MCR was my life

 Let's go back to around 2006. I had recently discovered my new favorite band: My Chemical Romance. And when I say favorite, I don't say it lightly. I lived and breathed it. Around the same time my parents got us our own internet connection at home, and I was worried about not being considered a "real fan" since I discovered the band so late, as many had found it around 2004. Without the internet at your disposal at all times it was much harder to discover new music, so most of the stuff I liked back then I'd hear through radio. And that was when My Chemical Romance broke through massively as well. 

As most fans, I started out quite lightly. The obvious first step was to get myself their newest album, so I could listen to it whenever I wanted to. Then move on to memorising the lyrics of the songs, in case there's ever a concert near you, you'll be able to sing your heart out. The previous albums were necessary as well and some merch on top. And obviously you need to memorise the band members' names. Also plastering your walls and parts of the slanted ceiling with posters and cutouts from Kerrang! and Rock Sound were very crucial.

Fan forums 

Discovering these really took my obsession with the band even further. There were topics for basically everything that was somehow related to the band. I used two different forums on a daily basis pretty much. One of them is still actually up and running to this day! Through these I also found out about the art of fan fiction, alas I wasn't able to track down my own writings of that time... 

imnotokay.net back in 2007. Thank you Wayback Machine. 

Some of my favorite parts were definitely images from concerts people posted, edits for icons and wallpapers people made and shared for each other to use. I had a blog on livejournal which was heavily MCR themed as well and used these previously mentioned icons there. I had even edited my comment link on the posts to be a reference to a song of theirs. Wow. Also the icon is of course a band member, and on the image of the post as well. I have a vague memory of trying to make my own edits as well, but failing miserably. That "friends only" is the only proof of that. I was so proud of finding such a cool font to blast over the picture.

Meeting other fans

Through IRC-Galleria I found out about an MCR fan meet that I actually took part back in 2007. Even found the group picture we took, which I had uploaded on to the website after it. And some other photos.

That's me on the right.

My hair in this picture actually brings me to my next point.

It's a Fashion Statement, Not a Deathwish

Sorry not sorry, couldn't resist doing a song title reference. Obviously, I took a lot of inspiration with for my looks from how the band presented themselves in the media. That haircut and coloring, was actually what the other guitarist had at one point. Most of the people know their The Black Parade look, and I still have a jacket that's in the style. It's now a memento I'll never get rid of.

I even did the extra messy red eyeliner thing and sometimes the X's on the eyes. I remember idolizing the said guitarist so much, and because he had his zodiac sign as a tattoo on his neck, I wanted to do it too. A 15 year old has the best ideas. Although, it didn't end up on my neck, just on my wrist, due to my parents not liking the idea of a first tattoo being on the neck. I definitely wanted to be him, sort of. Kind of creepy now as I think about it.

This post ended up kind of derailing, huh? And sorry Chris for not finding the fan fiction, I was also too lazy to write a new one for this.