My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way: 'Atmosphere was bad'

My Chemical Romance released their last studio album in 2006

My Chemical Romance's lead singer Gerard Way has said the band's atmosphere was "so bad" as they began the recording of their fourth album.

Speaking to Radio 1's Zane Lowe, Way said: "It was so bad. The vibe wasn't good."

He added: "The spirit is back. It took a little while to figure out who and what the band is and re-embrace that, as opposed to turn our back on it."

Earlier this year drummer Bob Bryar left the band and hasn't been replaced.

This week (20 September) the New Jersey band confirmed the follow-up to 2006's The Black Parade would be called Danger Days: The True Lives Of The Fabulous Killjoys.

Launch pad

The band also revealed the first single to be released from their fourth album is called Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na).

"We're finishing the final layout of the artwork this week. It might take up the entire back of the album," joked Way of the title.

However, he admitted the song was the launch pad for writing the whole album.

"Everything up to that point, it felt like we'd kind of been in this kind of (hiatus). As artists that really equals death.

"Then Na Na Na happened - all of sudden there was this big intensity underneath us. It was the momentum that we needed to dig deep and record another album."

"That was the moment when we said, 'This song changes everything, we're starting right over right now'. It was so exciting.

"We all feel like we get to start our lives again now - it's been a long time."

My Chemical Romance will play a handful of UK gigs next month in London, Manchester and Edinburgh.