The Answer’s Always No

Gerard Way “Getting Down the Germs”

Back when My Chemical Romance was a big deal in the mid-00s, I wouldn’t have thought that Gerard Way and I grew up on a lot of the same stuff. For example, he loved Grant Morrison’s Doom Patrol so much that he went on to revive the series as a writer at DC Comics, and he clearly was into the weirder end of mainstream alt-rock enough that he’s moved away from melodramatic emo to embrace that aesthetic in his solo material. He could be out there raking in MCR reunion cash, but instead he’s out there doing his best to bring back ‘90s weirdo vibes. “Getting Down the Germs” is a highly tuneful single with an extremely ‘90s chord progression contrasted with a flute solo that seems to come in out of nowhere but manages to feel just right. His voice is very laid back on this song compared to his often hysterical MCR performances, but I definitely prefer him in this surreal, vaguely sinister mode.

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