Interview with Andy - themerchdude
May 27, 2013
- Before we start give us a few sentences about yourself, the band any new protects etc.
I’m Andy and I sing for Black Veil Brides. We recently released our 3rd album “Wretched and Divine” which is being rereleased in an extended version on June 11 2013. I consider myself very fortunate to get to do what I do in my life and like many artists I share a strong connection with our fans that means the world to me.
Here is Andy Biersack with 5 questions with Themerchdude:
1) Well you’re in one of those bands that people love to hate (I might have been one of them until I met Jinx) most the time people hate even before they hear your band. How do you deal with the Constance bullshit thrown at you guys. Also how do you deal with having some of the most active fan bases online?
To be honest with you some of the negativity or online “hate” is so blown out of proportion largely due to the “makeup” or visual aesthetic that the band has had over the years. Whats ironic about that is so often people will jump on the “oh that band is nothing but makeup and gay and blah blah” and fail to see the irony that a great number of them fit firmly in their own aesthetic mold…we all know what the hardcore guy with the neck tattoos and flat bill hat looks like, in fact we all know a million of them. Could it be a total coincidence that so many of them dress identically? Or is it a fashion choice/preference that has been brought on by their interest in a particular type of music or genre? The safe bet is that its “what they like” which again is a huge contradiction when so many people are adamant that it’s not okay for a band to possess any level of theatricality without being labeled as “fags” or people saying “well if they spent more time on the music and less on what they look like..blah blah etc.” In point of fact all any of us are trying to do is have fun and enjoy our lives and our art. All that being said my life is pretty damn good, if ticket counts and record sales can in any way be a barometer for success it would seem that our dedicated fans continue to prevail over any nay sayers out there. In this world of bitterness between bands and hatred based purely on ignorance it’s cool to hate the band thats doing well and doing it on their own terms and I get that, but we aren’t miserable or suffering because of it. We have fun, tour the world and get to meet tons of really cool people who feel the same way that we do in all walks of life. Rock and Roll ain’t too bad ;)
Read the full interview here
- Before we start give us a few sentences about yourself, the band any new protects etc.
I’m Andy and I sing for Black Veil Brides. We recently released our 3rd album “Wretched and Divine” which is being rereleased in an extended version on June 11 2013. I consider myself very fortunate to get to do what I do in my life and like many artists I share a strong connection with our fans that means the world to me.
Here is Andy Biersack with 5 questions with Themerchdude:
1) Well you’re in one of those bands that people love to hate (I might have been one of them until I met Jinx) most the time people hate even before they hear your band. How do you deal with the Constance bullshit thrown at you guys. Also how do you deal with having some of the most active fan bases online?
To be honest with you some of the negativity or online “hate” is so blown out of proportion largely due to the “makeup” or visual aesthetic that the band has had over the years. Whats ironic about that is so often people will jump on the “oh that band is nothing but makeup and gay and blah blah” and fail to see the irony that a great number of them fit firmly in their own aesthetic mold…we all know what the hardcore guy with the neck tattoos and flat bill hat looks like, in fact we all know a million of them. Could it be a total coincidence that so many of them dress identically? Or is it a fashion choice/preference that has been brought on by their interest in a particular type of music or genre? The safe bet is that its “what they like” which again is a huge contradiction when so many people are adamant that it’s not okay for a band to possess any level of theatricality without being labeled as “fags” or people saying “well if they spent more time on the music and less on what they look like..blah blah etc.” In point of fact all any of us are trying to do is have fun and enjoy our lives and our art. All that being said my life is pretty damn good, if ticket counts and record sales can in any way be a barometer for success it would seem that our dedicated fans continue to prevail over any nay sayers out there. In this world of bitterness between bands and hatred based purely on ignorance it’s cool to hate the band thats doing well and doing it on their own terms and I get that, but we aren’t miserable or suffering because of it. We have fun, tour the world and get to meet tons of really cool people who feel the same way that we do in all walks of life. Rock and Roll ain’t too bad ;)
Read the full interview here
Ashley and Andy's interview - Loudwire
May 20, 2013
And we’re here with those goth rockers from Hollywood, Black Veil Brides….
Ashley Purdy: [Laughs]
Andy Biersack: Ah, man … you ruined it.
So we’re here at the Golden Gods and you guys are nominated in multiple categories. How does it feel to receive that recognition?
Andy Biersack: I mean, we’re always confident. We always feel like we’re going to win and we’re going to be the first band in the history of the awards show to win three consecutive awards. That’s a real feeling we’ve got going in and even if we don’t win, we feel like our fans deserve a win regardless. We’re very confident.
Ashley Purdy: We’ll hopefully come out with one. We’re nominated for two, so the odds are in our favor.
Read the full interview here
And we’re here with those goth rockers from Hollywood, Black Veil Brides….
Ashley Purdy: [Laughs]
Andy Biersack: Ah, man … you ruined it.
So we’re here at the Golden Gods and you guys are nominated in multiple categories. How does it feel to receive that recognition?
Andy Biersack: I mean, we’re always confident. We always feel like we’re going to win and we’re going to be the first band in the history of the awards show to win three consecutive awards. That’s a real feeling we’ve got going in and even if we don’t win, we feel like our fans deserve a win regardless. We’re very confident.
Ashley Purdy: We’ll hopefully come out with one. We’re nominated for two, so the odds are in our favor.
Read the full interview here
Q&A: Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides - ”We Come From the Dream of Hollywood” - Purevolume
May 16, 2013
You have a pretty amazing fan base. Can you tell me a little bit about how that’s grown over the years?
It’s a community thing. When I was growing up, the thing that I loved about punk rock music or going to rock shows was that I felt like I was a part of something. I always wanted create a community for people who felt disenfranchised, like myself. From the beginning of the band, this feeling of community was always very important. I think that’s what captured a lot of the, particularly, the early fans of the band, finding something that they could call their own. The fans created the name the BVB Armyand we’re incredibly appreciative and thankful and so fortunate that it caught on in such a way that there are so many people around the world that feel proud to be part of the quote-unquote “BVB Army.” They really appreciate the band and we have mutual respect for them.
