BLACK VEIL BRIDES' ANDY BIERSACK Reflects On 'Cringe-Inducing' Experience Of Opening For MÖTLEY CRÜE In Europe

During recent interview with Joshua Toomey of the Talk Toomey podcast, BLACK VEIL BRIDES frontman Andy Biersack reflected on the "cringe-inducing" experience of opening for a legendary rock act more than a decade ago. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's an interesting thing, because those bands that are these iconic bands, it's very rare for the opener to have any kind of positive experience, regardless of who it is. We toured with MÖTLEY CRÜE in soccer stadiums in Europe, and I thought, 'This is the greatest thing that's ever gonna happen to us.' And I'll never forget, the first show was in [Warsteiner Hockey Park in Mönchengladbach, Germany in June 2012], and after the first song was done, it wasn't booing, it was total silence, like strong, arms crossed, angry silence. And you'd almost prefer them boo at that point, because if it's 20,000 people and you can see them all be dead silent, it's more unnerving than hearing at least some noise. So it would happen after every song. And so I'm the singer, I'm the M.C., I've gotta like, I got to say something. So I just started saying to our drummer C.C. [Christian Coma], I go, 'Just go into the next song as soon as this one's over.' We basically played a medley of our songs because we would never stop between the songs 'cause it was too cringe-inducing to have to deal with the silence. We were coming off stage early every night on that tour, which a lot of times the production people for those big tours love it. So at the very least they liked us."

Biersack previously talked about BLACK VEIL BRIDES' tour with MÖTLEY CRÜE during a 2021 appearance on the "Drinks With Johnny" podcast. He said at the time: "I've always said one of the tours that, I guess, it didn't surprise me 'cause I didn't know what to expect, but it certainly didn't go the way that I thought or that I had dreamed or imagined was we opened for MÖTLEY CRÜE in soccer stadiums in Europe — this is 2012 or something — and we were really excited. We had become friendly with Nikki [Sixx, MÖTLEY CRÜE bassist] and Mick [Mars, MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist] and a few of the guys and we were just so excited to do it.

"We were used to playing festivals or things where people would be upset that we were there," he continued. 'I had never experienced such a level of just crushing disinterest where we'd get done with a song, and my job as the vocalist is to be, like, 'All right, everybody,' and then there would just be just a soccer stadium full of silence and people just looking at us with their arms crossed — not mad, just not interested in the slightest. And then you're stuck with that weird thing of, like, 'All right, well, here's the next one.' And you're just trying to get through the set so that you don't have that really awkward time in between."

This past May, BLACK VEIL BRIDES released the title track from their "Bleeders" EP, inspired by Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler's "Sweeney Todd". The band paid tribute to the classic musical with a music video for the title track that is inspired by the musical's 2007 Tim Burton-directed film adaptation.

Released in June, the three-track EP, which included "Bleeders", a cover of "My Friends" from the Sondheim classic, and a cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday", was BLACK VEIL BRIDES' first release for Spinefarm.

In support of the American Red Cross, BLACK VEIL BRIDES recently hosted a virtual blood drive during the U.S. "Bleeders" tour, inspired by the "Bleeders" single. Fans attending the tour were asked to present their proof of a blood donation to the American Red Cross (e-mail, app confirmation, donation photo, sticker, etc.) when they visited the BLACK VEIL BRIDES merchandise booth to receive an exclusive merchandise package, consisting of a signed poster, pin and patch.