My Chemical Romance Talk Suicide: 'Our Lyrics Are About Finding Strength'

My Chemical Romance recently spoke out about suicide amid a controversy over the tragic death of a fan.



"We have recently learned of the suicide and tragic loss of Hannah Bond. We'd like to send our condolences to her family during this time of mourning. Our hearts and thoughts are with them. My Chemical Romance are and always have been vocally anti-violence and anti-suicide. As a band, we have always made it one of our missions through our actions to provide comfort, support, and solace to our fans. The message and theme of our album The Black Parade is hope and courage. Our lyrics are about finding the strength to keep living through pain and hard times. The last song on our album states: 'I am not afraid to keep on living,' a sentiment that embodies the band's position on hardships we all face as human beings."

Hanna Bond, age 13, was recently found dead in her bedroom. The Daily Mail reported that her suicide may have been a result of her "emo" lifestyle, as well as the music she listens to — My Chemical Romance included.

NME reported My Chemical Romance fans are planning to protest on Saturday against The Daily Mail at Hyde Park's West Pond in London. Leading the protest is a man named Smith, who is doing all this "100 percent for My Chemical Romance." Smith, who expects up to 1000 people to join him at the protest, spoke out on the Daily Mail article, stating: "The [Daily Mail's] words, 'suicide cult,' really stand out for me, because it's just so far from the truth. As a fanbase it's such an insult 'cause we fight so hard and so many of us suffer from depression, and we fight everyday to ward it off. "The way [many teenagers are] fighting it is with My Chemical Romance's help and it's just such an insult to tell us that the last thing we have to hold on to and the last thing that's keeping us alive is killing us, because it's not."

On June 24, the band will be releasing The Black Parade Is Dead. The live CD/DVD features performances from My Chemical Romance's shows at both Palacio de los Deportes sports arena in Mexico City (October 7, 2007) and Maxwell's in Hoboken, New Jersey (October 24, 2007). If you have got some extra cash floating around the sofa, you can pick up the special edition of Dead, complete with: handpainted "Day of the Dead" masks, three downloadable live tracks and a death certificate for each member of the band.

What are your thoughts on MCR's suicide statement? Discuss in the comments below!