As a band, how does playing something like Rock on the Range differ from Warped Tour, aside from the touring aspect?
Rock on the Range is a radio festival, so it’s very centered around rock radio. I think that a festival like that is seen more as a celebration or party for the people who are at the event and, often times, the people who work at the radio station. It’s very fun. I love Rock on the Range. We played it once before and it was one of the most fun days I’ve had in my life.
Warped Tour, from our perspective as a band, it’s more about the community of bands, traveling together and getting the chance to meet and mingle with other bands. There are fuckin’ 150 buses parked up next to the festival and you spend so much time over there meeting different people and bands that you wouldn’t think that you would necessarily become friends with. People you grew up idolizing become your friends. You go to barbecues together, whatever else. I met my girlfriend of two years at a Warped Tour. She was an artist on Warped Tour as well. We got together on Warped Tour. It’s sort of like punk rock summer camp.
Both are great experiences. Both are very different.
Read the full interview here
You have a pretty amazing fan base. Can you tell me a little bit about how that’s grown over the years?
It’s a community thing. When I was growing up, the thing that I loved about punk rock music or going to rock shows was that I felt like I was a part of something. I always wanted create a community for people who felt disenfranchised, like myself. From the beginning of the band, this feeling of community was always very important. I think that’s what captured a lot of the, particularly, the early fans of the band, finding something that they could call their own. The fans created the name the BVB Armyand we’re incredibly appreciative and thankful and so fortunate that it caught on in such a way that there are so many people around the world that feel proud to be part of the quote-unquote “BVB Army.” They really appreciate the band and we have mutual respect for them.
As a band, how does playing something like Rock on the Range differ from Warped Tour, aside from the touring aspect?
Rock on the Range is a radio festival, so it’s very centered around rock radio. I think that a festival like that is seen more as a celebration or party for the people who are at the event and, often times, the people who work at the radio station. It’s very fun. I love Rock on the Range. We played it once before and it was one of the most fun days I’ve had in my life.
Warped Tour, from our perspective as a band, it’s more about the community of bands, traveling together and getting the chance to meet and mingle with other bands. There are fuckin’ 150 buses parked up next to the festival and you spend so much time over there meeting different people and bands that you wouldn’t think that you would necessarily become friends with. People you grew up idolizing become your friends. You go to barbecues together, whatever else. I met my girlfriend of two years at a Warped Tour. She was an artist on Warped Tour as well. We got together on Warped Tour. It’s sort of like punk rock summer camp.
Both are great experiences. Both are very different.
Read the full interview here
Interview with Andy - Loudwire
April 12, 2013
You’ve had success with your latest album ‘Wretched and Divine’ and an early 2013 tour in support of the disc. How are the new songs translating for the band in a live setting?
The new record is, obviously when we wrote it it was a more orchestral and strong record. There’s more parts to it. It’s something that I think at first we were not scared of, but definitely intrigued. It was like, ‘How are we going to make this happen live?’ And I think through the course of doing 10 weeks, it’s sounding great, it’s feeling great and all the things that are there are there. We’ve got Jinxx playing violin on the violin parts, we’ve got a harpsichord onstage. We’ve figured it out and I think by the time that Warped Tour rolls around, you know we’re leaving in a few dates to do Europe and we’ve got some one off dates in May, and I think we’re going to try and translate the record as best as possible.
It’s feeling good and I generally feel at this point in our career, like any band, we’ve been playing long enough that this is the best we’ve ever sounded. We are tighter and stronger and more confident onstage than we’ve ever been.
With that comfort level and the band sounding as tight as ever, do you appreciate the moment as it’s happening live?
It’s a whole different experience than it used to be, ’cause when we first started, we were the black sheep. My mentality is how can I defend the band against the detractors and I go up onstage with a certain chip on my shoulders because I grew up being this more rebellious kid that people f—ed with and I never back down from a fight or whatever, but now it’s like as success comes and the community of fans grow, it’s no longer about me growing up and huffing and puffing. It’s more about, and that’s been something that’s been really fun and cool is to go and be really in a community where people are just hanging out with you.
They’re there to see you and they’re there to have fun with you and you can really talk to them and have an enjoyable experience and it’s escapism, it’s rock and roll, it’s that one night a week that they don’t get to be at work or school or whatever else and you get to perform for them. As much as it’s really your millionth show on the tour, it’s always their first show on the tour. So I think that because of our new growth of the band, we have more of an opportunity to perform in a fun way and really enjoy and embrace the community with the audience.
Keep reading here
You’ve had success with your latest album ‘Wretched and Divine’ and an early 2013 tour in support of the disc. How are the new songs translating for the band in a live setting?
The new record is, obviously when we wrote it it was a more orchestral and strong record. There’s more parts to it. It’s something that I think at first we were not scared of, but definitely intrigued. It was like, ‘How are we going to make this happen live?’ And I think through the course of doing 10 weeks, it’s sounding great, it’s feeling great and all the things that are there are there. We’ve got Jinxx playing violin on the violin parts, we’ve got a harpsichord onstage. We’ve figured it out and I think by the time that Warped Tour rolls around, you know we’re leaving in a few dates to do Europe and we’ve got some one off dates in May, and I think we’re going to try and translate the record as best as possible.
It’s feeling good and I generally feel at this point in our career, like any band, we’ve been playing long enough that this is the best we’ve ever sounded. We are tighter and stronger and more confident onstage than we’ve ever been.
With that comfort level and the band sounding as tight as ever, do you appreciate the moment as it’s happening live?
It’s a whole different experience than it used to be, ’cause when we first started, we were the black sheep. My mentality is how can I defend the band against the detractors and I go up onstage with a certain chip on my shoulders because I grew up being this more rebellious kid that people f—ed with and I never back down from a fight or whatever, but now it’s like as success comes and the community of fans grow, it’s no longer about me growing up and huffing and puffing. It’s more about, and that’s been something that’s been really fun and cool is to go and be really in a community where people are just hanging out with you.
They’re there to see you and they’re there to have fun with you and you can really talk to them and have an enjoyable experience and it’s escapism, it’s rock and roll, it’s that one night a week that they don’t get to be at work or school or whatever else and you get to perform for them. As much as it’s really your millionth show on the tour, it’s always their first show on the tour. So I think that because of our new growth of the band, we have more of an opportunity to perform in a fun way and really enjoy and embrace the community with the audience.
