Exclusive interview with Black Veil Brides drummer Christian "CC" Coma

American rock-metal band Black Veil Brides [BVB] are currently headlining the 2011 AP Tour, and are playing the entire Warped Tour this summer. Their new album Set The World On Fire will be released June 14th via Lava Music/Universal Republic Records.

Their sophomore album marks the first release since drummer Sandra Alvarenga departed the band, and drummer Christian "CC" Coma joined. The Black Veil Brides lineup also includes, vocalist Andy Six, guitarist Jinxx, lead guitarist Jake Pitts, and bassist Ashley Purdy.

In my exclusive interview with Black Veil Brides drummer Christian "CC" Coma, he talks about the polarizing reaction to BVB playing Warped Tour 2011, what type of songs to expect on their sophomore album Set The World On Fire, plans for after Warped Tour, and much more.

When creating setlists do you cater it towards the tour you are on, or play the best songs you think Black Veil Brides can showcase?

CC: We do both depending on the tour. If we are on a tour where our set times are shorter we will take out certain songs. On a high-energy tour we want to keep most of our high-energy songs on the setlist. We usually only switch a couple of songs around, so it is primarily the same set, but when it is shorter we take out the less energetic ones.

Black Veil Brides was announced to play Warped Tour 2011 and there was a very polarized reaction in which people loved or hated that decision. Were you prepared for that?

Warped Tour is an every day festival, and we have done some festivals. The band is that way regardless, either you love us or hate us. As long as you are paying attention you can talk shit about us, or love us and do the whole face paint when you show up to shows.

For stuff that like that, I feel it is really beneficial to play in front of other bands fans that normally would not see the show.
They look at us on the internet and judge us by our image, or interviews that some of my other band members may or may not have done. Actually seeing the band live is completely different. A lot of people get one notion that we are a certain way and call us derogatory names, but when they actually see the live show and how much energy we have, they kind of say, ‘Oh man I did not even know you guys rock out. I thought you were just image and glam, and could not play,’ but we have double bass and dueling guitar solos. It is actually beneficial to be on stuff like that.

Obviously, there are going to be some people who are really not into us, especially if you read the message boards. We take it as a challenge to prove ourselves one way or another and I hope we will make some new fans.

Do you think the band gets such a strong hateful reaction by some people because they are musically not into Black Veil Brides, or because of your image and it being a judging the book by its cover situation?

I think most of it would be a book by its cover type of thing. The image obviously is not everyone.
People are not used to it in this day and age.
Absolutely, but if you look at the most recent successful bands like Marilyn Manson, and when he came out there was a whole controversy around it. Anyone that has a certain aesthetic they are going for on stage and in photo shoots may rub certain people the wrong way. I think more people hate us because of the way we look than the way we sound.

We can make 55-year-old fans, like when we were playing in Cleveland there was an old biker dude with a USA hat on and by the end of the show was telling us we rocked. There is no fan too old or too young. As long as they can see us live, we usually win. I wouldn’t say everyone, but I would say the majority of the crowd. The people who were flipping us off at the start by the end hate that they are doing this [head nod].

Black Veil Brides songs lean more towards singing than screaming, is that something done consciously, or does it fall into place that way?

It just falls into place. There is definitely a message we want to get out, and that is inner-strength, and unity. We have the Black Veil Bride army, and we are all here for one another. Regardless if we get that through with singing, or screaming it is whatever plays out best for the song.

We did our new record, which comes out in June and I am doing blast beats. We are doing almost death metal stuff, but there might be singing over that.

The record is going to be great. It is half ass-kicking songs, and half very marketable single type songs. As far as singing, it is whatever fits with the song, there does not have to be a certain percentage of singing or screaming. It’s what fits the song best both lyrically and musically.

On the album We Stitch These Wounds there is the song "Carolyn" which is straight singing, will there be strictly singing songs on the sophomore album?

