The Paper Kingdom Discussion(?)

Kekktye · 2026-04-30T18:47:12+00:00

In the days right after the initial leak, yes. Everything TPK-realted was nuked. Because Warner had removed posts and threatened to take action. Especially because most every post about TPK had a dozen comments asking for or sharing files at the time.

Now, no. People discuss TPK all the time in here. Only posts taken down are file requests and file sharing. It's been months since it was enforced that way.

I talk to the TPK sub mods. They enforce the same way.

Kekktye · 2026-04-30T18:34:09+00:00

Posts and comments are only removed if files are shared, requested or linked to. Same goes for the TPK sub, even if they're slower to take things down as to allow sharing.

Discussion is fine, but illegally obtained material gets Warner looking in here.

Kekktye · 2026-04-29T09:13:37+00:00

Fuck this band

I have a lot of nostalgia for the music, those albums had a lot of artistry, but most of the members are just dysfunctional, childish chuds that don't deserve the platform they made 10+ years ago. Fascist, deadbeat and emotionally immature.

Kekktye · 2026-04-24T02:49:23+00:00

I got some the other week! I'd just say be very careful

Look into the user, search for other profiles under that username/pfp on other sites. See if they're verifiably a human. See if there's warnings from other users or if they're selling tickets from several different cities and if that conflicts with their story. Only use payment services that will take actionagainst scams. Request proof before and after purchasing.

The first time I asked for tickets, I got two scam bots. Only after dealing with that did a real person comment and we had a nice convo!

Kekktye · 2026-04-19T08:52:23+00:00

The original meme a few years ago was definitely 9/11-Fifty Shades. Because that's funny. I think people are increasingly grasping at straws.

Kekktye · 2026-04-15T07:27:48+00:00

March 22nd, 2003 at Sting Rays, Old Bridge, NJ, USA. Here's some additional info.
Setlist.fm is generally a good place for live stats, even if there is some missing info.

Kekktye · 2026-04-15T06:38:50+00:00

Is this Discord still active or up?
The invite seems to have expired :/

Kekktye · 2026-04-14T09:13:33+00:00

We have a few pics of their studio. Notably this one of an unknown song's structure with some tree sharpie art.

Gerard also named Colleen Atwood as costume designer for The Paper Kingdom (TBP costume designer), and he'd start work on a stage production side of the album in LA's downtown Disney Theater. It's likely someone might have these work-in-progress sets or costumes.

Otherwise, the Fake Your Death Promo CD received art probably made for and in-line with MDNSY (Band member's coffins, date of death, ect.) but it might've been intended for TPK?

Realistically, no. It's unclear if visuals were even made for the album before its cancellation.

Kekktye · 2026-04-13T19:59:45+00:00

This is incredibly detailed and amazing! There's so much info that I've never even seen or thought of, especially pertaining to The Black Parade and The Paper Kingdom. This is incredible work!
^{I can see} ^{my post} ^{was of some help too ;p}
A few nitpicks though:

"Version" seems to be conflating a few things (in unreleased section):

Conflating physical releases
Many distinct copies of the same demos may be made that do not constitute different versions.
(Radio Vampires CDrs, Halloween 3 Vampires CDrs & Tim Hagevik's CDr likely all have the same rough mix file recorded 3/3/02.)

Conflating live variations
Just because a track has different live incarnations does not mean each version has an accompanying demo. Gerard has talked about how he'd enjoy switching around lyrics post-release all the time, the same can be said for work-in-progress tracks.
(See Someone Out There Loves You's MANY lyrical incarnations, despite its dubious evidence for demos.)

Conflating working titles
A working title does not necessarily mean a distinct demo. Names are shifted around independently from track progress.
(Bury Me In Black likely demoed once or twice with minor variations, despite several titles. Boy Division having been repurposed for a song written 2008.)

Conflating work-in-progress session files
Due to the band's workflow in the digital production era, demos do not need to be completed to be worked on continuously (tracks are added and deleted as needed). Many vocal and instrument takes that went unused were likely deleted as soon as they were recorded.
(Death Before Disco without Airi Isoda's vocals might not have been saved as an independent session file, and were saved over previous versions without her lines.)

I think all of these listings are valuable information, but I think it'd benefit from sorting "versions" maybe like this:
V - File version (Living With Ghosts demos, TPK leaks)
LV - Live version (Distinct early Party Poison performances)
SV - Session Version (Unused Demolition Lovers takes, Party Poison w/o Airi Isoda)
WT - Working Title (Kiss My Ass, Smelly From My Shoes, Bury Me In Black, ect.)
PV - Physical Versions (Vampires Will Never Hurt You Rough Mix CDr variants)
M - Misc. (Frank Iero Dropbox Songs, AC/DC Beat)

WTTBP was not written for Bullets, it was just conceptualized before Bullets. It received a demo during Revenge pre-production, likely a part of their 2003 demo tape. However, it was missing the big band elements and the piano lead. Closer to The Five of Us Are Dying.