Keep reading here
Interview with Andy - Loudwire
April 1, 2013
How does it feel to be back doing Warped Tour?
It’s pretty great, especially for us and it being main stage and a much bigger situation than we’ve done before, it’s definitely a dream come true. Growing up, I went to the Warped Tour a lot and I got to see bands like Rancid and AFI and Dropkick Murphys and these bands that meant so much to me when I was a kid — all in succession on these stages, so to get to play that same stage that I watched those bands play is a huge thing for me.
And then obviously we played it in 2011 and it went really well. For [Warped founder] Kevin [Lyman] to have us back, it feels good to be part of the community. I know that we’re definitely the weird kids at the lunch table so to speak. We don’t really fit in that well stylistically. We’re always different from other people, but as much as we aren’t the guys that are going for the summer camp aspect, you can’t deny that everyone that works for Warped Tour is so kind and we do have a great time. You can only be the bad ass and the rebel for so long. [laughs]
I think that for us, we really do enjoy it and are excited for the whole thing. But make no mistake, Black Veil Brides is not there to hang out and hug every other man in the world. Cause a lot of the fun of the Warped Tour that I like is that they party and hang out at the end of the night, but Black Veil Brides has always been about the show and that’s the most important thing. As much as it’s nice to see our friends, we’re there to work and give our fans the best show we can and to test the limits to what Warped Tour will allow us to put on the stage.
It’s been difficult going back and forth with, ‘No Black Veil Brides, you can’t put pyro on the stage, it’s a truck.’ And we’re like, ‘Okay, Warped Tour, can we do confetti cannons?’ ‘No, it’s the middle of the day in summer,’ so it’s been back and forth. We’re like the little kids that want to do more and more things. And they’re like, ‘Ok, we’ll let you do this …’ so we’ve got to be good kids.
Keep reading here
How does it feel to be back doing Warped Tour?
It’s pretty great, especially for us and it being main stage and a much bigger situation than we’ve done before, it’s definitely a dream come true. Growing up, I went to the Warped Tour a lot and I got to see bands like Rancid and AFI and Dropkick Murphys and these bands that meant so much to me when I was a kid — all in succession on these stages, so to get to play that same stage that I watched those bands play is a huge thing for me.
And then obviously we played it in 2011 and it went really well. For [Warped founder] Kevin [Lyman] to have us back, it feels good to be part of the community. I know that we’re definitely the weird kids at the lunch table so to speak. We don’t really fit in that well stylistically. We’re always different from other people, but as much as we aren’t the guys that are going for the summer camp aspect, you can’t deny that everyone that works for Warped Tour is so kind and we do have a great time. You can only be the bad ass and the rebel for so long. [laughs]
I think that for us, we really do enjoy it and are excited for the whole thing. But make no mistake, Black Veil Brides is not there to hang out and hug every other man in the world. Cause a lot of the fun of the Warped Tour that I like is that they party and hang out at the end of the night, but Black Veil Brides has always been about the show and that’s the most important thing. As much as it’s nice to see our friends, we’re there to work and give our fans the best show we can and to test the limits to what Warped Tour will allow us to put on the stage.
It’s been difficult going back and forth with, ‘No Black Veil Brides, you can’t put pyro on the stage, it’s a truck.’ And we’re like, ‘Okay, Warped Tour, can we do confetti cannons?’ ‘No, it’s the middle of the day in summer,’ so it’s been back and forth. We’re like the little kids that want to do more and more things. And they’re like, ‘Ok, we’ll let you do this …’ so we’ve got to be good kids.
Keep reading here
Interview with Andy - Metal Exiles
March 15, 2013
Metal Exiles: It takes balls to do a concept record like Wretched And Devine three albums into a career. When were the first seeds for this kind of record planted?
Andy Biersack: We have always been that band that was interested in theatrics and doing things that are larger in life. In the past the bands image has been more theatrical but as we evolve the imagery has shifted more to building this story. Prior to making this record we had recorded six or seven songs for the follow up to Set The World On Fire but we were not really feeling anything for them. They were good songs but they were not all that exciting. So we did a tour of England while sitting on those songs and I still felt that they were not the best that we could do so throughout that tour I started compiling this short story called The Wild Ones which I started getting excited about. When we got back to L.A. we started working on the record again and decided that nothing was working with the songs that we had written, they weren’t as exciting as this short story. So we scrapped the material, changed producers and started focusing on making this concept record which like you said it’s our third record in and we have no experience making this kind of album. It was something that we were excited about and looking forward to doing so there was no real fear of the unknown.
Metal Exiles: I know this is a concept album but you can take most of the tracks and they are a reflection of the human struggle.
Andy: Certainly. The album is meant to be a parallel concept. Obviously it is a heightened reality; it is the stories of our past, our childhood and our growing up put into the context of a fairytale. This story is a parable told in a biblical sense about a group of people in a heightened reality. It is although a story that is indicative of our own lives and that was important to me. I did not want to write some story on a grand scale, some Tolkienesque album that had no way of relating to reality. Our lyrical content has always been so important to us but I still wanted to tell the story I wanted to tell and put it in a DC comics world.
Metal Exiles: How much of you is in Wretched And Devine?
Andy: Every lyric that I write is an extension of myself. I do not know to write songs about other things and that is not to say that people who do not write personal songs are bad lyricists, I just do not know how to do it. I can’t write about something that was not a personal experience and I am not dogging someone like Ronnie James Dio who wrote all of that fantasy stuff because I enjoy that but it is just when I sit down and put pen to paper I always come out with something relating to me..
Read the full interview here
Metal Exiles: It takes balls to do a concept record like Wretched And Devine three albums into a career. When were the first seeds for this kind of record planted?
