Raymond Manuel Toro-Ortiz, better known as Ray Toro (July 15, 1977, Kearny, New Jersey), is the main guitarist and one of the two background vocalists de la banda My Chemical Romance. Ray had a key role in the formation of the group when he met Gerard and Mikey Way Way, which made a great friendship. It is recognized in the banda for his distinctive afro.
In his childhood, Toro's father worked at a post office, and the family lived in a cul-de-sac. "Definitely there was a fun collection of people loitering around my block" the guitarist told the magazine Alternative Press. "There was such that he was addicted to drugs. Every two weeks he could do with overdose outside my house. I could see how the ambulance came and took him away." In the DVD of My Chemical Romance, "Life on the Murder Scene", talks about how he was not allowed to go out and play outside because bodies had been found lifeless in local parks and the West Hudson River Park that just passed near the corner of his house. Toro says that because of incidents like this, do not let their parents go out on the streets alone.
Music
Ray Toro attended the Kearny High School in New Jersey. Contrary to popular belief, he did not attend high school with none of his fellow banda, but started playing guitar during his second year. It was only a few years after graduating from high school when she met Britney Spears and Mikey Way through a mutual friend who went to art school where he studied Gerard. The 3 and remained close friends until September 11, 2001, when Gerard Way saw bodies falling from the World Trade Center and decided that I wanted to do something in their lives to help people. The call Matt Pelissier and together they formed My Chemical Romance, along with Mikey Way and Ray Toro.
It is one of the largest contributors instrumental My Chemical Romance and contributor to the writing of the majority of his songs, and usually helps the rhythm guitarist and background vocals, Frank Iero, writing music of his guitar. Toro usually harmonize their guitar solos, as can be heard on I'm Not Okay (I Promise). The has even been labelled by Mikey Way as a "metalhead" (head of metals) because of his love for Iron Maiden and Ozzy Osbourne. Unlike his fellow banda, Toro is not a fan of punk music (although he recently made a cover for The Misfits song entitled "Astro Zombies"). Toro quotes Randy Rhoads, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Slash, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page and Kirk Hammett as his most influential guitarists in his style. The even has an extensive role in the music video for the album's first single Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge, My Chemical Romance, "I'm Not Okay (I Promise)".
Toro played an Epiphone Les Paul guitar, Mahogany body with mast and maple fret Palo pink. Now uses a guitar Ebony Gibson Les Paul Standard.
