My Chemical Romance has shared a statement mourning the loss of their former drummer Bob Bryar, who has died at the age of 44.
TMZ reports that Bryar was found in his Tennessee home, with no foul play suspected. The cause of death remains under investigation.
In a statement shared on social media, the band wrote, “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. We send our deepest condolences to his friends and family at this time. May he rest in peace.”
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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).
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.”