Andy Biersack: We have always been that band that was interested in theatrics and doing things that are larger in life. In the past the bands image has been more theatrical but as we evolve the imagery has shifted more to building this story. Prior to making this record we had recorded six or seven songs for the follow up to Set The World On Fire but we were not really feeling anything for them. They were good songs but they were not all that exciting. So we did a tour of England while sitting on those songs and I still felt that they were not the best that we could do so throughout that tour I started compiling this short story called The Wild Ones which I started getting excited about. When we got back to L.A. we started working on the record again and decided that nothing was working with the songs that we had written, they weren’t as exciting as this short story. So we scrapped the material, changed producers and started focusing on making this concept record which like you said it’s our third record in and we have no experience making this kind of album. It was something that we were excited about and looking forward to doing so there was no real fear of the unknown.
Metal Exiles: I know this is a concept album but you can take most of the tracks and they are a reflection of the human struggle.
Andy: Certainly. The album is meant to be a parallel concept. Obviously it is a heightened reality; it is the stories of our past, our childhood and our growing up put into the context of a fairytale. This story is a parable told in a biblical sense about a group of people in a heightened reality. It is although a story that is indicative of our own lives and that was important to me. I did not want to write some story on a grand scale, some Tolkienesque album that had no way of relating to reality. Our lyrical content has always been so important to us but I still wanted to tell the story I wanted to tell and put it in a DC comics world.
Metal Exiles: How much of you is in Wretched And Devine?
Andy: Every lyric that I write is an extension of myself. I do not know to write songs about other things and that is not to say that people who do not write personal songs are bad lyricists, I just do not know how to do it. I can’t write about something that was not a personal experience and I am not dogging someone like Ronnie James Dio who wrote all of that fantasy stuff because I enjoy that but it is just when I sit down and put pen to paper I always come out with something relating to me..
Read the full interview here
Interview with Andy and Jake - The Guardian 'The makeup only takes 10 minutes'
February 28, 2013
I have to admit I'm a little disappointed to find Black Veil Brides dressed in little more than tight black jeans and metal t-shirts when I arrive, but Biersack shrugs again in his very self-assured way and says: "We were up against it from day one because we put on make-up. But we did it anyway because we genuinely loved doing it … that to me is where the authenticity comes from."
As a teenager, such outlandish style was a permanent fixture for Biersack and it caused problems. "I couldn't go to the shops without being followed around the store! I used to have to say: "Guys! I'm not going to steal anything here! For a start my pants are too tight … where would I even put it?"
The transformation from everyday rockers to Black Veil Brides – studded gloves, haircuts that could cause multiple flesh wounds, leather trousers that are more hole than trouser – is actually pretty astonishing, not least on account of its speed.
"Sometimes I'll hear people say, 'If they spent a little less time on their makeup and a bit more on their music ...'" grins Biersack. "But it takes us 10 minutes to put on the makeup! I don't think we're losing much!"
Read the whole interview here
I have to admit I'm a little disappointed to find Black Veil Brides dressed in little more than tight black jeans and metal t-shirts when I arrive, but Biersack shrugs again in his very self-assured way and says: "We were up against it from day one because we put on make-up. But we did it anyway because we genuinely loved doing it … that to me is where the authenticity comes from."
As a teenager, such outlandish style was a permanent fixture for Biersack and it caused problems. "I couldn't go to the shops without being followed around the store! I used to have to say: "Guys! I'm not going to steal anything here! For a start my pants are too tight … where would I even put it?"
The transformation from everyday rockers to Black Veil Brides – studded gloves, haircuts that could cause multiple flesh wounds, leather trousers that are more hole than trouser – is actually pretty astonishing, not least on account of its speed.
"Sometimes I'll hear people say, 'If they spent a little less time on their makeup and a bit more on their music ...'" grins Biersack. "But it takes us 10 minutes to put on the makeup! I don't think we're losing much!"
Read the whole interview here
BVB in the March issue of Naked Magazine
Ashley Purdy on Wretched And Divine and becoming timeless - Music Radar
February 27, 2013
What will make this tour unique in your memory?
"That I actually destroyed all of my basses on this tour so far! I'm more of a showman than anything else, so a lot of stuff got destroyed on this tour. I've even tweeted pictures of it - my broken basses and stuff. I only brought two with me and They both got destroyed in one night and I had to have more shipped out to me. But, yeah, it's all rock 'n' roll...
What's the biggest misconception about Black Veil Brides?
"A lot of people haven't taken our music seriously, but they don't know how technical it is. Initially people judge you first upon your image and they're not even listening to your music. They'll lump us in there with Mötley Crüe and Kiss, but our music is probably closer to Iron Maiden. We're far more technical than people give us credit for. But that's all changed with this new record, this new record is a hit, so we're doing good."
You want to become the world's biggest band. Is that at odds with your outcast nature?
"I think that's where our ambition comes from. We're all from small towns and we want to be something bigger than where we're from. Like I said before, we're bored with the climate of the music and we want something entertaining, so that's where it all stems from. There's no limit for us whatsoever where that's concerned - we're just gonna keep growing as a band. "
Read the full interview here
What will make this tour unique in your memory?
"That I actually destroyed all of my basses on this tour so far! I'm more of a showman than anything else, so a lot of stuff got destroyed on this tour. I've even tweeted pictures of it - my broken basses and stuff. I only brought two with me and They both got destroyed in one night and I had to have more shipped out to me. But, yeah, it's all rock 'n' roll...
What's the biggest misconception about Black Veil Brides?
"A lot of people haven't taken our music seriously, but they don't know how technical it is. Initially people judge you first upon your image and they're not even listening to your music. They'll lump us in there with Mötley Crüe and Kiss, but our music is probably closer to Iron Maiden. We're far more technical than people give us credit for. But that's all changed with this new record, this new record is a hit, so we're doing good."
You want to become the world's biggest band. Is that at odds with your outcast nature?
"I think that's where our ambition comes from. We're all from small towns and we want to be something bigger than where we're from. Like I said before, we're bored with the climate of the music and we want something entertaining, so that's where it all stems from. There's no limit for us whatsoever where that's concerned - we're just gonna keep growing as a band. "
Read the full interview here
Interview with Chris Biersack
February 25, 2013
Was Black Veil Brides the original name?
