Frank Iero - Oral History

Alternative Press Magazine

Issue 389 Version 1 - Frank Iero

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We interrupt this Alternative Press cover reveal for a very important message from Frank Iero.

Hey, have you ever been reading an issue of AltPress magazine and thought to yourself, “Hmm, this is pretty good, but I wish this WHOLE GODDAMN THING was just about Frnk Lero!” Well... ta-da!

Rather than focusing on the past, Frank Iero has his mind and career steadfastly directed toward the future, specifically the Future Violents. Throughout his creative tenure, Iero has lent his talent to a variety of long-term bands, as well as ventured into several passion projects with friends and family. From his start in Pencey Prep to how he became a permanent member in My Chemical Romance to recording his first solo album, Iero has never allowed anything to slow him down.

In the very first Oral History issue featuring Frank Iero, the musician explores and relives how he first got involved in music and the artists he recalls falling in love with as a child. 

“I found out about stuff in a roundabout way,” Iero says. “I grew up in the ’80s [with] metal and hair metal, [which] was pretty rampant on the radio. I got into pop and stuff like that from my mom, [and] my dad was in a blues band. My parents split up when I was 3 and divorced when I was 7. I would spend the week in Belleville with my mom, which is North Jersey. On the weekends, I would go down to hang out with my dad and go see him play. We'd have these really long drives, too. We'd have an hour-and-a-half drive down and an hour-and-a-half drive up every weekend [where] we had a lot of time to listen to the radio or listen to tapes or just talk. During the day, we would listen to whatever tapes he had in the car. It was stuff that I wasn't hearing on the radio. I was hearing Buddy Guy and Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Freddie King and all these players.”

After being exposed to a variety of artists and genres at a young age, Iero became involved in the punk community. Dedicating his time and energy to his initial projects and eventually becoming a member of MCR, Iero made his solo debut under the moniker of frnkiero andthe cellabration in 2014. Through several solo records, Iero has pushed himself to create music that “doesn’t repeat” itself from project to project and across each album.

“I think when making a record, there should always be at least two tracks,” Iero says. “One showing you where you've been and one showing you where you're going. I do like that type of thing. I think as a listener, it's comforting to have a bit of a road map. As far as having a character, storyline, or trajectory, I go in fresh every time. I think that helps record with different people, recording in different cities [and] forcing yourself out of your comfort zone. Those are the things that interest me.”

Whether you’ve been a fan of Iero since he hit the stage in a popped collar polo shirt or you discovered him through his solo ventures, there’s nothing standing in his way. Read the full issue dedicated to Iero’s career throughout Alternative Press Magazine Issue 389.