Former My Chemical Romance bassist Mikey Way says his friends tricked him into entering rehab – and admits he’s lucky to be alive after years of addiction issues.
He thought he’d been invited to the US East Coast for recording sessions with his new band Electric Century, and he was only told the truth when he got off his plane.
Way says in an open letter to fans: “Upon my arrival I was told, ‘You aren’t here to record.’ I instantly knew I was going into rehab. I felt an odd sense of comfort and thanked my friends for doing this for me. I’d come to realise my addiction was far past me being able to beat it alone. At that point, I was lucky to be alive.”
He describes the experience of rehab as “terrifying yet rewarding,” adding: “Playing in front of tens of thousands of people used to be the most frightening thing for me – but getting the help I knew I needed made that look relaxing.”
The bassist says his addiction grew as MCR became more successful. And when they split last year, he fell into “total darkness.” He continues: “I disconnected from everyone I knew and pushed away everyone I loved. I was not only lost, but in complete self-destruction mode. In February, I was told I should never have woken up.”
Electric Century released their first single I Lied earlier this year, and their debut album is expected next year. Way says: “Electric Century started because I still had something I wanted to share with the world. I wanted it to be a special project that showed another side of me, and told a story I had wanted to tell for quite some time. I’m hoping to get this music to all of you as soon as possible.”
