The band was started by Gerard Way on the day of the September 11, 2001 attacks after he was on his way to work in New York and saw the bodies falling from the building. Gerard said that he thought to himself "What am I doing with my life? I'm slaving away doing drawings for Cartoon Network and not actually helping anybody", he then called up his friend Matt Pelissier who went on to recruit Ray Toro - the band's lead guitarist. Gerard said "there's nobody in New Jersey who can beat him, he is the best". Gerard's brother Mikey Way, bass guitarist, joined his brother's new band soon after.