Because it couldn’t be anything like clinical depression or untreated mental illness… it must be music or a scene….

Here’s the thing. A 13-year-old girl told her parents she was going to kill herself, and then she did. She hung herself, and died. Her mother insists she was a “normal girl” [because that’s what normal girls do] and the person investigating the suicide said he found”elements of the emo movement very disturbing.”

So how did they determine this girl was “emo”?
-She liked My Chemical Romance. Yeah, her and millions of other people.
-She talked about The Black Parade a lot. Again, her and millions of other people who bought the album.

The worst thing the coroner investigating could find was someone writing, “I hope you like the black parade” in a tribute book. Gasp. Horror. Someone evoked music to express an emotion? It must be evil!

For some reason, the original article opened with this:

A teenage girl committed suicide because she thought the act would impress fans of emo music, an inquest has been told.

Accepting that it’s been a few years since I took a journalism class, I still have to ask: shouldn’t you have to support that with something more than “she told her parents she was going to kill herself and then she did. And she really liked My Chemical Romance”?  I’m pretty sure that’s the case. Ultimately, this article fails on so many levels, it hurts my head.

The worst thing is, they always pick one particular thing that it’s popular to turn into a villain when they cover stories like this. Nobody ever says, “she ate Pop Tarts… she clearly wanted to die” or “She washed her hair with Herbal Essences, a clear sign of suicide.”  I’m sure anyone reading this would say, “but that’s absurd!”  My point exactly. If My Chemical Romance fans were all suicidal and/or killing themselves, the band would have a slightly more difficult time selling out arenas, wouldn’t they?

I’m not denying she liked the band. Clearly, she did. But it’s one facet of a multi-faceted person who obviously had more issues than anyone wanted to believe she did.  Bands don’t kill people, or make them kill themselves. Not even Dethkok on “Metalocalypse” has those powers….

It’s tragic that a 13-year-old killed herself, but I’d be quicker to put the blame — if blame should even be assigned — on people who missed the signs that something was terribly wrong, rather than on a band.

By the way, the article went on to point out other bands “associated” with emo:
-Taking Back Sunday
-Fall Out Boy
-Panic At The Disco
-Paramore

*sigh* Shoddy journalism, no real story, and then a list of bands who had nothing to do with the original story being attached to it somehow. Welcome to the Internet, where this passes for news coverage.  Articles like the original are exactly why I opted out of journalism and went for a major in fiction and screenwriting.

We don’t know what yet, but wiL just posted this on MySpace:

We are very sorry to inform everyone but due to personal reasons we have regrettably decided to pull off the remainder of the shows here in the USA with Scary Kids Scaring Kids, Schoolyard Heroes, Ivoryline and Classic Crime. We will give you a full update very soon.

wiL and Aiden

This is usually a very bad thing, when a band just suddenly pulls off a tour like that. Especially since they had a really positive MySpace the other day about how “this is just the beginning” and all of that. It kind of reminds me of how someone in a bad relationship has a denial phase before finally getting out, but maybe I’m just crazy and overly reading into it. For all I know, someone in the band is sick or someone in the band has a family thing to deal with.  But the wording is rather ominous.

In an odd way, I’m somewhat relieved that I won’t be the only one missing the show at Toad’s Place now, since I can’t take off work in order to get to shows with 6:30 doors anymore. [That used to be work, but I digress. I can’t sit around being bitter about that forever…] I just hope things are okay and this isn’t really bad news on the Aiden front.

By the way, I put Conviction back in the CD player of my car [I had a mix CD in its slot for a while] and I have to say — it really is an amazing, fully-realized album. And while I quite like that the Best Buy version has two extra songs, I don’t think they fit on the album and should have been a separate disc or an iTunes single. They’re good songs, but they break up just how much flow that album has, and the way the songs tell a story.

They don’t say who did which one… I’m going to guess Mikey, Bob, Ray, Frank, Gerard, though I have no real way to tell. I want to get #3 in my box set, but I don’t know if I will. Because it’s random. They also cost $60, by the way… Pre-orders are here.

Pardon me while I jump up and down and scream and whinge and then later ask for validation from people as to whether or not I, girl with plans to move to California, really needs another thing of this size, or to spend the money. But… pretty Dia De Los Muertes masks!!

And those are the details on that.

Seriously, I have never seen anyone bang music out like this….