Yeah, actually. How weird is that? More than six years ago, he came up with that, and there was a reference in the movie V for Vendetta to “Black Veil Brides,” which Andy thought was really cool. He was really into that movie. And, so, he told me about it and I looked it up, and I found out that it was also a term that was used a long time ago in some kind of Catholic doctrine or whatever as a reference to Nuns. It talked about how they would have a ceremony and instead of wearing a white veil; they’d wear a black veil. There was that connection, and also it was just a cool name. Andy wanted a name that would be kind of like Guns n Roses, that kind of a name that has two different feelings to it. Black veils are usually associated with death and funerals; a bride is associated with weddings and new beginnings and new life, that kind of stuff. It had that, what he called, “yin and yang” feel to it. At first he called his band Biersack, but he hadn’t really put that much thought into it up until then. There were a hundred different names that we talked about and that one just stuck out.
What’s your favorite Black Veil Brides song to date?
Well, it changes…but since I’m so into the spirit of their live show, I’d have to say that my favorite song is “I Am Bulletproof” because it’s the show opener. Whenever I watch that on video, the excitement building up to whenever they come out on stage and they go into it, it’s so cool. It’s got a great hook to it, it’s a rock and roll song. I’d also have to say that “Lost It All” is a great song. I don’t care who you are. If you listen to that song and tell me it’s not a great song…you just don’t like Black Veil Brides. You are never going to be willing to admit that you like Black veil Brides if you can listen to that song and still tell me that BVB’s not a good band.
Read the whole interview here
Was Black Veil Brides the original name?
Yeah, actually. How weird is that? More than six years ago, he came up with that, and there was a reference in the movie V for Vendetta to “Black Veil Brides,” which Andy thought was really cool. He was really into that movie. And, so, he told me about it and I looked it up, and I found out that it was also a term that was used a long time ago in some kind of Catholic doctrine or whatever as a reference to Nuns. It talked about how they would have a ceremony and instead of wearing a white veil; they’d wear a black veil. There was that connection, and also it was just a cool name. Andy wanted a name that would be kind of like Guns n Roses, that kind of a name that has two different feelings to it. Black veils are usually associated with death and funerals; a bride is associated with weddings and new beginnings and new life, that kind of stuff. It had that, what he called, “yin and yang” feel to it. At first he called his band Biersack, but he hadn’t really put that much thought into it up until then. There were a hundred different names that we talked about and that one just stuck out.
What’s your favorite Black Veil Brides song to date?
Well, it changes…but since I’m so into the spirit of their live show, I’d have to say that my favorite song is “I Am Bulletproof” because it’s the show opener. Whenever I watch that on video, the excitement building up to whenever they come out on stage and they go into it, it’s so cool. It’s got a great hook to it, it’s a rock and roll song. I’d also have to say that “Lost It All” is a great song. I don’t care who you are. If you listen to that song and tell me it’s not a great song…you just don’t like Black Veil Brides. You are never going to be willing to admit that you like Black veil Brides if you can listen to that song and still tell me that BVB’s not a good band.
Read the whole interview here
Interview with Jake and Jinxx
February 25, 2013
Interview with Jake
Your fans have really connected with you. Do you ever feel a pressure with the new songs you write because you know the fans are going to take them so seriously, what Andy is saying in his lyrics? Do you ever start second-guessing what you’re saying when you create a song?
There is always, I would say, some things that I would kind of maybe second-guess sometimes. This album does sound very different from the other two and us being in the band you don’t want to put out the same album every time or the same songs, so it is growing and putting out different songs. Sometimes you do wonder like, well, I wonder how this is going to go over with the fans, I wonder if they’re going to like it. But you don’t really know. We just kind of write what we want to write and what comes out comes out and people connect with it. So from the start we’ve never tried writing songs for the fans that we have for that particular reason of they’ll connect with it. We write the songs about what we write them about and it just happens to be that a lot of people do connect with them. So it works out really well. I think our fans are so dedicated. Since this new record came out, I haven’t heard anything bad about it, everybody loves it, so I think we’re just growing and becoming a better band and I think being more confident in what we put out.
Interview with Jinxx
What were your thoughts when you found out Andy wanted to make a concept-type album?
I was real excited when the idea first came to play. When we started this band, you know, our grand big plan was to take it as far as we could go and I always liked the idea of a concept album. Ever since I was a little kid the albums I listened to growing up, I was a big Metallica fan – Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, And Justice For All – all were kind of like concept records to me; not to the sense of like, say, The Wall or Tommy that The Who did and they made a movie to go along with it and the whole album tells a story. So when it was first presented to me that that was what we were doing, that was real exciting to me.
Read the whole interview here
Interview with Jake
Your fans have really connected with you. Do you ever feel a pressure with the new songs you write because you know the fans are going to take them so seriously, what Andy is saying in his lyrics? Do you ever start second-guessing what you’re saying when you create a song?
There is always, I would say, some things that I would kind of maybe second-guess sometimes. This album does sound very different from the other two and us being in the band you don’t want to put out the same album every time or the same songs, so it is growing and putting out different songs. Sometimes you do wonder like, well, I wonder how this is going to go over with the fans, I wonder if they’re going to like it. But you don’t really know. We just kind of write what we want to write and what comes out comes out and people connect with it. So from the start we’ve never tried writing songs for the fans that we have for that particular reason of they’ll connect with it. We write the songs about what we write them about and it just happens to be that a lot of people do connect with them. So it works out really well. I think our fans are so dedicated. Since this new record came out, I haven’t heard anything bad about it, everybody loves it, so I think we’re just growing and becoming a better band and I think being more confident in what we put out.
Interview with Jinxx
What were your thoughts when you found out Andy wanted to make a concept-type album?
I was real excited when the idea first came to play. When we started this band, you know, our grand big plan was to take it as far as we could go and I always liked the idea of a concept album. Ever since I was a little kid the albums I listened to growing up, I was a big Metallica fan – Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets, And Justice For All – all were kind of like concept records to me; not to the sense of like, say, The Wall or Tommy that The Who did and they made a movie to go along with it and the whole album tells a story. So when it was first presented to me that that was what we were doing, that was real exciting to me.
