Bob Bryar, the drummer for My Chemical Romance from 2004 to 2010, has died at the age of 44.
The band released a statement asking for patience and understanding as they process the loss.
While details surrounding his death have not been disclosed, sources told TMZ that Bryar was found in his Tennessee home, and no foul play is suspected. The cause of death is under investigation by the medical examiner.
Born in Chicago in 1979, Bryar started playing drums at a young age. He later earned a degree in sound engineering from the University of Florida and worked as a touring sound engineer for bands like Thrice and The Used. It was while touring with The Used in 2004 that he met My Chemical Romance. Later that year, My Chemical Romance replaced their drummer, Matt Pelissier, after the release of their second album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. Bryar went on to perform on three of the band’s subsequent releases, including The Black Parade (2006) and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010).
“This was the biggest record I have ever done and I was nervous,” Bryar recalled in an interview with Alternative Press about recording The Black Parade. “Along with being nervous, we all had to feel out the writing dynamic between all of us. I was very vocal about my drum parts, but let the other dudes do their thing because they were doing so well and didn’t need anyone chiming in every second. That leads me to remember one situation where it was super-late and only G, the engineer and myself were at the studio. There was a vocal harmony that I kept hearing. It was the first time I got the balls to ask someone to try something. That idea made it to the record, which was really nice for me to see happen.”
He added, “As we were recording the record, I was getting more and more excited. It was turning out to be a very complete and a very entertaining audio story… I really feel every part of that record, down to the artwork, is pretty unbeatable. I hope those songs will be around for a long time.”
Bryar departed from My Chemical Romance after the release of Danger Days, and the band later disbanded in 2013. In a statement, Frank Iero confirmed that Bryar’s exit was “a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly.” He added, “We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same.”
My Chemical Romance replaced Bryar with Jarrod Alexander from 2011 to 2013. Alexander also joined the band for their 2022 reunion tour. After leaving My Chemical Romance, Bryar continued working behind the scenes with various bands and became involved in dog rescue charities. In 2014, he quit the music industry to pursue a career in real estate.
In 2021, Bryar auctioned off the drum kit he used during the band’s 2005 MTV VMAs performance to raise money for the Williamson County Animal Control and Adoption Center in Tennessee. “It’s my favorite finish of all of the kits I’ve had,” he wrote of the set. “If you look closely, there is still some confetti from tour that snuck into the bass drum hole. I’ll leave that in there for you.” In 2022, Bryar announced he would be selling his original Black Parade uniform to help “abandoned and sheltered animals in areas of Florida and South Carolina that are affected by Hurricane Ian.”