Trent has made yet another new Nine Inch Nails album available for free download on his Web site. This time around, it’s called The Slip. I haven’t listened to it yet, but I have to say I’m impressed with the man’s hustle and effort on this whole free music thing.

I kind of wish more bands were saying, “hey, look, this is done… here you go!”  Sort of like the next story down, about The Cure’s album.  It’s clearly done, but we get a single a month until September, rather than just getting the album now.  It’s better than what most bands do [hints, tracklists, album covers, vague leaks, etc.] but I’m impatient, as are most people, and we want it now.

I give Trent Reznor a lot of credit for knowing people are pretty big on the whole “instant gratification” thing, and of course, for trying new things in the realm of artist-controlled releases via the Internet.

So what do you guys think of the newest offering?

I can’t help but get excited when I hear The Cure is doing something.  While I am aware their last truly great album came out in 1992 [Interestingly enough, on the same date that I met my first real boyfriend… not that my brain keeps track of such things]… it’s The Cure, and therefore, everything they do is exciting on some level.

The band will be releasing a new album on September 13th [just a year and a half after the original release date for this one — that’s encouraging, no?] But leading up to September 13th, the band will release a single every 13th. May 13th, we’ll get “The Only One” and “New York Trip.” On June 13th, we’ll get “Freakshow” and “All Kinds of Stuff.”  There is no word on what July and August’s singles will be just yet.

I’m seriously excited, because, like I said, I can’t help myself.  I know two people who like Wild Mood Swings — Heatherbat and my boyfriend.  Most people like Bloodflowers as background music, and The Cure is just kind of universally painful. But that doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t release a great album.  I’m really hoping they do.  They’re certainly due for it….

Fine, I’m just quoting a press release here, but… holy crap:

My Chemical Romance will release a live CD/DVD called “The Black Parade Is Dead!” on June 24th on Reprise Records.

The package captures different sides of My Chemical Romance by spotlighting two very different shows. The CD and DVD feature concert highlights from the huge Palacio de los Deportes sports arena in Mexico City on October 7th, 2007 and the intimate Maxwell’s club in Hoboken, NJ, on October 24th, 2007. Both shows demonstrate why critics have raved about The Black Parade World Tour, which began on February 22nd, 2007, and will conclude with a triumphant sold out hometown headlining show at New York City’s fabled Madison Square Garden on May 9th, 2008.

Beginning on May 5th when the website goes live, fans will be able to pre-order “The Black Parade is Dead!” by visiting www.theblackparadeisdead.com, where they can also view a trailer for the DVD. Anyone who pre-orders the album from this special website will also gain access to downloads of three DRM-free tracks from the Mexico City show: “Welcome to the Black Parade,” “Mama,” and “Dead!”.

“The Black Parade is Dead!” will also be released in a collectible, limited-edition version, which will feature the CD and DVD, plus a mask designed by one of the band members, in a pine box coffin. (Each band member has designed one mask, which has been selected for inclusion in each box at random.) Another CD/DVD bundle also includes an exclusively designed t-shirt. All special editions are available only online at TheBlackParadeIsDead.com.

Okay, here’s the thing. I’m kind of an obsessive person, and I’m kind of a collector of things. I really, really like limited things, and I like artsy things like, I don’t know… masks. This set, which will surely cost a ton [I know the limited version of the album, which just had a fancy book and some art cards was $50 in most places], is going to make me lose my mind.

Obviously, I want a Gerard mask. But I’d kind of like them all. And I do have a raging crush on Frankie.  Uggggh.  Looks like I’ll need to start taking up a My Chemical Romance mask collection… so I can collect them… in addition to my moving collection.

I can’t wait for the DVD, though. I was at that show at Maxwell’s. I hope to hell I’m not on there, because I was a sweaty, crying* mess who was just trying not to pass out and make sure I stole a setlist. Which I did. Oh, and I hope they kept the part in where I decided I had to fling my scarf on stage and Gerard picked it up and noted it “looked homemade.” Which it was. Mindless acts of clothing flinging… that’s me for you.

*It is important to note that I only cried during “Cancer,” and I feel, having had it, I’m allowed to do so.

Not that I am implying you don’t already know the band, because for all I know, you do. But if you don’t, here’s a tip: they’re awesome, and you can get a totally free song from them over at Amazon.com.

It’s called “That For Me” and it rocks.

Since I know you will like them, I’d also like to suggest you check out the band’s whole new album, which is streaming here.

