My Chemical Romance, which will headline this weekend”s Bamboozle Festival in New Jersey on May 19, are headed back into the studio in a few weeks to begin recording the group”s fifth album.
Guitarist Frank Iero told The Aquarian Weekly that the group was in Los Angeles writing away in preparation to start recording in June with producer Doug McKean.
As we previously reported, MCR is stepping in at the last minute at Bamboozle to replace Blink-182 who had to drop out following drummer Travis Barker”s emergency tonsillectomy. The gig is breaking the band”s writing flow, but Iero says they are happy to play in their native New Jersey. “We love to play shows, and we”re glad to help out,” he said. “Especially in the NJ. We are in writing-mode right now and weren”t going to consider playing any shows, actually, but then stuff happened with Blink and we got the call. Plus I get to see Foo Fighters.”
The new album is the follow up to 2010″ “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys.” Iero wouldn”t reveal much, other than that the writing sessions are going “really well, actually. I”m really excited. I can”t wait to start tracking. I think we”re maybe a month away from the record button lighting up.”
He would reveal that touring drummer Jarrod Alexander, who began playing with the band last fall, would play at Bamboozle, but didn”t confirm that he will play on the new album. However, it sounds like he most likely will be in the studio with the rest of the band next month given this endorsement from Iero: “Jarrod is a rad guy and a fantastic player. It”s been really fun making music with him these past few months. He loves coffee and hitting drums super-hard… and the fact that he”s not a thieving piece of garbage is a breath of fresh air.” Alexander replaced former touring drummer Michael Pedicone.