May 8, 2008 16:21

Emo fans defend their music against suicide claims

Fans say their music not to blame for Hannah Bond death

Photo Gallery: My Chemical Romance

Emo fans have contacted NME.COM to defend their music against claims it inspired 13 year-old Hannah Bond to commit suicide.

Roger Sykes, the coroner who gave the verdict of suicide yesterday (May 7), suggested that the fact that Bond was an obsessive fan of such music (My Chemical Romance being mentioned in particular) was linked to her death.

The inquest heard that Bond had discussed with friends the "glamour" of suicide, and was obsessed with My Chemical Romance.

However while most fans accepted that Bond's death was a tragedy, they rejected the coroner's conclusion that "the emo overtones concerning death and associating it with glamour I find very disturbing".

NME.COM user Time For Something Bibical said: "My heart goes out to her family, but you don't get 'sucidial' just solely by listening to 'emo' music, there are always deeper reasons and connections.

"My Chemical Romance aren't very emo to be honest, their last album had quite a lot about hope - eg 'Welcome To The Black Parade' and 'Famous Last Words'. I listen to emo music, it doesn't make me sad or anything."

Neamychem added: "MCR is a band that wants to save people's lives, NOT destroy them."

luvmark also questioned the coroner's verdict. He said: "I find it disgusting that small-minded people would assume that music has that much of an influence, that someone would kill themselves because of it.

"The idea of suicide has always been glamourised, even in films, but apparently it's easier to blame someone who has been slated in the past. I listen to My Chem, as do many of my friends, and we are happy people with happy lives."