Read the whole interview here
Interview with Jake - The Mancunion
February 16, 2013
“It’s crazy, man. We’ve been rushing around all day, every day so far.” Jake Pitts is reflecting on the whirlwind of the Kerrang! tour, which he’s headlining with the rest of the Black Veil Brides. “We just got back here from a signing across town. Three hundred kids showed up, which is pretty mad.” The day’s hectic atmosphere is only amplified by the Academy’s backstage press room already being occupied by one of his bandmates, forcing us to conduct one of the least rock n’ roll interviews of all time in the adjoining bathroom.
Black Veil Brides is the brainchild of frontman Andy Biersack, who claims to have had the initiative, imagery and ideas for the band since childhood. “The inspiration was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but the actual band that is Black Veil Brides really came together in Los Angeles.” Pitts articulates. “We all met through mutual acquaintances, and bonded over all the obvious influences; Guns n’ Roses, Metallica and the rest. The first record is just $7500 and a lot of favours.”
Keep reading here
“It’s crazy, man. We’ve been rushing around all day, every day so far.” Jake Pitts is reflecting on the whirlwind of the Kerrang! tour, which he’s headlining with the rest of the Black Veil Brides. “We just got back here from a signing across town. Three hundred kids showed up, which is pretty mad.” The day’s hectic atmosphere is only amplified by the Academy’s backstage press room already being occupied by one of his bandmates, forcing us to conduct one of the least rock n’ roll interviews of all time in the adjoining bathroom.
Black Veil Brides is the brainchild of frontman Andy Biersack, who claims to have had the initiative, imagery and ideas for the band since childhood. “The inspiration was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but the actual band that is Black Veil Brides really came together in Los Angeles.” Pitts articulates. “We all met through mutual acquaintances, and bonded over all the obvious influences; Guns n’ Roses, Metallica and the rest. The first record is just $7500 and a lot of favours.”
Keep reading here
Black Veil Brides Guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinxx Share their Insights in the making of Wretched and Divine! - Guitar International
Robert: Tell me about the evolution of the band from a song writing perspective. How has it changed or grown in the last three CDs?
Jinxx: Jake and I actually played together before we joined Black Veil Brides. We really meshed well when it came to writing. We felt like we were reading each other’s minds. One of us would write a riff or have an idea for a chorus and the other one would finish it or write a bridge or a verse.
We just wrote songs together that way. I feel like we’ve grown a lot over a period of three records. We are now more conscious of melody in turn becoming better songwritJake Pitts: Definitely we’re paying more attention to the song as a whole, instead of just shredding through the song.
Giving the song more room to breathe vocally and just writing better parts; we’re always trying to outdo ourselves from what we’ve done before and trying to write smarter guitar parts.
Robert: “Devil’s Choir” is my favorite song on the CD. I love the lead and the guitar fills throughout, but particularly how it helps carry the chorus. Those nuances are so important to a song and stretch beyond a good riff. What is the history behind writing that song?
Jake Pitts: That was the first song I started writing the leads to. Jinxx originally had the lead in that chorus, but we ended up changing it to what it is now. There was something about it that just didn’t sound right.
Jinxx: It sounded too happy. I didn’t like what was going on in it. It was one of the songs that we started with a melody and a chorus; we needed a lead to bring it all together. What I had there just wasn’t working and hated it. I handed it over to Jake and he made some improvisations.
Jake Pitts: The guitar solo in that song is probably impossible to play [All Laughing].
Robert: What’s the best thing about being Black Veil Brides?
Jake Pitts: Just being in the best band ever and getting to play music.
Jinxx: This is my favorite band and like I said, “A dream come true.”
Read the full interview here
Jinxx: Jake and I actually played together before we joined Black Veil Brides. We really meshed well when it came to writing. We felt like we were reading each other’s minds. One of us would write a riff or have an idea for a chorus and the other one would finish it or write a bridge or a verse.
We just wrote songs together that way. I feel like we’ve grown a lot over a period of three records. We are now more conscious of melody in turn becoming better songwritJake Pitts: Definitely we’re paying more attention to the song as a whole, instead of just shredding through the song.
Giving the song more room to breathe vocally and just writing better parts; we’re always trying to outdo ourselves from what we’ve done before and trying to write smarter guitar parts.
Robert: “Devil’s Choir” is my favorite song on the CD. I love the lead and the guitar fills throughout, but particularly how it helps carry the chorus. Those nuances are so important to a song and stretch beyond a good riff. What is the history behind writing that song?
Jake Pitts: That was the first song I started writing the leads to. Jinxx originally had the lead in that chorus, but we ended up changing it to what it is now. There was something about it that just didn’t sound right.
Jinxx: It sounded too happy. I didn’t like what was going on in it. It was one of the songs that we started with a melody and a chorus; we needed a lead to bring it all together. What I had there just wasn’t working and hated it. I handed it over to Jake and he made some improvisations.
Jake Pitts: The guitar solo in that song is probably impossible to play [All Laughing].
Robert: What’s the best thing about being Black Veil Brides?
Jake Pitts: Just being in the best band ever and getting to play music.
Jinxx: This is my favorite band and like I said, “A dream come true.”
Read the full interview here
Exclusive Q and A: Black Veil Brides Talk Composing, Collaborating, And Classical Music - Our Stage
February 5, 2013
OS: The story behind the album is really compelling. Does it also reflect your view of the current state of the world as well as the story of the band?
Andy Biersack: I don’t necessarily think that the current state of the world is indicative of the story that I wrote, but it’s obvious that it wouldn’t be that hard to make the leap. It’s not a politically-charged record – it’s not meant to be a parallel for exactly what’s going on in politics or religion or anything else. It’s more meant to be a parable for our own lives and taking the characters that have been negative forces in your life and applying more power to them i.e. making them into these political/religious forces. But it wasn’t written as any kind of social commentary, really.
OS: The many aspects of sweeping concept albums can sometimes be difficult to tie together. What was the biggest challenge in putting together the album and making it all cohere?
AB: The biggest challenge was just doing something different than anything we had done before. Obviously, being in entirely different circumstances than making our previous record, the challenges just came from having a new experience and trying to write in that different circumstance. The challenges, although there were many of them, were very rewarding.
OS: Legion of the Black [the accompanying concept film] is such a cool idea. What was it like to help bring the album to life through film?
