Drumming News
Bob Bryar, the drummer and sound engineer best known for his tenure with My Chemical Romance (MCR), has died at 44. His body was discovered on Tuesday at his home in Tennessee, reportedly badly decomposed. Bryar had been last seen alive on November 4, and his cause of death is currently under investigation. Authorities have stated that there is no evidence of foul play, as all of his belongings, including his weapons, were found intact at the scene.
Born on December 31, 1979, in Chicago, Bryar developed a passion for music early in life, drumming in his school’s marching band and later studying sound engineering at the University of Florida. His big break came in 2004, when, while working as a sound engineer for The Used, he met the members of My Chemical Romance during a tour. Shortly after, he replaced founding drummer Matt Pelissier and joined MCR just as the band’s second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, was gaining traction.
Bryar’s contributions helped catapult MCR to global fame, particularly with their 2006 album The Black Parade, which became one of the most iconic rock records of the 2000s. The album, featuring hits like “Welcome to the Black Parade” and “Famous Last Words,” was certified quadruple platinum and solidified the band’s place in rock history. Bryar also performed on the band’s final studio album, Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010), before leaving MCR that same year.
After his departure from My Chemical Romance, Bryar briefly worked with other musical acts and later transitioned to real estate, retiring from drumming in 2021 due to wrist issues. In addition to his music career, Bryar was active in dog rescue efforts, and his two dogs were taken into custody by animal control following his death.
Though Bryar was not involved in MCR’s reunion shows or their upcoming tour in 2025, his legacy as a key figure in the band’s rise to fame remains cemented in rock history. My Chemical Romance, formed in 2001 by Gerard Way and others, has yet to release a statement about Bryar’s passing.
