My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar quits band
- Published
Gerard Way put My Chemical Romance together in late 2001
Drummer Bob Bryar has left My Chemical Romance after six years with the band.
The announcement was made on the group's website but says the decision was taken a month ago.
Bob Bryar took over from original drummer Matt Pelissier in 2004.
A statement on mychemicalromance.com read: "Hello Friends. Recently it seems as though every time we write to you guys we have bad news, and we apologize for that, but we've learned in life you can't have the sweet without the sour.
"As a band we have been very fortunate over the years that our sweet times have greatly outweighed the sour ones, and a great deal of that is owed to you, the fans.
"Which is why we wanted this news to come from us and not some... gossip site.
"As of four weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways.
"This was 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 statement doesn't reveal why Bryar left the band or who's going to be replacing him.
It says despite the loss, My Chemical Romance are recording "some very powerful new songs" for their fourth studio album.
The band have been writing and recording the follow-up to 2006's critically-acclaimed The Black Parade since last year.
"We also wanted to give you all a quick heads up on how the record is progressing," the statement added.
"We have been writing some very powerful new songs so this week the four of us entered the studio once again, and what has been ending up on tape each night is some of the most exciting and honest work we have ever created."