Yeah, absolutely.
Is it going to be more than one song?
Yeah, we actually have a slower ballad-type song which is all singing. There are actually a lot of songs that are all singing. I wouldn’t say there is a great ton of screaming on the new album, but that wasn’t done because of the label switch, it was done because of what we wrote.
You evolved?
Yeah, it was what was best for each song. We didn’t go in there like, ‘Oh we have to scream, we have to do this.’ Obviously, we did not want to alienate any fans with the new record, but I am pretty sure they will be pleased with the way it came out. We are all super stoked about it and listen to it all the time.

The vocalist Andy has a really rock singing voice, and musically there are a lot of rock-sounding riffs. Could  you see Black Veil Brides going in a rock direction down the line?

We don’t plan, but obviously we have strategic moves we want to place in our careers. We are kind of rocking out, and doing our thing just trying to get our message out there. It even carries out through this new record and we talk about a few new topics. There are definitely some rock songs on the new record.

There is a dirty, almost southern rock [song] with no screaming. The new record definitely has something for everyone. There is the metal technical riffs, and double bass going crazy type songs. Then also, almost anthemia type 1980-ish Crue and KISS from back in the day. We have songs like that, but as far as rock we do whatever and don’t really want to categorize ourselves.

There are so many different categories these days, screamo, emo, post-hardcore, metal, metalcore, and deathcore.

Bands evolve with each album so it’s hard to stick a label on them.

We all have different influences, and per band member all of our musical influences vary. We go from Buckethead to Slipknot to KISS to Motley Crue to Alkaline Trio, we are all over the place. I am into dubstep and trance and everyone is always like, ‘What are you doing over there rocking out, oh it’s club CC.’ It’s pretty awesome because everyone has different things they are into.  

We all come together and fit it into the band somehow. I don’t think I fit as much trance or dubstep into the band as I would like, but it is what it is. I love the final product, it is cool.

For the sophomore album were the songs written specifically for it, or were some leftover songs from the previous album?

They were all written for this album. We obviously have ideas or riffs and place them all together. Jake [Pitts] definitely did a lot of the writing musically, as far as the guitar stuff. Jinxx even has some very personal songs that he recorded to where he wouldn’t even let us listen to it until the night before we recorded it. He worked really hard on a few songs. They were all meant for the album.

When creating a new album if there are songs not used will they never be released, or do you guys save them for something else?  

Yeah, it is really strange because we were really pressed for time because we were in the middle of the UK and Japan tour, so we almost didn‘t have time to do the record. Even our manager thought there was no way it would get done. There are one or two songs we recorded for this album that did not make it because we never got a chance to finalize vocals. The music is done, but for songs like that, who knows where it is going to be. It might be on an EP, or we might finish vocals in between things and have it as a special feature for a DVD. You never know where songs like that will end up.

From the album We Stitch These Wounds, musically what is your favorite song, and lyrically what is your favorite song?

Musically, I am more of a live person, and before I joined the band I was doing sessions. Musically live I would say “All Your Hate” because it is really energetic and I get to go off on that one. It is really fun to play. Lyrically, my favorite would be "Sweet Blasphemy." I remember I would listen to that every night before I went to sleep.

What is something you have always wanted to do but have not done yet?

I could go either way and take the high road or the low road, but I’ll choose the high road. I have always wanted to go to Australia and we are actually planning to do some stuff down there very soon.
After Warped?
Yeah, it’s going to be after Warped but I don’t have exact dates yet, but that should be in our future. I have a lot of friends in Sydney and Melbourne. I don’t know if I’ll run into them, but it will just be an experience. Then I can go home on a map and stick a pin in where I have been.

Do you have a map at home and do that?

My dad does actually. I take pictures on my iPhone and it has this thing where you click it and it tells where you are. There are all these red pins all over the world which is awesome.

