I always thought emo, the way media described it years ago, was bands like Dashboard Confessional. But I could be way wrong.

Popular news media seems to slap the term "emo" on a lot of bands that are listened to by high school students, regardless of their actual musical content. Panic's first album was called "emo," though it was much more techno-inspired, and Fall Out Boy is far closer to punk than "emo."

Popular news media seems to slap the term "emo" on a lot of bands that are listened to by high school students, regardless of their actual musical content.

Yes, this. "emo" has apparently become shorthand for "Those kids today, with their funny hair and their loud music!"

And the media's already started to use terms like "post-emo," which when you can't even clearly list the bands that are in a genre, I don't know how you can say that that genre is now over.

His friend on lead guitar shreds like Van Halen. The rhythm guitarist was airlifted in from a Jersey thrash punk band.

The hugely contrasting guitarists who somehow manage to work beautifully together are part of the legendary early magic that made ears perk up all over the eastern corridor.

Someone who understands guitars more than I can will be better able to explain the technicalities of that.

My understanding is that -- call it "genuine emo" or "original emo"? -- was a subdivision of punk. The main reason they were an offshoot was that their lyrical content more than musical style.

What's now called emo is probably more indie pop, with an emphasis on love songs and possibly being more suitable for slow dancing than most of what's out there these days.

Death Cab for Cutie was frequently labeled emo, although I would sooner label them lyrically-intelligent indie pop.

Generally, when people say emo, what they mean is "whiny music that sucks." I tend to associate that term, outside of media labeling, with young men (primarily) who want to disparage others' choices in music and emotional sensitivity in general. Hence the fact that it is applied to bands as divergent as MCR and DCFC.

I also associate it with homophobia and misogyny, due to the fact that, by aforementioned macho youth, the word "emo" is frequently coupled with "pussy" or "fag."

See Projekt Revolution and that whole mess.

I don't know a whole lot about guitars, but Frank Iero (the thrash punk one) has said that both he and Ray Toro think of ideas that the other never would. If you get a band of five guys who all listen to exactly the same music, you can pretty much guess what their music is going to sound like. But when your influences are coming from wildly different directions (Queen, Morrissey, The Smiths, The Misfits, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, etc. etc.) the outcome of how you put them together is going to be much more of a grab bag.

I also associate it with homophobia and misogyny, due to the fact that, by aforementioned macho youth, the word "emo" is frequently coupled with "pussy" or "fag."

Bingo. I have always seen "emo" used as a derogatory term. Which is part of the reason I don't have a clear understanding of what music genre really could be called emo.

The homophobia & misogyny bring up another thing: most of the bandom bands are fiercely against both, and frequently say things (in interviews, on stage) to change people's perceptions. (Frank Iero's "homophobia is dumb" t-shirt, the ever evolving stagegay aspect of MCRs live shows, Gerard ranting about other band's roadies trying to get girls to flash them for backstage passes.)

I also associate it with homophobia and misogyny, due to the fact that, by aforementioned macho youth, the word "emo" is frequently coupled with "pussy" or "fag."

See Projekt Revolution and that whole mess.

As a note, emo kids are getting beat up and threatened in Mexico: [link]

And Ailleann nails it in the descriptor of MCR's style. (Another side note, a British magazine described Toro as looking like he was airlifted in from another band at a moment's notice.)