AB: Thank you. Honestly, it was just as childish as us making a record and thinking: hey, we’ve really got something here, the subject matter to make a movie out of it; let’s see what we can do with it. Obviously the process of making that happen was difficult and time-consuming and a different experience than anything we’ve done before, but the initial ideas just came from the impetus of just wanting to get something like this done.
Read the whole interview here
OS: The story behind the album is really compelling. Does it also reflect your view of the current state of the world as well as the story of the band?
Andy Biersack: I don’t necessarily think that the current state of the world is indicative of the story that I wrote, but it’s obvious that it wouldn’t be that hard to make the leap. It’s not a politically-charged record – it’s not meant to be a parallel for exactly what’s going on in politics or religion or anything else. It’s more meant to be a parable for our own lives and taking the characters that have been negative forces in your life and applying more power to them i.e. making them into these political/religious forces. But it wasn’t written as any kind of social commentary, really.
OS: The many aspects of sweeping concept albums can sometimes be difficult to tie together. What was the biggest challenge in putting together the album and making it all cohere?
AB: The biggest challenge was just doing something different than anything we had done before. Obviously, being in entirely different circumstances than making our previous record, the challenges just came from having a new experience and trying to write in that different circumstance. The challenges, although there were many of them, were very rewarding.
OS: Legion of the Black [the accompanying concept film] is such a cool idea. What was it like to help bring the album to life through film?
AB: Thank you. Honestly, it was just as childish as us making a record and thinking: hey, we’ve really got something here, the subject matter to make a movie out of it; let’s see what we can do with it. Obviously the process of making that happen was difficult and time-consuming and a different experience than anything we’ve done before, but the initial ideas just came from the impetus of just wanting to get something like this done.
Read the whole interview here
Black Veil Brides' Jake Pitts and Jinxx talk guitars, concept albums and makeup - Music Radar
February 4, 2013
Although you have refined the makeup and your stage clothes, do foresee a time when you might do away with it altogether? Vince Neil wears jeans on stage nowadays.
Jinxx: "That's true, he does. For us, I don't think so. We used to go on stage in full makeup and body paint and studded leather. On this record cycle, we look more like a biker gang. We're reducing the amount of studs and makeup. I think there will always be an element of dressing up in our band. It's rock 'n' roll.
"For too long, the visual has been lost in rock music. I think it's lazy to go on stage in jeans and your shorts. When I was a kid and I'd watch MTV, I'd see Motley Crue and KISS – they looked like rock stars. People want rock bands to look like stars."
Jake Pitts: "It was tiring doing the black paint, and it probably wasn't very good for our skin. That paint was acrylic or latex based, so it would get all rubbery almost. During hot, sweaty shows, it would melt. It never ruined anything, but it did make quite a mess."
The new is a rock opera. Some people will hear that and go, 'Cool – The Who's Tommy, The Wall by Pink Floyd.' But others will say, 'Rock opera? Sounds pretentious.' Did the possible latter reaction worry you at all?
Jinxx: "I've always fancied the idea of doing a concept album. Those were some of my favorite albums growing up, things like The Wall. I would listen to that record and watch the movie over and over. I like the idea of a record telling a story. Sure, it might seem pretentious to some people, but we're artists, and we're always looking to better ourselves."
Pitts: "Initially, our main worry was whether people would understand it or not. When we decided to do the whole movie thing and have a visual representation of the story, we relaxed and felt that we'd get the message across. When we get an idea, we basically stick to our guns and go for it."
Keep reading here
Although you have refined the makeup and your stage clothes, do foresee a time when you might do away with it altogether? Vince Neil wears jeans on stage nowadays.
Jinxx: "That's true, he does. For us, I don't think so. We used to go on stage in full makeup and body paint and studded leather. On this record cycle, we look more like a biker gang. We're reducing the amount of studs and makeup. I think there will always be an element of dressing up in our band. It's rock 'n' roll.
"For too long, the visual has been lost in rock music. I think it's lazy to go on stage in jeans and your shorts. When I was a kid and I'd watch MTV, I'd see Motley Crue and KISS – they looked like rock stars. People want rock bands to look like stars."
Jake Pitts: "It was tiring doing the black paint, and it probably wasn't very good for our skin. That paint was acrylic or latex based, so it would get all rubbery almost. During hot, sweaty shows, it would melt. It never ruined anything, but it did make quite a mess."
The new is a rock opera. Some people will hear that and go, 'Cool – The Who's Tommy, The Wall by Pink Floyd.' But others will say, 'Rock opera? Sounds pretentious.' Did the possible latter reaction worry you at all?
Jinxx: "I've always fancied the idea of doing a concept album. Those were some of my favorite albums growing up, things like The Wall. I would listen to that record and watch the movie over and over. I like the idea of a record telling a story. Sure, it might seem pretentious to some people, but we're artists, and we're always looking to better ourselves."
Pitts: "Initially, our main worry was whether people would understand it or not. When we decided to do the whole movie thing and have a visual representation of the story, we relaxed and felt that we'd get the message across. When we get an idea, we basically stick to our guns and go for it."
Keep reading here
Alternative Press
The Wild, The Beautiful, The Damned
Throughout the last year, Black Veil Brides founder Andy Biersack lost track of his band's message and retreated into his own psyche. But the experience left him with new inspiration, an empowering concept album and a renewed sense of purpose.
Read it here
Throughout the last year, Black Veil Brides founder Andy Biersack lost track of his band's message and retreated into his own psyche. But the experience left him with new inspiration, an empowering concept album and a renewed sense of purpose.
Read it here
Kerrang! Magazine
January 30, 2013
"What sort of animal would I be? A Koala"
When Black Veil Brides were announced as Kerrang! Tour headliners, we expected a reaction. What we got was closer to a war. As they gear up for two weeks on the road with Chiodos, Tonight Alive, Fearless Vampire Killers and William Control, we threw open the gates - and let you lovers and haters at 'em...
Read it here
"What sort of animal would I be? A Koala"
When Black Veil Brides were announced as Kerrang! Tour headliners, we expected a reaction. What we got was closer to a war. As they gear up for two weeks on the road with Chiodos, Tonight Alive, Fearless Vampire Killers and William Control, we threw open the gates - and let you lovers and haters at 'em...