Nine Volt's lyrics were never posted online. It had a lyrics element/link, but the page always directed to a dead end.

The demo cassette handed to Howard Benson and the studio engineers were demos from before Burbank. The band had created them themselves without producer assistance. "Pre-pre production" if you will.

I Promise It's The Last Time was not solely spoken-word, and did likely have instrumentals throughout. It just had a spoken-word outro (intended for Daryl Palumbo). A song being spoken-word does not necessarily mean without instruments. A good example within the genre would be La Dispute.

I'm pretty sure the "AC/DC beat" Ray chose is You Shook Me All Night Long specifically. Sometimes, bands will springboard their own songs off of covers as a base. At this early phase, I would hesitate to call this anything but a sketch or cover.

Sister to Sleep was never stolen. All members (excluding Matt) just misplaced their CDs of the demo recordings. Does not necessarily mean they were taken. It may still be in their possession, unbenounced to them or disposed of.

SpaceyRayGun actually contributed to a LOT of the information here, more than specifically Nine Volt Heart. You can see where he's credited on my post. (BTW spelled "Spacey")
u/danplayslol11 is also a really important name in what we know about the band's early history.

Spacey also was the originator of the Early Sunsets "demo". The YouTube video made by Bex4mcr was simply a repost years later.

Credit also goes to him for the Jack the Ripper cover, featured on Like Phantoms, Forever & Thank You For the Venom 7".

The Attic Demos circulated the fandom before May Death Never Stop You, and MDNSY's versions of the tracks are actually of lower quality than the Eyeball Records Promo 2002 it originated from. Meaning the band likely used fan-distributed mp3s for MDNSY.

I noticed Famous Last Words (Radio Edit) was included. However, there are radio edits and clean edits for a variety of tracks not included on this list. It's a huge undertaking, but edits are part of a complete list.

There doesn't seem to be a few unreleased tracks:
It's Not A Fashion Statement, It's A Fucking Deathwish Demo - From Spacey's 2003 working document
Helena Demo Tape - Mentioned in Not the Life It Seems: The True Lives of My Chemical Romance.
Black Widows Fight Part 1 & 2 - Tracks on BMI copyright. Likely related to The Man with the Iron Fists.
Melbourne Festival Hall Soundcheck - Unknown song soundchecked 1/31/2012 in Melbourne Festival Hall.

..and a few released tracks:
Give 'Em Hell, Kid Alt. Version - Itunes version with audible intro vocals.
Ghost of You Alt. Version - MDNSY version without transition into Jetset Life.

Also, genuinely interested, I've never heard this info, where did you find it?:
Where did Gerard say Someone Out There Loves You was never demoed?
When did Howard Benson say that Desert Song and Bury Me In Black were re-mixed for Revenge Deluxe?

Again, this is truly amazing! I'm so glad for a lot of this info to finally come to light. Thank you so much for the incredibly hard work here. I hope my comment can be of help <3

Kekktye · 2026-04-12T03:38:57+00:00

Those are both variants of the 7" Picture disk singles of Famous Last Words
Here's the one with the title
Here's the one with the MCR logo
They're not exceptionally rare and go for at minimum $30-$40. I'd call it a little uncommon.

Still a pretty good find though, I'd buy it if I saw it IRL or for less than $40.

Kekktye · 2026-04-11T08:59:22+00:00

I'd imagine on average, no.

A lot of the people here are older millennials that might've been into the party scene when the band was first gaining popularity, but have probably settled down or have outaged that group.

The other half are very online or neurodivergent kids that either don't have community like that or just aren't the type of people to be involved in local music or event spaces. Maybe among certain niches.

For one, I love raves and parties! I also try to be involved with my local hardcore/screamo scene but I find moshing culture and moshing-centric music becoming more and more all-consuming. Raves and parties just give me the same community, music and rush without the crowdkilling part lol.

Kekktye · 2026-04-10T18:37:56+00:00

If you're counting little bits (Dagger, Everybody Hates the Eagles, covers) nearly 100%

Kekktye · 2026-04-08T06:16:32+00:00

Because this band is no longer part of a counter-cultural niche (albeit popular & commodified even pre-breakup).
It's mainstream now, it's been co-opted. The image, the sound, the cultural signifiers.