My dad has one of these huge big wall maps which has pins everywhere and he kind of keeps track. He is up there in years, so it gives him something to do since he is retired. “How was Japan son?” “It was awesome until that huge earthquake hit.” He has the huge map, it gives him something to do.

What is a song you never get sick of hearing?

“Disconnected” by Face To Face. For some reason I have loved that song ever since I was in middle school. Throughout the years no matter where I am at in life that is one song I can always relate and connect too. Whenever it comes on that volume goes to ten. That would be one song I never get sick of hearing.

If you could see any band or artist see any song live what would it be and why?

As much as I am sick of hearing Nirvana because when I am in L.A. all I hear is Nirvana, but I would love to see Kurt Cobain perform any song. That is one I missed out on because I never got to see him while he was with us, or Bradley [Nowell] from Sublime.
Sublime with Rome is touring with 311 this summer.
I remember I heard them, I was backstage so I did not really get to see them, but they sounded great with them. I didn’t expect it to go as well as it did, but I thought they sounded great.
But yeah, it would probably have to be Kurt Cobain. He was out there, and I loved his whole I don’t give a shit attitude.

For 2011 Warped Tour will you guys be primarily playing songs from the new album, or a mixture of both albums?

Definitely a mixture. We are going to play a few new songs from the new album, but definitely some of the older songs that helped us gain our fan base will be played as well. We have not really developed a setlist, but we will get that together in the next few weeks. Definitely a mixture of both albums.

After Warped Tour any tentative plans?

Tentatively we are out until the end of January.
Really until January 2012?
Yeah, what is it, 2011 [laughs], I don‘t even know anymore. I don’t even want to know where I am going.
I have toured with a few different bands where I always wanted to know where I was going, and when I am going home. This is one time in my life when I am going to let go and take it day by day.
We are doing UK, and a lot of the European festivals, and we are playing Download [Festival], which is another thing I have always wanted to do in my life. Since I was a kid I’ve wanted to play those huge European festivals. We are doing Warped Tour, a headliner overseas, and then states. We are going all over the world and pretty much out until January. It is go, go, go.

When was Black Veil Brides last break?

We have been going every single day since January 1st. There has not been any days off. When we were off, we were writing the album, or working on it. When we were not writing the album we were playing overseas.
That seems really rough.
Yeah, but it really helps out that we all get along. We are all brothers, and we are all best friends, so that really helps. Obviously we miss certain things, like people have relationships, and I have dogs and family I really care about. Obviously, I miss those things that are in my life, but it is not that hard because we love this band, we are this band. Every thing we do is Black Veil Brides, and it is really cool because you are with all your brothers.

Everyone in the band has a different personality, but we are all best friends. We don’t even have to try and make it work, it just does. It is not as hard as it seems or sounds. When I say, ‘Oh we are out until January,’ it will go by like that. We could be in a truck stop broken down in Ttimbuktu but we still make the best of it. The last break will probably have been Christmas right before New Years. That was a little time off.

I think our last tour before we did this run was at the end of November, beginning of December so we had a few weeks off, like three or four weeks off.

That still does not seem like a substantial amount of time off, but I guess being in a band it might seem like it is.

It is tough because as soon as I get home I go ‘Man I missed this place. My own bed, my own shower, everything is my rules and I don’t have to be in makeup. I can eat where I want, and when I want,’ but after a couple of weeks you get the itch again like, ‘Oh man I am ready to get out of here,’ well for me personally. I’ll be pacing when I first get home, then get into [being home] before being ready to go back out into it.

When you are home on a break, do you play the drums for fun?

I have a huge drum set and I hate setting it up when my drum tech is not there, so I’ll go a few days  to a week without setting it up, but then I’ll get that itch to play. That is one thing I may take for granted is playing every day. I love it, but when I get home I had been doing it for three months straight and don’t want too, but then three or four days later I’ll want to play some drums. That is never something I really think about on tour, ’Oh I got to play drums,’ it just is life, the job, and my career.

