Gerard Way, born Gerard Arthur Lee Way on April 9, 1977, turns 35 today. :D He is most popularly known as the frontman of the American rock band My Chemical Romance, and the writer to the award-winning comic The Umbrella Academy. I remember greeting him his 31st birthday, 32nd, 33rd, and 34th. It's been a fun experience having to be a long-time fan. I'll cut the long story of how I became a die-hard fan of MCR as a teenager. Well, each of us has a hero. Most of us, atleast. And looking up to their music, characters, stories, experiences has taught me many things. I mean PLENTY of things that helped me go on with life.
Having also been there as a fan when he met his married life, had a child, and made a big shift to their career, in terms of their sound and image, I can say this proudly that however they've been called names by ignorant individuals just to make fun of them or just to feel good about themselves, I'm very glad to have been (will always be) his fan. This is one of the common problems of fans these days, getting judged because of being a fan of some band that's gone mainstream and has always been made fun of.
"Emo is a bunch of bullshit," on Gerard's terms. Getting tagged because people chose to tag them is not cool. What's cool, though, is not giving a single shit about what people think and do your own thing.
As what I did on my birthday post of Frank on Technopoly, I'm gonna dig up my files to look up the photos of Gee I've been keeping for so long. I'll be posting maybe a part of my collection because I bet you there could be hundreds to thousand photos I keep of Mr. Way. Haha.
Kurt Cobain, born Kurt Donald Cobain on February 20, 1967, was Nirvana's long lost frontman. Was he alive he would turn 45 today. He was only 27 when he died on April 5, 1994.
As a child of the new generation, I knew about him and Nirvana because of their popularity. Have I been born on his era I might have been a superfan. But hell, it's too late now. I wouldn't have the opportunity to thank him personally.
What I really liked about Kurt Cobain is his "I don't give a fuck" attitude, but not as a villain. When I decided to listen to their music (because I don't actually listen to anything just because they're popular), I was stumbled and madly got disappointed at myself. Why did I just listen to them that time!?
It wasn't too late, really. I could still buy their records, I can watch their videos on YouTube. Thank the music gods for Amazon and YouTube.
My favorite tracks from them are Smells Like Teen Spirit, Heart-shaped Box, and Come As You Are. Whenever Kurt is now, whether there was an afterlife or there isn't, I wish him good.
Happy birthday, Kurt!
Btw, this is the photo book I purchased featuring Kurt on the cover.
Marilyn Manson, born Brian Hugh Warner on January 5, 1969, is a hell-sent monster who spends his lifetime spending havoc on earth -- typically on the music community, politics, and religion, whether it was intentional or unintentional (who the fuck cares). Marilyn Manson, who got his stage name from Marilyn Monroe and the serial killer Charles Manson, has influenced many - music listeners, musicians, film makers, and many others.
