Last week, Bamboozle Festival organizers announced that My Chemical Romance would replace Blink-182 , who canceled their appearance at this weekend’s event in Asbury Park, NJ because drummer Travis Barker needed to have an emergency tonsillectomy. 

In an interview with The Aquarian Weekly , guitarist Frank Iero says that the band was “glad to help out” the festival and take a break from working on their fifth studio album.  “We are in writing-mode right now and weren’t going to consider playing any shows, actually, but then stuff happened with Blink and we got the call,” explains Iero.  “We’ve had so much history with [Bamboozle] there’s a sense of pride.  It’s not someone else’s fest.  It’s ours.  You don’t feel that anywhere else.”

The guitarist added that the band’s songwriting process is “going really well” and that they’re just about ready to begin the recording process for their next album.  “I can’t wait to start tracking,” reveals Iero.  “I think we’re maybe a month away from the record button lighting up.”

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio