Entertainment

Bob Bryar, former My Chemical Romance drummer, dead at 44

Bob Bryar, a former drummer with My Chemical Romance who played on the band's career-defining rock opera, The Black Parade, has died, according to the band. He was 44.

Bryar replaced drummer Matt Pelissier in 2004 and left the band in 2010

A drummer on stage.
Bob Bryar of My Chemical Romance performs on stage at the Big Day Out Festival on Jan. 25, 2007 in Sydney, Australia. (Paul McConnell/Getty Images)

Bob Bryar, a former drummer with My Chemical Romance who played on the band's career-defining rock opera, The Black Parade, has died, according to the band. He was 44.

"The band asks for your patience and understanding as they process the news of Bob's passing," a spokesperson for My Chemical Romance said in a statement Sunday.

The statement did not include any additional details.

Bryar replaced drummer Matt Pelissier in 2004 and left the band in 2010. Bryar moved on from the music business and later auctioned off a drum kit to raise money for an animal adoption centre in Williamson County, Tennessee.

Next year, the band will embark on a 10-date North American stadium tour, where they will perform The Black Parade, released in 2006, in full.

My Chemical Romance formed in 2001 and released four studio albums across their career, first breaking through with 2004's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. They announced their breakup in 2013; a year later, they released a greatest hits collection titled May Death Never Stop You. In 2019, they announced a reunion, later revealing they'd privately reunited two years earlier.

Members of My Chemical Romance are seen posing for photographers.
Bob Bryar is seen on the right as members of My Chemical Romance pose for photographers at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards in Miami. The band formed in 2001 and released four studio albums, first breaking through with 2004's Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge. (Jeff Christensen/The Associated Press)