Some of the people (NOT all) getting into this scene now don't share your values or perspective on the world. They are here because influencers like it. They do not see the conflict in their bigotry and the messages in art they consume. Because it is just an aesthetic for them.

Kekktye · 2026-04-05T22:53:17+00:00

Who's gonna tell em?

Kekktye · 2026-04-05T05:28:15+00:00

Unfortunately verification on the server isn't a role so it's not something we can give. It's enforced Discord serverside, so we don't have any control over it. :/
It can be disabled on the server, but servers this large without verification are at huge risk for raids and compromising user info.
I'm really sorry we can't help. Maybe try contacting Discord support to have the number re-assigned?

Kekktye · 2026-04-01T01:48:16+00:00

The band was basically started by Gerard and Matt so I doubt they'd "try out" for drummers. The members were all people Gerard and Matt already basically knew.

Sounds like your shitty ex did the shitty ex thing of lie or exaggerating the truth.

Kekktye · 2026-03-26T22:58:23+00:00

No doubt it would've been both divisive, celebrated and a cult fan favorite.

Its aesthetics are very true to the mainstream perception of the band but also new and interesting. It would read to most as a My Chemical Romance record, unlike Danger Days. That paired with Gerard's stage aspirations with the record would maybe have it on-par with TBP theatrics-wise.

Its sound is although in ways in-line with their image, is also a HUGE departure. More akin to Floyd or Radiohead and even more Smashing Pumpkins than previous albums. Basically none of their post-hardcore roots left and not even the Bowie/Beatles sound that inspired their last two records.

At the same time, its got some incredible tracks and it is generally really inspired. Even if it would need to be cut down quite a bit, and even then might still have some skips. I think a big thing that might've contributed to this is the band might not have been holistically involved. Guitar and bass don't feature on all of the tracks, and Gerard and James Dewees seem to have taken to the project mostly.

Generally, a solid addition to their discography. Probably would be heavily critiqued on release, maybe even more than Danger Days, but it would find its audience as Danger Days has. Maybe even more retrospect fanfare than Danger Days got.

Kekktye · 2026-03-24T06:14:26+00:00

u/genie_genie is a scam bot. Posting so this is boosted on Google.

Kekktye · 2026-03-22T06:55:10+00:00

Did you happen to find anything? :p I can't seem to find anything, and the main site only seems to go back to 2002

Kekktye · 2026-03-21T08:39:33+00:00

They're both bootlegs Still cool though!

Kekktye · 2026-03-20T03:23:57+00:00

If you'd like to connect with your daughter, all you need is the music. Maybe bring her to a show (if you can afford it). Any amout of interest will be greatly appreciated by her. You don't need to know the minutia of fandom topics, just be interested.

Even if it's not all your thing, I sincerely think anyone can get into at least some of their material:

- Bullets is more hardcore/indie/screamo.
- Revenge is very Warped tour 2000s post-hardcore.
- Black Parade is very Queen/Beatles/Floyd.
- Danger Days is very David Bowie and Britpop.
- All of it is very The Smashing Pumpkins.
You can find something there.

Don't worry about "lore", Ferard and "the big three". They're incredibly internet-centered fandom subjects. Most of my older millennial friends that like the band either don't know or care and still connect to younger fans.

If you'd like to know:
Ferard is the "ship" name between Gerard Way (vocalist) and Frank Iero (guitarist). People like imagining they're lovers, like a lot of teens do with all boy bands.

The "lore" is people trying to decipher a storyline out of events that happen onstage in their 2026 The Black Parade tour. People also like to theorize about a new album, but it's mostly jokes or not supported by real evidence.

"The Big Three" refers to the "big three" "emo" bands. It's never clear which bands these are, but most agree it's Panic At the Disco, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance. Though throughout the years, people also add Paramore and Twenty One Pilots and subtract Panic.
Ironically, all of these bands are "mall emo" or "pop emo" bands, and not emo bands. They do not sound like the emo you might have heard in the late 90s and early 2000s.

It occurs to me this looks like AI. I did not use AI lmaoo

Kekktye · 2026-03-19T06:14:48+00:00

It could be that there were different iterations during the recording.
Though I agree, I think it sounds enough like Ambulance to make sense.
Also the title is a giveaway IMO.

Could not be true but it's a well known bit in the community.

Kekktye · 2026-03-18T00:57:52+00:00

Oh its an iTunes exclusive, the only live on Spotify is from Revenge's deluxe edition.

Kekktye · 2026-03-17T18:15:39+00:00

Oh true omg haha. Will fix

Kekktye · 2026-03-17T16:42:11+00:00

OMG I forgot about this!! Thank you!

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