Title: “My Chemical Romance Big Day Out 2012 Fan Interview”
Source: Big Day Out Official
Date: January 15, 2012
Transcribed By: Cassie
Translations: Italian (via contaminated-days)
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[Set Up: Self-recorded. Frank turns on the camera and is holding a list of questions. Ray and Mikey are seated before him.]

Frank Iero: Ready?

Ray Toro: Ready!

Frank Iero: [showing list to camera] These are questions for My Chemical Romance.

Mikey Way: [waving] Hey, guys!

Frank Iero: Carly Cooper would like to know, “What part of Big Day Out are you looking  forward to the most?”

Ray Toro: For me, Big Day Out the last time we did it was a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to doing it with Frank this time!

Mikey Way: Yeah, yeah!

Ray Toro: We didn’t get a chance to do that last time.

Frank Iero: Good answer.

M: Frankie Strikes Back.

F: This is my revenge tour.

R: But, it’s a fun tour, cool bands. Australia is beautiful this time of year, we hear, but we sweat our balls off [mumbles]…

M: It’s a paradise, yeah.

F: Tyson Scott Price would like to know, “One act on the rest of the line-up to collaborate with: Who is it?”

R: Ooh, it’s a tough one [mumbles].

M: Kanye West, I would say.

R: Yeah, probably just most interesting [mumbles]…

M: Yeah, he’s incredibly talented, and I’ve been a fan for a long time. That’d be cool

F: Celløphane ShinyOne Gunner would like to know, “What wallpaper do you have on your phone?”

M: [pulls iPhone from pocket] Let’s see… I have the, uh, I don’t know if— Is this showing up?  It’s the cover of the NES Double Dragon [image]. [screen goes black, Ray reaches forward and makes it light up again]

R: That’s so good! I’ve got, uhm [Extends phone to camera] — I think a kid in México gave me and my wife this painting because they found out we were fans of The Little Prince books, so they did their kind of own rendition of it. So that’s it. It’s actually hung up in our house, because we really love it, so, that’s it.  [image]

F: All right. Lucy [Carth-??] would like to know, “Are you aware that there is a street sign named ‘Gerard Way’ in Auckland, and people steal the road sign all the time?”

R: [chuckles] We did not know that. [turning to Mikey] I think, where was it, in London, maybe? Didn’t you guys see a sign?

M: Yeah, there was a Gerard Way in London.

F: [joking] Do you think it’s named after your brother? Because he is kind of like nature’s Bono.

M: That’s the thing. I think it very well could be named after Gerard. Word’s gotten out of his good deeds and—

R: —And his chivalry!

M: Chivalry, yeah! They had to make a street.

F: James Pope would like to know, “What are some of your favorite bands on the world music stage today, and which other bands are you closest to?”

R: Hmm… What good stuff is out there?

M: I’m really impressed by The Black Keys, but I think we’ve been saying that in interviews for, like, two years straight now.

R: Yeah, I know Frank—

M: Frank’s been on that tip for a long time.

R: Yeah, I checked out a little bit of the new record, it’s—

M: —Great. Yeah, great.

R: Uhm, who else is good? The Architects.

M: The Architects…

R: Where are they f—

F: Kansas, City

[All repeat “The Kansas City Architects”]

R: The Kansas City Architects. The real architects [smiles].

M: Uhm, let me think here…

R: They’re good, LostAlone’s good—

M: Yeah. LostAlone! LostAlone’s great.

R: Yeah, there’s a ton of good bands out there.

F: Alright. Who are your friends that you like. Other than Architects and LostAlone. .. Taking Back Sunday?

M: Oh, yeah!

R: TBS! Good dudes…

M: TBS, the Thrice dudes.

F: Who, unfortunately, just went on hiatus—

[all talking at once]

M: Oh, they did?

F: —same [day as?] Thursday.

R: Oh, Thursday, yeah [mumbles]-

M: Thursday, Saves the Day…

R: It’s a shame actually a lot of the bands we started out with are; they’re all taking breaks.

M: Yeah, it’s a weird point in music.

F: A gaping fucking hole, man.

M: That’s what it is.

F: Kate Lawrence would like to know, “If a heap of fans make snowflake-shaped banners for your concert at Festival Hall, would you play ‘Every Snowflake is Different?’”

R: Oooh…

M: Ooohh…

R: The interviewer (Frank) is kind of smiling as if to say “yes”

[All laugh]

R: I think it would be cool—

M: That would be fun!

F: If we could get the other characters from Yo Gabba Gabba! to show up—

R: —that is true. We can’t do it without a Yeti, so…

F: This is true. Callum(?) Steward would like to know, “What is the worst decision you’ve ever made as  musicians and how did you rectify it?”

R: I mean, that’s a tough one. I’m trying to think. God, I mean, we could answer that in a million ways, and we don’t want to be jerks…

[Note: Mikey is currently wearing a most intense frown of concentration]

F: Well, I think the business aspect is a different— But, the actual music aspect — [all mumbling] Bad decision, musically—

R: Well, I guess I would say, going into either a recording process or a tracking process thinking you know what’s going or come out or planning it too much. Because you know, I think think sometimes you have to leave room for error and also, kind of uh, making things up on the spot. I think sometimes we’ve gone into the studio with too much of a predetermined idea for a song or this-or-that that can take many shapes and be varied in many different ways. You never want to do that.

M: Yeah, I like that answer. We were just talking about this: How any time we’re making  new album, how we try to gauge what it’s going to sound like, and it’s impossible. So, I think yeah—that’s a great answer.

F: Very nice. [Lizzy Wilkinson] wants to know, “Are there any Australian acts you’re keen on?”

M: [pause] Oh! We love The Living End.

R: Oh, yeah!

M: They’re really great dudes. They’re going to be on Big Day Out. Uhm…

F: I like Violent Soho.

M: Oh, Violent Soho!

R: Are they on Big Day Out?

F: I don’t know…

[side-talking]

R: [mumbles something about costumes]

F: Let’s see who’s next… Jackson Hicks: “What mythological creature would you have as a pet if you could?”

M: Uhm, I like the Manticore. Trying to think of other ones… The Furbolg, the Hill Giant.

[all chuckle]

M: Balrog from the Tolkien mythos.

F: Helena Ashby: “Have you gotten Cherry, Lilly and Bandit into you music yet, and Frank do you think they’ll be good guitarists like you when they grow up?

R: That’s a nice question…

F: It is a nice question. And none of your damn business.

[all laugh]

F: No, I-

R: Well, Warner Brothers has already signed them a 10-record contract.. They’re already on their contract.

F: Fuckin’ 360…
[all laughing and talking at once]

F: Yeah, they love music. I think they like our band. They really did like “Snowflake…” so it’s a good song. Alright. Emma Orland would like to know, “If you could make up one award to give to yourself  or to one of your bandmates, what would it be?”

M & F: Best Buddy Award!

F: [pointing at Ray] You got the, what do you call it, “employee at of the month—”

R: Oh, that’s right—!

M: —Cafe Dewees!

R: At Cafe Dewees, I did win employee of the month. It’s one of the highest honors I’ve ever received. I helped clean up and make sure that the customer was left happy, and with a hot cup of coffee.

M: Exactly.

R: So, that was an honor…

F: Alright. Hope you enjoyed our answers for the Big Day Out My Chemical Romance questions. Thank you.

M&R: [waving]

R: Thank you. Thanks for the questions.

M: See you soon!