A TRIBUTE TO CORY MONTEITH

So as most of you will know, Cory Monteith, best known for his role as Finn Hudson on hit show Glee, 

sadly passed away this weekend aged 31.

We don't know how yet, but I'm sure you can appreciate the sadness his passing brings

to millions of people across the world, not to mention of course his family, friends and girlfriend.

He was a much loved actor and singer who managed to reach out to millions of young people worldwide through his character Finn Hudson on Glee and there is no doubt at all that he will be sorely missed.

I obviously did not know Cory personally, but there is something to be said if I, like millions of other people, could manage to see his beautiful, kind, sweet personality shine through only photos, videos and music alone.

If I had been lucky enough to meet him, let alone know him, I'm sure I would 

have no doubt been proven right and been enamored by his beautiful personality.

You only have to look at a photo of him with girlfriend Lea Michele, watch an episode of Glee, listen to one of his songs and it will quickly become apparent how genuine Cory was.

I should say 'he seemed' or 'I bet he was', as I didn't really know him, but I do know that I am right in saying he was a beautiful human being, kind hearted, a gentle giant, loyal, loving without even having met or known him personally.

You can't fake those things, and if you are of that nature, it will always shine through.

Always.

And Cory was, without doubt.

When I found out about his passing, I was in complete and utter shock.
I thought it was a hoax, a terrible PR stunt, and to be honest, a part of me still does, although I know I'm wrong in believing this. 

After ten minutes or so, it did begin to sink in, and before I knew it, I was in floods of tears, I feel tearful writing this now, and I just couldn't stop. 

Normally I don't cry at the death of a celebrity, although obviously I feel sadness and send my prayers to their loved ones. But Cory was different. 

I suppose it's partly to do with having watched him on Glee, as the whole format of television makes you feel like you really do know these people on the screen before you, and Glee was no exception.

 It connected to so many people, in such a personal way, that the characters  really did become 

friends of sorts.

You would turn on the TV at 9pm on a Monday and Finn, Rachel, Kurt, Artie, Quinn, Mr Schuh etc. would be there waiting for you and for an hour your worries would disperse. 

I will always be thankful for that, and Cory's character in particular was especially important, as Finn represented many key messages that young people ought to know.

He represented following your dreams, being whoever it is you want to be, believing in yourself, ignoring what other people think or say about you and living your life exactly how you want to live it.

Even if they do throw grape slushees in your face from time to time.

Aside from that, I believe the other reasons why I cried so much, are that in losing Cory, this world has lost one of the most beautiful, kindest, loveliest souls. A truly beautiful person.

Everyone who met him says he was one of, if not the, loveliest person they have ever met.
And I cried for them too, all those that knew him, because I cannot even begin to imagine or comprehend the awful grief, sadness and loss that they are feeling right now. My heart and prayers really go out to them.

In his short time on this earth, he managed to touch the lives of so many  people both personally and moreover through his character of Finn, he managed to connect with an even bigger audience, and I think that's a wonderful legacy to leave behind.

He represents hope, determination, bravery, as he chose to face and overcome his own personal struggles and live the life he wanted to, fulfill his dreams, find true love.  

As fans of Cory and Glee, we are lucky to have such an inspiring idol.

We are lucky to have had the chance to see the man he was through Glee, the music he created, his relationship with Lea, his many friends and supporters. 

And for those who really did know him and saw all that we saw but with their own two eyes instead of from behind a screen, they should comfort themselves with the knowledge that their love, support, friendship 

 helped make Cory the man he was. 

He left this world loved by so many and will always continue to be loved. 

I really hope he's peaceful and happy up in heaven, dancing and singing away.

If anyone was going to heaven, it would be Cory, and of course he went far to soon, but he achieved so much on this earth, and I bet you anything that he is watching over and protecting his loved ones from way up above. 

God bless you Cory.

Rest in peace.

xxx

SO LONG AND GOODNIGHT MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

I actually can't believe that I am writing this post to you all, because only months ago I was writing about Conventional Weapons and what I thought the new album would sound like.

But I'm truly heartbroken to say that last night My Chemical Romance officially announced their split.

