Four days is hardly a wait, but for fans of Gerard Way (vocalist of My Chemical Romance and author of The Umbrella Academy), it was an agonizing four days indeed.
On September 12, 2025, fans were absolutely elated to find their way across an exhilarating Instagram post by Gauzy Records, seemingly out of the blue, and just in time for the wrap-up of the North American leg of the Long Live The Black Parade Tour.
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While featuring a number of other artists (Michaels Shulz on guitar, along with Aimee Allen and Kevin and Jesse Bivona of The Interrupters), this marks Way’s first song released since My Chem’s The Foundations of Decay was eagerly anticipated by fans everywhere, especially considering two very large factors. The first is Gerard Way himself, featured on the bass guitar, and the second is the song, listed with the late Doug McKean as the engineer.
Those following along with My Chemical Romance may be familiar with that name, and many in the music industry (and fans alike) are well aware of McKean’s passing in 2022. The loss was a devastating loss to his coworkers and colleagues, but, as it so often does with all the best, his legacy lives on in the art that he created.
The Mock-Ups’ new single was set to release on September 16th, and as it so happens, the day has finally arrived.
For the last four days, fans on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Threads, and every other form of social media that you can imagine, have been anxiously awaiting I Wanna Know Your Name, and it has not by any stretch of the imagination disappointed.
The song harkens back to that very specific Britpop vibe that Way so effortlessly captured on his 2014 solo album, Hesitant Alien, which is an absolute delight to hear for those who still jokingly cite a tweet made on the anniversary of the album’s release on September 29, 2015.
Happy birthday Hesitant Alien! Already working on the next
— Gerard Way (@gerardway) September 29, 2015
Cries of “we’re still waiting!” have been heard around the ether for years now, and while this new single may not be the revival of The Hormones (the name given to Way’s accompanying band during his touring years for Hesitant Alien which featured different configurations over time such as Ian Fowles on guitar, Matt Gorney on bass, James Dewees on keys, Jarrod Alexander on drums, and a host of others talented musicians), it’s certainly got the spirit.
Overall, the track feels a bit like raspberry lemonade. A sweet and bright pink (or maybe blue, if you’re feeling fancy!) something coupled with that sour yellow punch of a bass-forward instrumental accompaniment to Way’s classic tenor. It’s the perfect high-energy jam to close out the summer and ride us into fall.
While some fans find themselves asking “When will we get more?” others express sentiments of simply being happy to have anything at all, especially something that has the same overall feeling of an album that holds its own special nostalgic significance.
No matter where you land on the spectrum, it’s safe to say that I Wanna Know Your Name is set to be on repeat in playlists across the globe now that it’s hit streaming platforms.
For newly released merch form The Mock-Ups, visit the Gauzy Records store!