Read it here
"We try to decide what the best idea is and combine it all into one thing" - Andy (Screamer Magazine)
January 29, 2013
Biersack has always been into these types of post-apocalyptic dramas, and they have always fascinated him. “I’ve always been into the new world order idea where the government is the church,” he explained. His story is based around the main fact that the government has removed science and creativity. Further explaining, he said, “It’s about removing the fun parts of society and making it about just existing every day…that kind of every day drudgery. I’ve always really enjoyed those types of stories. It’s always fascinated me about how far people will go and how much people will put up with just for the sake of staying alive.”
So, this is the primary basis of their latest album: it is a concept album that tells the story of dystopian future where a unified church government is devouring society through taking away science and creativity. This despotic regime drugs the youth into becoming drones, but refugees named The Wild Ones – the band’s fictional alter ego – inspires the kids to be themselves and revolt. “In essence, it’s the origin story of the band and the BVB army, “Biersack explained. This is one of the most personal albums the band has released. It not only details the lives of their alter ego, but, as Biersack describes, “It’s the soundtrack to our lives and the lives of The Wild Ones. It’s got elements of everything we’ve done, but it’s different. It’s high-concept, but it’s also personal.” He also added, “At the same time, it’s not a musical. You can listen to any track as a standalone Black Veil Brides song. If you choose to go on the ride, there’s a story.”
Read the full interview here
Biersack has always been into these types of post-apocalyptic dramas, and they have always fascinated him. “I’ve always been into the new world order idea where the government is the church,” he explained. His story is based around the main fact that the government has removed science and creativity. Further explaining, he said, “It’s about removing the fun parts of society and making it about just existing every day…that kind of every day drudgery. I’ve always really enjoyed those types of stories. It’s always fascinated me about how far people will go and how much people will put up with just for the sake of staying alive.”
So, this is the primary basis of their latest album: it is a concept album that tells the story of dystopian future where a unified church government is devouring society through taking away science and creativity. This despotic regime drugs the youth into becoming drones, but refugees named The Wild Ones – the band’s fictional alter ego – inspires the kids to be themselves and revolt. “In essence, it’s the origin story of the band and the BVB army, “Biersack explained. This is one of the most personal albums the band has released. It not only details the lives of their alter ego, but, as Biersack describes, “It’s the soundtrack to our lives and the lives of The Wild Ones. It’s got elements of everything we’ve done, but it’s different. It’s high-concept, but it’s also personal.” He also added, “At the same time, it’s not a musical. You can listen to any track as a standalone Black Veil Brides song. If you choose to go on the ride, there’s a story.”
Read the full interview here
Kerrang! Magazine
January 9, 2013
Andy Biersack didn't think Set The World On Fire fit in with his plans for Black Veil Brides. So, to start afresh, he and our tour headliners tore down what they created and made Wretched And Divine, a dystopian concept album and film double-whammy. David McLaughlin looked to the future, and joined BVB's incredible rock evolution...
Read it here
Andy Biersack didn't think Set The World On Fire fit in with his plans for Black Veil Brides. So, to start afresh, he and our tour headliners tore down what they created and made Wretched And Divine, a dystopian concept album and film double-whammy. David McLaughlin looked to the future, and joined BVB's incredible rock evolution...
Read it here
Black Veil Brides Explore 'New Ground' With Utopian Concept Album, Film - Billboard
January 4, 2013
An Orwellian concept album was not what Black Veil Brides initially had in mind for its third album, according to frontman Andy Biersack.
Biersack tells Billboard that the Los Angeles rockers were "six songs into" their third album by the spring of 2012, but were troubled. "Honestly, it just wasn't feeling right," Biersack recalls. "Nothing we were writing or doing felt like it was all that different. It felt like a very logical follow-up to our previous album (2011's 'Set the World on Fire'), which is what I WASN'T interested in doing."
"We're so emotionally invested in this record right now, it's too early for me to think of taking my head out of 'Legions of the Black' and 'The Wild Ones,' " he says. "This is where we're living right now. Right now we want to put this record out and tour with it and then maybe get inspired and start working on a sequel."
Read the full interview here
An Orwellian concept album was not what Black Veil Brides initially had in mind for its third album, according to frontman Andy Biersack.
Biersack tells Billboard that the Los Angeles rockers were "six songs into" their third album by the spring of 2012, but were troubled. "Honestly, it just wasn't feeling right," Biersack recalls. "Nothing we were writing or doing felt like it was all that different. It felt like a very logical follow-up to our previous album (2011's 'Set the World on Fire'), which is what I WASN'T interested in doing."
"We're so emotionally invested in this record right now, it's too early for me to think of taking my head out of 'Legions of the Black' and 'The Wild Ones,' " he says. "This is where we're living right now. Right now we want to put this record out and tour with it and then maybe get inspired and start working on a sequel."
Read the full interview here
Black Veil Brides ready to put on a show - Las Vegas Review-Journal
January 4, 2013
When frontman Andy Biersack got the Black Veil Brides together, it was only natural that they would do so while clad in what could pass for Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" hand-me-downs.
He equates it all to Santana face.
Andy Biersack, frontman for Revlon-abetted, glam-goth rockers Black Veil Brides, is defending his right to wear a studded codpiece onstage and still be taken seriously.
Yeah, he knows you're laughing.
Hear him out.
Biersack's point: Just because the Brides rock stilettos and look as if they were waterboarded in mascara doesn't mean they can't play.
Keep reading here
When frontman Andy Biersack got the Black Veil Brides together, it was only natural that they would do so while clad in what could pass for Motley Crue's "Shout at the Devil" hand-me-downs.
He equates it all to Santana face.
Andy Biersack, frontman for Revlon-abetted, glam-goth rockers Black Veil Brides, is defending his right to wear a studded codpiece onstage and still be taken seriously.
Yeah, he knows you're laughing.
Hear him out.
Biersack's point: Just because the Brides rock stilettos and look as if they were waterboarded in mascara doesn't mean they can't play.
Keep reading here