My Chemical Romance has broken its silence on the death of its former drummer Bob Bryar, who performed with the emo group from 2004 to 2010.
“It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Bob Bryar, our former bandmate and an important part of the history of My Chemical Romance,” the band wrote Monday on Instagram.
“We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family at this time. May he rest in peace.”
Bryar was found dead in his Tennessee home last week, a spokesperson confirmed Sunday, adding, “The band asks for your patience and understanding as they process the news of Bob’s passing.”
No cause of death was given, although TMZ reported that, according to police, no foul play was suspected as Bryar’s possessions, including musical equipment and weapons, were untouched. An investigation by a medical examiner was still pending.
MCR’s longest-standing drummer, Bryar replaced the band’s original drummer, Matt Pelissier, in 2004 and played on the 2006 opus “The Black Parade,” which garnered a Grammy nomination and later landed on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 greatest albums of all time.
“I don’t want to sound like a jerk, but I really feel every part of that record, down to the artwork, is pretty unbeatable,” Bryar said about “The Black Parade” in 2016. “I hope those songs will be around for a long time.”
When Bryar parted ways with MCR in 2010, the band in a since-deleted blog post called the split “a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly.”
“We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same,” the band said.
Shortly thereafter, Bryar reportedly decided to move on from the music industry altogether, pivoting to a career in real estate, with online records showing he was licensed to practice in the state of Tennessee.
MCR broke up in 2013, but they reunited in 2019 and then embarked on a years-long reunion tour that was postponed several times due to the pandemic. Earlier this year, the band announced that it would embark on a 2025 North American stadium tour to celebrate “The Black Parade” album. The 10-date tour will include a July 26 stop at Dodger Stadium.
Times staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report.
