Former My Chemical Romance drummer Bob Bryar was found dead in his Tennessee home on Tuesday, according to reports. He was 44 years old. Bryar, who held the record as the band’s longest-serving drummer, was last spotted alive on November 4, according to TMZ, which cited insider sources.
According to the outlet, Bryar’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition when it was found. Animal Control was called to the residence to remove his two dogs. Authorities have said that foul play is not suspected in his death as all his “weapons and music equipment in the home were left untouched.” Bryar’s cause of death was not immediately known.
Mysterious and Unexpected Death
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Bryar, was My Chemical Romance’s longest-serving and final official drummer from 2004 to 2010. His departure from the band was surrounded by speculation about disputes with his fellow members—Frank Iero, Mikey Way, Gerard Way, and Ray Toro.
Although the band did not openly address the details, multiple sources confirmed to MTV that a disagreement had taken place.
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Bryar stepped in as the band’s drummer after the release of their second album, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004), replacing Matt Pelissier. He went on to contribute to all subsequent recordings and performances with the group until his departure.
On March 3, 2010, guitarist Frank Iero announced that Bob Bryar had parted ways with the band.
“As of 4 weeks ago, My Chemical Romance and Bob Bryar parted ways. This was a painful decision for all of us to make and was not taken lightly. We wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and expect you all to do the same,” Iero wrote on a statement shared to their official website.
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In 2013, Bryar briefly rejoined My Chemical Romance in for their Conventional Weapons record.
After retiring from music in 2014, he became a real estate agent and became a passionate supporter of animal rescue organizations and sanctuaries.
His Final Years
In 2021, Bryar auctioned the drum kit he last used with the band—both on tour and in the studio while recording their legendary 2006 album The Black Parade—to raise money for an animal rescue organization in Tennessee, as reported by Rolling Stone.
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“This is my very last drum kit and it’s ready for a new home. I used this kit when [the band] opened the MTV VMAs in 2005, the following tour, and for some of the [Black Parade] record,” he wrote in the listing, per the outlet.
Bryar was born in Chicago, Illinois, and started playing drums at a young age. During his school years, he played in both marching and jazz bands before pursuing a degree in sound engineering at the University of Florida.
In 2015, Bryar tweeted that after being “kicked out of My Chemical Romance,” he became “the most depressed, angry, suicidal person ever.”
In a later tweet, which has since been deleted, he shared: “Now, I am on so many pills that I feel a bit better, although, it still (b)others me every day. In a recent conversation, I was told I won’t be back.”
Though My Chemical Romance had plans to tour in 2025, Bryar was not included in the reunion.
The current lineup of My Chemical Romance comprises lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way.