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My Chemical Romance

last updated 2026-09-11 11:26

My Chemical Romance

Plays on LTZ: (historical total not available beyond this vault's episode folders)

Tracks played

Helena — played 2026-04-09, 2026-07-15
Welcome to the Black Parade — played 2026-09-10

Research

My Chemical Romance — Helena

Played: 2026-04-09 (Set 4 — Moment in History) (TikTok) (moment in history); 2026-07-15 (Segment 5 — Moment in History) (TikTok) (Moment in History)

2026-04-09 — Set 4 — Moment in History

From Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), MCR's second studio album, the one that turned them into one of the defining bands of a generation. 'Helena' was written about Gerard Way's maternal grandmother, Elena Lee Rush, who died in 2003; she encouraged him to pursue art from an early age. The song is named after her — Helena being an anglicisation of Elena. Way has said she was one of the most important influences on who he became. Sits in the middle of the history segment; the connection is not announced, just there for anyone paying attention.

Moment in History: Gerard Way was born on 9th April 1977; he turned 49 on the show date (9 April 2026).
TikTok angle: Helena is written about Gerard Way's late grandmother Elena, who died in 2003; Gerard Way's own birthday (9 April) is the hidden date connection, revealed only in a post-show TikTok.

2026-07-15 — Segment 5 — Moment in History

My Chemical Romance (formed 2001, Newark, NJ: Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Mikey Way, Frank Iero, Bob Bryar) opened their album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (8 June 2004, Reprise Records) with "Helena (So Long & Goodnight)" (3:22), released as the album's third single on 8 March 2005. It peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart; the album, produced by Howard Benson, sold over 3 million copies worldwide. The song was written as a tribute to Elena Lee Rush, grandmother of Gerard and Mikey Way, who died while the band was on tour.

Moment in History: Guitarist Ray Toro was born 15 July 1977 — the date of this episode. (In 2007 Toro also appeared as himself, alongside bandmate Frank Iero, in the film Punk Rock Holocaust 2.)
Sources: Wikipedia · Official Charts Company

My Chemical Romance — Welcome to the Black Parade

Played: 2026-09-10 (moment in history)

My Chemical Romance are a New Jersey rock band formed in the wake of 9/11 by Gerard Way and cohorts. "Welcome to the Black Parade" (5:11) is track 5 on their third studio album The Black Parade, released as lead single September 2006, album released 23/24 October 2006 on Reprise Records, produced by the band with Rob Cavallo. The song gave the band their first UK No.1 single in 2006. It began life as a demo titled "The Five of Us Are Dying", written as early as 2002. The album is a concept album about the life and afterlife of "The Patient" and has been certified triple platinum in the UK.

Moment in History: In 1980, Mikey Way of My Chemical Romance was born; he named the band while working at Barnes & Noble when he saw the book Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance by Irvine Welsh.
Sources: Official Charts · Coda Music · GQ · Wikipedia