But this time, we'll show them, we'll show them all, how much we mean

[exsequar]

Ever since I met Gerard (!!!), our conversation has run through my head a billion trillion times, and so has, inevitably, all the things I'd want to ask him. The question I most want to ask him is whether "think happy thoughts" in Headfirst For Halos is a deliberate reference to Peter Pan, and I'd also like to show him my tattoo :) I also want to thank him for playing Desert Song for the first time ever at my show, and perhaps ask why they decided to. I'm also curious about what his favorite song of theirs is, and if he's still proud of the Bullets stuff. I know there's a million other things I've thought of asking him, but I'm drawing a blank right now, durr. But anyway, what would you most like to ask Gerard (or any of the other boys) if you were given a chance to just chat with them?

I've also given thought to my ideal MCR set list, and it would look something like this:

I'm Not Okay
Thank You For the Venom
Our Lady of Sorrows
Welcome to the Black Parade
Give Em Hell, Kid
Demolition Lovers
You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us in Prison
Headfirst for Halos
My Way Home Is Through You
Cancer
House of Wolves
It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's a Deathwish
Helena
Honey, This Mirror Isn't Big Enough for the Two Of Us
Dead!
Ghost of You
Vampires Will Never Hurt You
Heaven Help Us
Desert Song
Famous Last Words

In other words, MOAR BULLETS *grabbyhands* And B-Sides! And pretty much all of Three Cheers! What about you guys? What would your ideal setlist include?

I made a post at chemicalromance with the tagged images Getty posted from Mikeyway, Steven Smith, and Matt Rubano of TBS judging a karaoke concert at Angels & Kings, and consequently waydown kindly downloaded the huge versions, which can be found over here! Oh Mikey Way, your enthusiasm just warms the cockles of my heart ;) But gosh, he is pretty, if vampiric. Though vampiric isn't really a qualifier on prettiness so much as a bonus, to be quite honest *g* And he's bearing a striking resemblance to one Geeway! Sigh, hearts, etc.

Enough rambling about my boys! I must hit the books!

Comments

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a lot of drama! o.O

Just one bit of clarification - who is Jesse Lacey?

I can't imagine MCR's lineup fluctuating that much. I feel like with the addition of Bob, they kind of settled into a happy configuration where everyone loves everyone and it's just peachy. I could eat my words at some point, but I really hope I don't! (I get the same sense about Panic - they just seem to work as a seamless whole right now, to the point where it's almost a circle jerk of "He's awesome!" "No HE'S awesome!" and so forth.)

[givesyouhell.livejournal.com]

Ah, sorry, he is the lead singer of Brand New and John Nolan's bff. And he actually used to be in TBS before Adam joined. They're actually a really good band, it's unfortunate Jesse's such a dick. Jesse also had drama with John back when John was in TBS (John slept with Jesse's girlfriend, there are some songs about that, too). I love my Long Island bands for their drama, haha.

It's so weird to me that most Panic and MCR fans are not upset about people being kicked out of the bands. With TBS, people are always going to be like "GET JOHN BACK!" or, now, "GET FRED BACK!" I still think Brent and Matt got kind of screwed. Seriously, I am so full of unpopular bandom opinions. But yeah, I guess those bands just don't have drama like TBS! Which is weird since for four years TBS was essentially drama-free and I was kind of getting used to it! When Fred quit I was crushed, because now they'll just be forever known as that band that everyone quits, there's no getting around it, but then in an interview a few weeks later Adam said something like "We're Taking Back Sunday, this is just how we do things" and it made me feel better. Some bands just aren't made to be peaceful and drama-free. And actually I think TBS make better music when Adam has something to be super bitter and angry about, anyway.

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, I see! Drama llamas! Hee.

Well, I think a few factors play into that. For one thing, the fandom surrounding these bands erupted in a big way within the past year, and it's been a good long time since Matt and Brent left. Therefore, the only perspective we have on them already labels them as "ex-members". The only input we get from them is from ancient interviews. Personally, I have only seen Matt speak once, and he said "I'm Matt, and I play drums." *hands* So there's really nothing there for me to latch onto in either a positive OR negative sense, and I'm left with what the rest of the band members and other people say about him. They say that he couldn't keep a beat, that his personality did not mesh with the rest of the band's, that he grew constantly more distant. Do I blame him for that? Not necessarily - people don't get along, it happens. Do I think he got screwed? Sure, but that doesn't mean that I think MCR should have kept him on to the detriment of the band, both in terms of emotional and musical cohesion.

The situation with Brent is shockingly similar. I've seen him in more interviews, but he is always dull, annoying, and really rather unpleasant to listen to. By all accounts he pretty much couldn't play bass, and he too began to pull away from the band. All the rest of my comments about Matt apply in exactly the same way. It sucks for both of them that it didn't work out, and there was obviously some ill feelings on both sides of the equation, but in the end I feel like both events were just something that had to be done for the health of the bands. I genuinely hope that they're both happy and successful in their lives, but I have no reason to want them back in their respective bands.

Although supposedly AP has an upcoming interview with Brent, which I just think is kind of tacky (let it go already!) but it should be interesting to see what he has to say, for once.

[givesyouhell.livejournal.com]

I guess as someone who listened to MCR long before Matt was kicked out, it's just weird that no one seems to even acknowledge he exists. And from interviews done with him, it really seems like he got screwed. I just don't like when people believe everything the rest of the band says. They could be lying just as easily, you know? Panic fans were upset when Brent got kicked out, but they got over it pretty quickly because Jon Walker's cuter. It's weird how people are, you know?

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

I'm not arguing that they didn't get screwed, but... what's the alternative? Would you have the bands just stick with a situation that isn't working for them, whatever the reason? I do understand your point about the weirdness of fans, though. I've never been around for a seachange that huge in any band I LOVE, so I really can't bring any personal experience to the matter. But yeah, mass opinion is really easily swayed - it's one of the more disturbing consequences of celebrity.

[givesyouhell.livejournal.com]

No, I'm not saying they should have stuck with it, I'm saying people blaming the people that got kicked out and believing everything the remaining members say about them is ridiculous. We have minds of our own and we should use them. Just because MCR or Panic kicked out someone "for the good of the band" doesn't mean they did an honorable thing. It's just choosing who you believe, I guess, and it just bothers me that a great majority of people choose to believe the people still in the band.

[exsequar.livejournal.com]

I gotcha. Well, maybe Brent will get his voice heard and some fans will change their stance towards him? Not likely, but possible, I suppose!

In defense of the masses, it's hard not to believe what you're told when you're not given the opposite side. It's not like Matt or Brent got an equal voice after the breakups. And also, large swathes of these fanbases are 16 or younger - they don't really know better. It's not a good thing, but it is understandable.

[givesyouhell.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's as bad as with MCR, I don't see a lot of hate for Matt, just disinterest. With Panic it's kind of scary how much they hate Brent. But I know a great deal of educated 20-something Panic fans who seriously hate Brent, for no reason other than he didn't show up to some Panic shows or something? It makes me sad for humanity.