Playing the drums is a work out too.

Oh yeah, absolutely. When I come home my arms are a different shape from when I left. It definitely takes me a few shows to warm up and get the muscle tone and stamina back. Once I get home, I still have a passion for playing.

You could be having a great day, play a show and it gets even better. You could be having a terrible day, and especially for me since I’m a drummer take all my aggression out and it will turn it all around. I am thankful I chose this path for my life, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Anything else you want to add?

Come out and see us on Warped Tour, but don’t throw a bottle at me!

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Entrevista a Andy Six ·

They may look like Shout at the Devil-era Motley Cruedisciples, but Black Veil Brides sound distinctly emo/screamo, as evidenced by their 2010 debut album, We Stitch These Wounds. And recently, the group's singer, Andy Biersack, was willing to buckle down and commit to a Short-But-Sweet Interview assignment.

UGO: I heard that Black Veil Brides will be releasing a new album this summer. What is it called and what can fans expect?

ANDY BIERSACK: We will indeed! Fans can expect it to drop sometime in June. We are very proud of the new record and for my money it's the best rock and roll album ever made!

UGO: You scream a lot in the songs on We Stitch These Wounds. Why are you so angry?

ANDY BIERSACK: Screaming to me always represents a way to drive home a point within the context of a song...like an exclamation mark. There was a great deal of screaming on our first record as I felt the songs called for it.

UGO: There are two members whose names contain 2 "x's" - were those their birth names?

 ANDY BIERSACK: Ha-ha, no as far as I know Jinxx got his name back in school, although he is a bit of a mystic...it could very well be his real name.

UGO: Is Andy Six [a nickname Biersack uses sometimes] related to Nikki Sixx?

ANDY BIERSACK: No I am in no way related to Nikki Sixx, obviously we are all big Motley fans but my name is Andy Biersack, "Six" was always more of a nickname than anything else.

UGO: I read that the group's original name was "Biersack," after your real last name. Were you hoping to follow in the grand tradition of Dokken, Keel, and Winger?

ANDY BIERSACK: Actually "Biersack" was a completely separate band I created when I was in middle school, we would cover old misfits and social distortion songs haha - we only played one show...shortly there after I started up the idea for Black Veil Brides. Name wise I always liked how Germanic it sounded...sorta like Danzig. I never really had the intention of being the Winger type...he smiled too much.

Black Veil Brides' 'Set the World on Fire' to Appear in 'Scream 4'

Black Veil Brides vocalist Andy Biersack has a message for the Black Veil Brides Army: thank you! Thanks to the band's fans, the song 'Set the World on Fire' will be featured in the upcoming film 'Scream 4.' The song is the title track from Black Veil Brides' new album, due out June 14th.

The powers-that-be behind the film posted a message on Facebook looking for music for the movie, and BVB fans answered the call en masse. A grassroots Facebook campaign effectively put the band on the radar of 'Scream 4' director Wes Craven.

"It was 100 percent fan-driven," Biersack recently told Noisecreep about his band's inclusion in one of the most successful horror film franchises in history. "We really appreciate it. It shows again that this group of outcasts that call themselves the 'BVBArmy' can be heard. We want to make sure they get the credit they deserve! If they are passionate about a band or about rock 'n' roll, kids can get together and do anything, if they truly believe in and set their minds to it. Our fans really want this band to succeed."

Biersack, an admitted fan of comic books and the horror genre, said that the process of getting the song approved was relatively easy. "Usually these things take forever," he said. "You have to deal with the music supervisor, sign agreements, etc. But this could not have been easier or quicker."

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Entrevista a Ashley Purdy

About the author: This exclusive interview was contributed to The Huffington Post by La Carmina: TV host, coolhunter, author & blogger at LaCarmina.com. She did a video interview with Black Veil Brides in Seattle.

Makeup-smeared Hollywood band Black Veil Brides landed in Japan for the first time last Wednesday (two days before the earthquake). The Visual-metal rockers were amped to experience the culture and perform in Tokyo and Osaka.

