My Chemical Romance singer Gerard Way says he is "still 16".

The 33-year-old lead singer with the 'S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W' rockers has recently dyed his long hair bright red and said it is reflective of his attitude and the band's new sound, and that he will always feel like a teenager.

He said: "Somebody said to me recently, 'why are you f***ing dressed like a 16-year-old?'

"And I said, 'Because I'm still 16. That's how I feel and that's never going to change."

The singer also said he had a mini-breakdown at one point while touring last album, the distinctly gothic 'The Black Parade' - which led to the band being labeled 'emo'- because he felt so much responsibility to his young fans; but admitted he needed to take a step back and put things into perspective.

He added: "We would go to New Zealand or Australia and there would be talk about violence against emo kids, saying that if you wore black at the Big Day Out festival you'd get beaten up. And in Mexico kids did get attacked.

"I had this mini collapse, a breakdown, because of it. But then a friend called and said, 'when I was at school and into Public Image Ltd, I didn't expect Johnny Rotten to defend our problems. It's not your responsibility, so don't take it on'."

My Chemical Romance's fourth album, 'Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys', is released on November 22.