Matt Pellisier: The tragic story of My Chemical Romance’s forgotten founding member
As My Chemical Romance gear up to take over the world again with the 20th anniversary celebrations for The Black Parade, it’s easy to frame them as the supreme rulers of the ultimate emo rebellion.
They may have a spirit and reputation for uplifting the underdog and championing the life of the misfit, but unfortunately, it seems like this image is largely one just put on for show. The reality is that, behind closed doors, My Chemical Romance are a band as cutthroat as any other – and if that means dumping what was meant to be one of their own by the side of the road, that’s just part of the business they call show.
This all relates to the slightly ill-fated tale of Matt Pellisier, a name which criminally may go unrecognised by many, but was truly one of the most pivotal components in making My Chemical Romance the blitzing force that they continue to be today. But the drummer was, indeed, far more than a random guy who rocked up and just sat behind the kit for a few songs. He was also meant to be a close friend of frontman Gerard Way.
Pellisier was actually the first person that Way turned to when he came up with the idea of forming a band, in the aftermath of 9/11. As an old friend who had played around various outfits in their native New Jersey, clearly, the drummer was seen, at that time, as somewhat of a right-hand man to the future leader. Letting Pellisier hear an early version of what would later become ‘Skylines and Turnstiles’, Way hoodwinked him into helping to record some demos.
Evidently, that transpired into being a much bigger process than either of them initially anticipated, and eventually turned into the creation of the band’s first two albums, I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Love in 2002 and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in 2004. Given that his work constitutes half of My Chemical Romance’s back catalogue, you would think Pellisier would be lauded with a bit more credit – but instead, he was just shoved out the way.
Following the success of Three Cheers, the band should have been set on their essential formula. However, Pellisier ended up being asked to leave by their manager, Brian Schecter, for reasons that were not publicly discussed. Being replaced by Bob Bryar thereafter, the snub would have been painful enough without the knowledge of the heights the band would soar to only two years later with The Black Parade. In some ways, that would have been the final nail in the coffin.
Shortly after leaving My Chemical Romance, Pellisier went on to take a job as a car mechanic in his native New Jersey, so it seemed like there was no love lost in this respect. But despite various other ventures – including opening his own studios and starting new bands – Way and Co. has evidently always been the thorn in his side. Five years after his departure, there were rumours that Pellisier was suing the band for not receiving royalties in all that time. However, despite it all, it was clear he was never going back.
My Chemical Romance may be celebrating two decades of being the kings of pop punk, but Pellisier is almost like the dark shadow threatening to cast this illustrious legacy in a whole new light. Way may have taken the mantra of ‘keep your friends close, but your enemies closer’ a little bit too far to heart, but he was going to stop at nothing until the band were the heroes of the world.