Their plans were ripped apart by the 9.0 earthquake, which hit while the group was in soundcheck. Vocalist Andy Six Tweeted it was the "most terrifying experience of my life."

Bassist Ashley Purdy shares the band's story, emphasizing the warmth they encountered from the moment they stepped off the plane. Black Veil Brides urges people to help Japan, and donate to well-vetted organizations like Doctors Without Borders.

How was your arrival at Narita?

This was Black Veil Brides' very first tour in Japan. I was particularly excited because we have lots of fans here, and I can't enough of Japanese culture and Visual Kei bands.

When we got to the terminal, we saw people waving. We stopped and asked each other, "Are they here for us?" It turned out that fans had been waiting several hours for us to arrive. Of course, we took photos and signed autographs. We got in a van, and when it reached the hotel, fans had gathered here as well.

It was a long flight and the band was exhausted. But we wanted to hang out with our fans. So we checked in and came right back down, to have drinks with them at a Shibuya rock bar.

What were your first impressions of Tokyo?

From the start, it was a great experience all around. Everyone was so polite, so kind. It was surprisingly easy to communicate - lots of people could speak English at least half way. To me, it was the cleanest city I had ever experienced. Everything seemed manicured. I kept thinking, where's all the dust and dirt?

I had a bit of free time, so I asked my translators to take me around. We sang karaoke; it was neat to order sake and party in a private room. I went to a ton of alternative clothing shops in Harajuku, and the more upscale designers in Omotesando. I loved the sales girls, with their perfect hair and cute dresses with stockings and heels, and how they welcome you with high voices.

Our first concert at Shibuya-O-EAST went off without a hitch. There were a thousand people there. At first, it felt like a library: the crowd was polite and silent. But we started playing and they got wild and crazy, chanting along to our songs.

Tell me about the earthquake.

The next day, we were scheduled to play Astro Hall in Harajuku. We were in the basement around 3pm, getting ready for soundcheck, when everything started moving. Our Japanese crew and sound guys said, "Don't worry, this happens all the time." We weren't worried either; we're from LA and used to small earthquakes now and then.

But then it started shaking harder, and stuff was getting knocked over. That's when we realized this was serious.

The band and production staff ran upstairs to get outside. It was insane: we could hardly walk; I was stumbling all over. When we got outdoors, I looked across the street at the Forever 21 and H&M buildings - and they were swaying back and forth like trees. Through the glass windows, I could see merchandise falling off the shelves.

People around us were crying. They were trying to make it to an open area while everything around them was crumbling.

The earthquake lasted a long, long time. A minute passed, and I kept thinking, when is this going to stop? None of us knew what to do. We just kept bracing ourselves. It's hard to talk about what happened, to describe how it felt to someone who hadn't lived through it.

What did you do after the quake stopped?

We tried to contact family and friends, but all communication was down. It took us a while before we could send a mass email to the people close to us, letting them know we were ok.

There were huge aftershocks soon after, major earthquakes in and of themselves. They were around the same magnitude as the one that devastated Northridge, California.

The production people told us we shouldn't perform that evening. Pretty much every concert in Tokyo was canceled. But we were set up and ready to go, and there were fans waiting outside. So we decided to go on with the show, and played for the 40 or so people who turned up.

The aftershocks rumbled through the night, putting everyone on edge. We didn't get any sleep. The next day, we found out all our shows were canceled due to immense structural damage. We were told we had to fly out ASAP, for our safety.

Did you have troubles getting out of Japan?

There were mad transportation problems because of the train stoppages and power outages. It took one of our promoters five hours to get into the city, and she lives thirty minutes away. And it took us two or three times the normal time to drive to Narita airport.

It was insanity at Narita. Everyone was trying to get out. Big line-ups and cancelled flights. Everywhere, people were huddled in sleeping bags provided by the airport. We arrived around 9am, and our flight to Los Angeles didn't leave until 4pm.

