The band was formed by frontman Gerard Way and drummer Matt Pelissier in Newark , New Jersey , soon after the September 11 attacks . Witnessing the World Trade Center towers fall influenced Way 's life to the extent that he decided to start a band . Way wrote the song " Skylines and Turnstiles " to express his feelings about September 11 and shortly thereafter , Ray Toro was recruited as the band 's guitarist because at the time Way could not sing and play the guitar simultaneously . The name of the band was suggested by bass guitarist Mikey Way , younger brother of Gerard , who was working in a Barnes & Noble when he was struck by the title of a book by Irvine Welsh named '' Ecstasy : Three Tales of Chemical Romance '' . The first recording sessions were undertaken in Pelissier 's attic , where the songs " Our Lady of Sorrows " and " Cubicles " were recorded . The band refers to those sessions as " The Attic Demos . " After hearing the demo and dropping out of college , Mikey Way decided to join the band . While with Eyeball Records , the band met Frank Iero , the lead vocalist and guitarist for Pencey Prep . Following Pencey Prep 's split in 2002 , Iero became a member of My Chemical Romance , just days prior to the recording of the band 's debut album . They recorded their debut album , '' I Brought You My Bullets , You Brought Me Your Love '' , just three months after the formation of the band and released it in 2002 through Eyeball Records . The album was produced by Thursday frontman Geoff Rickley after the band became friends with him while playing shows in New Jersey . Iero played guitar on two of the tracks , one of which was " Early Sunsets Over Monroeville . " During this time , the band was booked at the infamous venue , Big Daddy 's , where they began to receive more attention
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
My Chemical Romance