Haunted by the fear that his best days were behind him, local musician Frank Iero has found renewed inspiration.

Despite the doubts he has now that he’s 23 years into his musical career, Iero has a new sense of confidence with the creation of one of his newest songs, “Violet.”

Iero, a father of three, is the guitarist and backup vocalist of My Chemical Romance and L.S Dunes. Since the beginning of his career, he’s also become a singer, songwriter, and record producer. 

My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band known for their theatrical style and emotional, often darkly themed music. They ruled their genre in the mid-2000s, and although the band has cycled through a few different members, the current lineup consists of Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, and Mikey Way.

Iero’s other alternative rock band, L.S. Dunes, is an amalgamation of former members of not only My Chemical Romance but also Coheed and Cambria, Thursday, and Circa Survive. The group consists of Anthony Green, Iero, Tucker Rule, Travis Stever, and Tim Payne. 

L.S. Dunes’ new release, “Violet”, holds a very special place in Iero’s heart. “I really love ‘Violet.’ I think it might be one of my favorite songs I have ever written.” Rediscovering a deep connection and love for songwriting also reignited his passion for his career. “As an aging artist, we are sometimes confronted with the question ‘Is my best work behind me?’ And to be able to still write songs that surprise you and that you love after doing this for as long as I have, it is a really great feeling.”

The inspiration for “Violet” simply came to Iero. According to his daughter, Cherry Iero, he workshops his songs late in the night. “He likes to practice and write his songs really late at night when everybody else is sleeping. This helps him think because everybody else is upstairs, and it’s quiet so he can just write.” 

His wife, Jamia Iero, says that he will commonly feel a song coming and have to get it out. “He can wake up from a dream with a melody in his head that he needs to get out. He will sometimes get an idea and immediately be able to figure out a whole song from it, or he can have an idea that he will hold onto until he hears a piece that it will go with perfectly, and then he can figure it out from there. So it’s a very unique process that can sometimes literally take seconds or years.”

The story of Iero’s creation of “Violet” is a clear testament to his talent. After a demo guitar was sent to him for review and critique, he set up a video to test the instrument. In this video, Iero captured him picking up the guitar and making “Violet” on the spot. Once Iero had the bulk idea for the song, drummer Rule aided in the perfecting of the song. “That feeling of grabbing a song out of thin air fully formed is one of the greatest experiences as a songwriter,” said Iero.

The song was created with a non-stop flow. Iero’s intake of his surroundings and experiences allows him to put pen to paper and put forth lyrics he is proud of. “I’m inspired by the things around me, my childhood and upbringing, my everyday life, my family. Those are the things that find their way into my songs.” 

According to Rock Sound, the song is about someone getting “exactly what they deserved.” Greene even adds, “This song helped me get through the feeling of being ghosted.” The design of the lyrics purposefully makes for an emotional, impactful, and intense song. 

Each member of L.S. Dunes hails from a different established band. The L.S. Dunes fanbase is comprised of die-hard fans of their previous works. They are still working to build their own fan base, and this song is helping them do so. 

With ideas of karma, messages of spiritual wisdom, and fate in the universe, the song is packed with thematic ideas that their fans have enjoyed indefinitely. The continuous productions by L.S. Dunes are giving them a fan base of their own. Expect many more songs like this one from Iero and his musical groups.