticed a Florida-shaped black blotch on the bottom corner. It made reading that particular section difficult, though through squinted eyes and the magic of context I was able to figure out what was printed. This issue may only be with my copy of the book, as it was probably a printing error, so don't expect to have the same issue with your copy. Have faith in the publisher.

It’s got a couple pages in the middle of photos which I thought was adorable! Super awesome and exactly what I wanted - hundreds of pages of mcr lore and interviews. Love love love this one :)

This is one of the best written books about a band that I’ve read. By the end, you feel like you’ve gained real insight into the band and it’s members, yet the book isn’t a “gotcha” - it feels like the band members and this author have true respect for each other. Well written, well researched. If you want to know about MCR, this book is ideal.

This really showed the ups and downs of these years. I enjoyed it immensely though it dragged on in a few parts in regards to their touring, it was a good read and I’m going to go back and listen to MCR again after a break of sorts from it. It’s gonna be great!

Rarely read and I genuinely recommend this there are so many fascinating behind the scene details and written in an interesting and descriptive way. IF YOU LIKE MCR THIS IS IT MAN

Came into this after feeling bitter about not being able to make the reunion show/seeking out a comfortable bit of nostalgia. But what really gripped me was the description of what went into each creative process (specifically, the black parade - which, oh my god, nearly took everything from them). Each band member, each creative executive has a different philosophy on the function of the creative process, and it’s fascinating to watch how these different perspectives form an album.

Love this book! Huge MCR fan! This book contains tons of information About the band and it was very enjoyable to read! It was fun to feel as if I was going along on the bands journey with them! I will read the book again!

Back cover has burn marks.

Book came damaged but they replaced it asap! It's a great read so far, really enjoying it!

I call it bible

a good read

Absolutely amazing conditions!!! I can’t wait tons read it... me And my best friend are so excited we are really big fans of My Chemical Romance.

This book is fantastic. Though it wasn't officially sanctioned by the band it did have their blessing. One reporter follows the journey of the band from humble beginnings to mega stardom. The writing style is very warm and makes the boys feel like your best friends. I've read this biography several times since I bought it and still love it. My Chem fans and music lovers alike will enjoy this book.