What is Black Veil Brides going to do now?

We're soldiering on, and getting ready for our AP tour. But the earthquake is an experience I can't shake, and the band wants to get the word out on the need for relief. I also want to go back to Japan as soon as it's safe, to spend more time experiencing the culture


BVB_Argentina

Entrevista a Andy Six ·

In the midst of their first ever trip to the UK, Black Veil Brides have had a fantastic string of dates supporting Murderdolls on their anticipated return. Needless to say, it’s a humbling experience to support a band in a country you’ve never been to before and find flocks of your own fans turning up, and vocalist Andy Six appreciates it fully.

Not long before doors, Andy took a little time out to explain how it’s been touring the UK for the first time, the aims and message of Black Veil Brides and what he wants you to get from him and his band. Personally, I think you’ll find a very intelligent and grounded person and a band full of energy, self-belief and high hopes for the future.

IS: So, how are you?
ANDY: How am I doing? Fantastic! How are you?

IS: I’m great, thanks. How has tour been so far?
ANDY: Great. The shows have been sold out so far and it’s all been fantastic. We’ve never been to the UK before, so this is our first time and we’ve had an absolute blast.

IS: How have you found the UK for your first time?
ANDY: It’s great, great. It’s really cool. I was a fan of the Murderdolls growing up, so getting to tour with them and watch them play every night is great. I mean the crowd response has been fantastic. It’s nice to come here and to see people that are into our band or have already liked our band even though we’ve never been here before. So it’s been great.

IS: With your album ‘We Stitch These Wounds’, how did you approach writing? This is your first full release, isn’t it?
ANDY: Yeah, you know when you make a first record you sort of have like 20 years of writing and stuff to write about, life experience and stuff. Making the second record has been good. We’re currently working on our second record and that’s been probably more both fun and challenging because I’ve got to write about more specific things rather than just like life experiences of the last 20 years.

IS: Are you finding any major differences in how you wrote your first album and how you’re currently writing your second?
ANDY: I think obviously the first record was a collection of experiences, you know 18 years of being on the earth. Whereas the second record is probably more focussed lyrically, more just about specific instances where things that have happed over the last year and a half has shaped who I am now. Obviously the band has found success or our lives are a little bit different than when we made the first record, so more road experience and more things in our lives. I mean honestly, it’s much of the same. Growing up, nothing really changes in your life internally so you always remain the same person. It’s just about how you project who you are internally outside.

IS: Is there any particular message you aimed to put out with the first album, or any you’re finding throughout the second?
ANDY: Yeah. Well it’s always just sort of that our message is very cut and dry. It’s to always believe in yourself and don’t let anybody else affect you. Sort of the initial idea of Rock ‘n’ Roll over the years was about rebellion and it’s about doing what you want, you know? Just not listening to anyone else: not listening to authority, not letting people tell you what to do basically. That’s basically what we hang our hat on. It’s basically the idea that we’re a rock ‘n’ roll band, for better and for worse and we want people to have fun and be themselves with whatever they want to do in their life.

IS: I’ve read before that your music videos are loosely based on parts of your life growing up. Is that something you’d look to keep doing?
ANDY: I’d love to. But I think ultimately, we sort of had a storyline for the first two videos that we made where it sort of got wrapped up. The idea of the first video was that here’s this lonely kid, very much representing me as a kid, and the second video was more about inclusiveness and showing all the people that he was now a part of it, so I think that maybe it’ll loosely stay that way. I figure we’ll keep the same sort of storyline feel that it had. I feel like we’ve sort of finished that book.

IS: I noticed, and assume it’s pure coincidence, but your videos both came out mid-June the last two years…
ANDY: We do love the month of June… Honestly, it’s just coincidence how things worked out but it turns out we do like the summer time and the summer time months to release stuff.