You may not know it by name, but I bet you have seen Project Playlist playlists on your friends’ MySpace pages. They’re the little mix tape-like boxes that people can make and embed in their page so they can show off what kind of music they like.  You know, introducing people to new songs and bands they may not have heard of.  It’s especially useful since MySpace only lets you put one song up, and they strip out Imeem code.  Since the company makes it easy for people to listen to music, naturally, the major labels all got together and decided to sue the company.

They summed up their issue as:

In short (Project Playlist’s) entire business amounts to nothing more than a massive infringement” of the record companies’ copyrights.

Why? Because people can stream music online or even worse, on a mobile device, using the site.  That’s right — they can simply listen to music. They’re not downloading it, they’re not file-sharing, they’re just listening to music!  Can you imagine the horror? People are hearing music! Good God, they might even become fans and buy something, like an album, tickets to shows, or merchandise. Looking at the major labels’ selling strategies, this is clearly something they do not want.

As usual, the labels are asking for money from the company, and trying to shut down Project Playlist. They’re so very forward-thinking and with it! I couldn’t be prouder of the progress they have made with the Internet.

I wasn’t at the press conference, but here’s what I gather:

A shady record executive in a suit scuttled out from behind a curtain. He told the media what a horrible thing has befallen the labels — people can actually hear the music they’re releasing.  The crowd gasped, and some people even took flash photography. [They’re trying to figure out why the photos came out blank right now; it has something to do with vampires not showing up on film, FYI.]  He then went on to say, “don’t you understand? We’re the major labels! You realize that a good 95% of what we release is total crap, right? And if people actually hear what it sounds like, without our marketing spin, slick videos, and radio/television personalities telling them it’s cool and they should like it, nobody will ever buy this crap! So as you can see, we must sue to protect our horrible business model.”  He then stomped his hoof and disappeared in a cloud of smoke, as is the traditional way for major label executives to exit a room.

Seriously… every time I think they may be making some progress, they go and do something so ass-backwards and stupid, they shock me all over again.

If you want to support a cool service [I discovered some great bands from friends who use this and have songs on their MySpaces] — head over to Project Playlist today.

I know, I know. I’ve repeatedly said I’ve moved on, Pete just doesn’t do it for me anymore, and I’m a 100% Max Bemis girl when it comes to my celebrity obsessions. Unfortunately for me, the band just released their video for the “Beat It” cover, and his hair and eye makeup reminded me why I liked him and his strangely gorgeous nose in the first place. *sigh*

Unfortunately, you have to go to MTV to watch it, but I didn’t have a terrible struggle with the site, so you should be okay. I checked my good friends at YouTube, but nobody was kind enough to upload it for my enjoyment just yet. That’s fine. I’ll get them someday. Wait, what?

Anyway, yes.  This is the new Fall Out Boy single, and it is definitely going to make the band bigger than ever before. And Pete looks so damned good in the video, I have been forced to call an audible and officially put him back on my celebrity crush list.

I tried, guys. I really did. My weaknesses include interesting noses, cute hair, and gobs of eyeliner. What can I say?

They played “Shiksa [Girlfriend]”:

I actually wanted to go see this live, but unlike in the good old days, you have to book Conan O’Brien tickets months in advance.  After seeing it, I’m not that bummed, considering how well I know this band sounds live — also known as “not like this.”  That studio has screwy sound or something, because they own this song live, normally.

I was going to go and wait for standby tickets, and then I realized I just don’t have what it takes to compete with fangirls half my age anymore.  So godspeed to you all, carry on the legacy as I would! Seriously, though: in 1997, I heard The Cure was playing Conan O’Brien’s show, called up the day before, and got tickets.  A lot of people did… Conan even joked he’d never seen so much black clothing in his audience. Those, my friends, were the halcyon days. Stalking bands was significantly easier than it is these days.

I’d also like to let you know that I did actually see this performance on TV, despite not setting my DV-R. Why? Because I have a boyfriend now [no way, no how] who is amazing and even though it was hours after I briefly angsted about missing this performance… remembered I wanted to see it, put the TV on channel 4, and even watched it with me — not once making fun of my taste in music.

You know how “they” say, “It’s the little things?”  Well, it is. Always remember that, guys.

A note on this blog: I’m in the middle of cleaning out, selling things, and have to get out of my current apartment in about a month, while working full time at my day job.  As such, updates will probably be sporadic for a month or so, and then I will really be back full force… with all that stress out of my life.

They pl