Ray Toro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Toro
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Toro live with My Chemical Romance in 2011
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Raymond Toro |
| Born | July 15, 1977 Kearny, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1994–present |
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Raymond Toro, born on July 15, 1977, is an American musician. He is a singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is most famous as the lead guitarist and backing singer for the band My Chemical Romance.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
Toro was born in Kearny, New Jersey. He grew up in a small house with his parents and two brothers. His family has roots in Puerto Rico and Portugal.
When he was in high school, he became very interested in music. His brother showed him many bands. The guitarists in these bands greatly influenced Ray. He took guitar lessons to learn how to play. He also took typing lessons to make his hands faster.
Ray played in several local bands. The most successful one was The Rodneys, formed in 1994. They released their only album, Soccertown USA, in 1997. Matt Pelissier, who later became the drummer for My Chemical Romance, also played in this band. After finishing high school in 1995, Ray decided to study film instead of music. He studied editing at William Paterson University. His only music at that time was playing drums in a band called Dead Go West.
In an interview, Ray said that being in a band was not his main dream. He always wanted to write music and enjoyed recording. He never thought he would be in a touring band. He liked putting film scenes together to make a story. He once made a short film about a guy who loved eating eggs.
Music Career Highlights
Forming My Chemical Romance
Shawn Dillon, the singer from The Rodneys, introduced Ray Toro to Gerard Way in the late 1990s. Ray agreed to practice music with Gerard and Matt Pelissier. They mostly practiced in Matt's attic. Later, Gerard's younger brother, Mikey Way, joined them as the bass player. This is how My Chemical Romance was formed.
In 2007, Ray Toro appeared as himself in the movie Punk Rock Holocaust 2. His bandmate Frank Iero was also in the movie.
Influences and Collaborations
Since My Chemical Romance's third album, The Black Parade, many people have compared Ray Toro to Brian May, the guitarist from the band Queen. Ray has often said that Brian May is a big influence on his guitar playing style. Ray said he feels honored by the comparisons. He loves Brian May's work and thinks he is an amazing guitarist. My Chemical Romance even performed with Brian May at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2011.
Ray was a key person behind My Chemical Romance's #SINGItForJapan project. This project helped people affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan. He arranged the music for the band's song "Sing" to sound like traditional Japanese music. "SINGItForJapan" was released on April 13, 2011. All the money raised went to the Red Cross.
My Chemical Romance has released four studio albums and many other recordings. The band was working on a fifth album before they decided to take a break.
Solo Work and Other Projects
On May 24, 2013, Ray Toro shared a solo song called "Isn't That Something" on his SoundCloud page. He said he did everything himself for the song: he played all the instruments, sang, recorded, and mixed it.
Later in 2013, Ray joined James Dewees's band, Reggie and the Full Effect, for a tour. He also helped with their album No Country for Old Musicians. In 2014, Ray played guitar for the singer Voltaire on his album Raised by Bats.
On January 1, 2015, Ray released a new song called "For the Lost and Brave" on his website. He mentioned Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teenager, in his blog post about the song. Kerrang! magazine described the song as "aching synth-rock" with the same "us-against-the-world spirit" as My Chemical Romance. Ray also said this was the first time he had written lyrics or songs completely on his own.
On November 18, 2016, Ray Toro released his first solo album, Remember the Laughter. He recorded most of it at his home starting in 2013.
On October 31, 2019, My Chemical Romance announced they would reunite. They played a show in Los Angeles on December 20. They also announced a tour for 2020, which included dates in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. The tour was later moved to 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Musical Style and Influences
Ray Toro is known for his "shred guitar" playing. This means he plays fast and with a lot of energy. One music writer said he is not a typical pop-punk player. He plays his guitar solos with passion and a dramatic feel.
Ray has said that Randy Rhoads, a heavy metal guitarist, and Brian May, a hard rock musician, are his two biggest influences. As a teenager, he loved Randy Rhoads because he mixed classical music with metal and hard rock in a very good way. Later, Ray listened to classical guitarists like Andrés Segovia. He was fascinated by how they arranged classical pieces for a single guitar, making beautiful melodies and bass lines work together.
Even though he said he was a "music snob" about new artists, he has praised the band Muse. He mostly listens to the same music he enjoyed when he was younger. He likes finding new harmonies or details in the music that he didn't notice before.
Ray also says his older brother was a huge influence. His brother bought him his first real guitar and taught him how to play. His brother also introduced him to bands like Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Mötley Crüe, and Metallica. The first CD Ray ever bought was Cowboys from Hell by Pantera.
Personal Life
Ray Toro married his wife, Christa, in November 2008. This was during a break for My Chemical Romance. They have two sons. One was born in September 2012, and the other in April 2016.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Remember the Laughter (2016)
Singles
- "Isn't That Something" (2013)
- "For the Lost and Brave" (2015)
- "I Think You're Really Cool (Ray Toro Remix)" (with Guardin, 2021)
The Rodneys
- Soccertown U.S.A. (Sellout Soon Records) – 1997
My Chemical Romance
- I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love (2002)
- Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge (2004)
- The Black Parade (2006)
- Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (2010)
Reggie and the Full Effect
- No Country for Old Musicians (2013)
See also
In Spanish: Ray Toro para niños
