My Chemical Romance still close despite split

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My Chemical Romance are still like "family" despite being defunct as a band.

Guitarist Ray Toro, 39, has opened up about how supportive his band mates Gerard Way, Frank Iero and Mikey Way have been towards his solo LP 'Remember The Laughter' and although they may not see each other all the time they always keep in touch about each other's solo projects.

Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, he said: "We are very supportive of each other's solo projects. That is one of the great things we are still close friends and close family.

"We all keep an eye, even if we are not in touch with each other everyday, we all know what all the other guys are up to.

"For me, I am musically a fan of what the other guys are capable of. I am just really proud to see everyone go off in their own directions and explore musically things that they weren't able to explore in the past. So that is really exciting to see."

A tragic event, which has pulled them even closer, was the near-fatal accident on October 13, 2016 when bassist Frank, 35, and his band the Patience were in Sydney, Australia heading to a show when his band and publicist were unloading their equipment and a bus collided with them.

Toro says it was a "shock to the system" and made them realise how close they were to losing their friend.

He shared: "That was a scary time for all of us. Obviously him and his family and the other guys who were in that crash.

Not that we weren't in a place where we weren't talking or communicating, but it definitely sends a shock into your system.

"We could have lost this person and for me personally I have been friends with him for so long and it was just scary stuff. It was definitely a reality a check for sure."

Meanwhile, the 'Look at You Now' singer says he never intended to write a solo album, but it was the only way he could "process" the band's split in 2013 and becoming a father for the first time.

Asked if he had always intended to have a solo career, he said: "I think my solo album was written to process everything that was going on at the time.

"I just found having a son really changed my perspective on life and what I feel is truly important and writing songs was a way for me to truly process those feelings.

"It happened very organically. I didn't intend to write solo album."