Bob Bryar Dies: My Chemical Romance Drummer Was 44
Bob Bryar, the musician and sound engineer who served as My Chemical Romance’s longest-running drummer, has died. He was 44.
The double-platinum artist’s body was found badly decomposed Tuesday at his home in Tennessee after he was last seen alive on November 4, law enforcement said.
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Bryar’s cause of death was under investigation, according to the TMZ, but no foul play is suspected as all of his weapons were found untouched.
Born December 31, 1979 in Chicago, Bryar began drumming at a young age, performing with his school marching band before going on to study sound engineering at University of Florida.
While touring as a sound engineer for The Used in 2004, he met and befriended the members of My Chemical Romance (MCR), who was also performing on tour. Bryar replaced MCR founding drummer Matt Pelissier shortly after the release of their second studio album Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge in June 2004, appearing in many of the album’s supporting videos.
“I left a very good touring gig where I was tour managing and doing sound. I left that job to join a band that was filthy, had sh—y gear, a smashed-up, smoking, death-trap van and was poor. They smelled bad, too,” Bryar told Alternative Press in 2016. “I was so happy to receive the offer. Long before we recorded ‘Welcome to the Black Parade’, I knew that [MCR] were special and I wanted in. I wanted to help evolve the band and be able to shred with them every night.”
He added, “I think my last huge memory was playing [a sold out show at] MSG to end the tour. I never thought that would ever happen to me, and I still can’t believe that was for real.”
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Bryar appeared on the band’s two final albums, The Black Parade (2006) and Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010), as well as the compilation album Conventional Weapons (2013), departing the group in 2010. MCR disbanded in 2013.
After touring behind-the-scenes with several other bands, Bryar went into real estate in 2014, ultimately retiring from drumming in 2021.
“I’m permanently closing the book on my drumming days. I have too many wrist issues, I’m too old, too fat, and it’s time for something new,” he wrote on Twitter at the time, selling his drum kit in support of Williamson County Animal Control and Adoption Center in Franklin, Tennessee.
Bryar was active in dog rescue charities. His two dogs were retrieved by animal control after his body was discovered.
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