IS: As you said you grew up on Murderdolls, what other bands did you grow up on? Any you’d love to tour with like this too?
ANDY: Honestly this is the first band that we’ve ever toured with that I grew up listening to. I’ve obviously respected a lot of people that we’ve toured with but this was like the first band that I really enjoyed as a kid that, now, I get to tour with. But I mean ultimately most of the bands I loved are all dead or too old to tour anyway.

IS: You grew up loving KISS. Is that not perhaps a dream?
ANDY: Oh, yeah. I love KISS. I don’t necessarily think I’d want to tour with them because to me it seems a whole different entity. I feel like Black Veil Brides is a different animal, inspired greatly by KISS but I don’t necessarily know it would fit. If given the opportunity it would definitely be something I’d love to do but it’s not like a dream that I have to do right now.

IS: Are you looking forward to playing Download Festival this year?
ANDY: Yeah, it’s exciting. We’re definitely excited. It used to be Monsters of Rock which is the big Castle Donington thing and you see all those images and all these huge bands growing up and playing there, so it’s exciting.

IS: Is it true you’re also playing Warped Tour? I’d heard you’d self-confirmed but not yet been confirmed by Warped.
ANDY: Yeah, we’re playing Warped Tour. The way they do it in the States is that they roll out numbers of bands like ‘Oh, this band’ and then they announce it and I think it’s in like groups of twenty. The headlining bands they do last, so we should be confirmed soon I think.

IS: How are you feeling about touring for Warped? It seems to have been edging towards more of a pop-punk festival in the last few years. Do you think it’s maybe beginning to change again?
ANDY: I don’t know if it’s changing. I certainly think that having us on it is a good move. [laughs] No, I love Warped Tour though. I mean I went to it as a kid. I remember there were days when I’d see bands from the likes of Rancid and Dropkick Murphys to AFI, those kind of bands, all on one stage on one day. So for me that was a huge part of my childhood. I stopped going in recent years because of my band and I’ve been focussing on that but I do love it and I’m very excited to play it. I think if anything, maybe we can bring a little danger back to the tour.

IS: If someone was coming to their first ever Black Veil Brides show, what would you want them to take from the experience?
ANDY: I mean, honestly? It’s a standard, high-energy rock ‘n’ roll show. There’s a lot of audience participation and a lot of singing. I just want people to maybe let out some stress or let out some anger that they have in their day to day lives. I mean, to me, that’s what shows are for really. We’re performers that feel that you guys are paying us to perform for you, so we should always put on the best show we possibly can.

IS: Watching your videos, etc, I see that you have a prominent darker aesthetic than many bands. Is that something bands you grew up on had a strong influence over?
ANDY: Yeah, certainly. Bands like the Misfits are obviously a huge influence, Dead Boys, Lords of the New Church, The Damned – those kind of bands.

IS: What would you like to see in the near or more distant future of the Black Veil Brides?
ANDY: Just to keep going, man. Every day is a new experience and we have more fun every day. Shoot for the moon.

IS: If you could say one thing to describe Black Veil Brides to any potential fans, what would you say?

ANDY: I honestly don’t care if someone is sold on us or not. [laughs] The way I feel is that if you listen to it and you hear our music and like it then that’s great, but if you don’t then we’re going to keep playing, you know? I think too many bands get too hung up on wanting to sell themselves on something. For us – our fans and people who like our music have found something whether it’s musically or aesthetically about us that they enjoy, so they follow it. And if they want to tell other people about it then by word of mouth then that’s how things grow, but it’s not our goal to try and put out a commercial for Black Veil Brides.

IS: Lastly, what would you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?
ANDY: I don’t know. It’s hard to say. Getting the chance to play in front of a bunch of people who know the words to my songs and feel the same way about life that I do every night is a great achievement to me.

You can catch Black Veil Brides at Download Festival in June of this year

AP Tour !

Yeah !

BVB Buss