I don't think many people saw it coming, I for one was convinced their fifth album was just waiting round the corner because following on from previous MCR logic, their new album should have been ready for release in 2014. I was so excited to hear what direction the album would take, where it would go and to finally get the opportunity to see my heroes live, in the flesh, right before my eyes.

So to think that we are never going to hear new music from them or ever get the opportunity to see them live again is a fact I just can't seem to get my head around.

I'm used to bands splitting it up, it's just something that happens and you don't really feel sad because you never had that much of an attachment to them. Yet with My Chemical Romance, I for one had and do have a  huge attachment to them, as do many millions of fans across the world. 

Heading into their twelfth year as global superstars, MCR have managed to touch the hearts of so many people worldwide with a type of music that I would label 'life saving', because that's exactly what it did and will continue to do: save lives. 

Magazines, record labels, Billboard and Top 40 charts, they all chart MCR's success on the amount of albums and singles sold, the quality and production of the music, and if we're going purely on those statistics alone, then My Chemical Romance must have seemed like a dream because they were phenomenally successful, right back from when 'Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge' took off, through to the epic release that was 'The Black Parade' and its successor 'Danger Days'. 

Yet to a fan like you or me, we don't just value MCR for the amount of records they sold or their success on the weekly charts, no, because even if their record sold just 10,000 copies, we would still value them just the same and that is because of the music they made and the messages it held.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that you just can't  measure My Chemical Romance's success on the number of records sold, because they aren't a band that works like that.

No, if you're going to measure MCR's success, you measure it with the amount of lives they've saved, the hearts they've touched, the phenomenal impact they've had on millions upon millions of people worldwide, all because of the music they've made.

It's not about earning money, it's about saving lives, and that's what this band has always, always done.

To me personally, MCR will always have a special place in my heart and I will always be grateful to them because their music helped to save me. I'm going to tell you why, and I have never written on here about this before, but I think that now it's the right time.

So when I was fifteen, I went through quite a low, dark period and I don't look back on this part of my life very fondly because truth was I was drowning and I couldn't quite save myself.

Now I'm not saying this to gain sympathy, because I know people had it so much worse than  me, but this was the period of my life was when I faced my battles and demons, and to this day I believe that I only managed to do it because of MCR.

In my time of need I turned to 'The Black Parade' album in particular and I would play it whenever the thoughts in my head became too harsh, mean, hard to bear. 

I would drown out the world around me, filling my ears with the sound of Gerard Way singing to me, telling me to carry on, don't be afraid to walk alone, stay strong, and the loneliness and sadness would fade a little, to be replaced by a strength that made me feel like I could carry on, I could do this.

Even though it felt like no-one was on my side and that no-one understood what I was going through, in My Chemical Romance I had found a group of people who did understand and who were there for me  whenever I needed someone.

I know at the end of the day it's just music, but then again, can it really be just music when the affect it has is so powerful, positive,momentous, life saving? 

When life was a daily struggle for me, My Chemical Romance were there when no-one else was and I would go to school with 'We'll carry on' written on my hand, a constant reminder to myself that I could get through this day, this darkness, this struggle, and I did manage it in the end. 

And it's all because of My Chemical Romance. 

Now this is just my story, just one story in a collection of millions of others, and if you're a fan of MCR, chances are you went through something like me, a period of darkness or struggle, and this band was and maybe still is your coping mechanism, the only reason your still standing and getting through each and every day. 

Gerard and the boys can sing and create music so true because they've experienced that darkness too.

As fans we can relate to that honesty, we appreciate that honesty, and in MCR we see four people who went through that darkness and made it out again, into the light. 

And even though they may not be a band anymore, their music will always remain, there to be listened to whenever we need it, and I can take comfort from that.
I still find myself turning to it now, when things are becoming a little too much, and I truly hope that MCR's music will continue and help to save millions of other people who just need to know that somewhere in this crazy, messed up world, someone understands, someone is there for them, someone cares,

My Chemical Romance have created a legacy, they've broken a fiercely avoided taboo, they've made music that will save lives in a way doctors and therapists could never do.
Look what they've managed to achieve in those twelve years.

And even if the sun is setting for now, I hope that one day it will rise again and for now, like Gerard has said, we should be proud, not sad, and so for now, all I can say is

LONG LIVE MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING.