BLACK VEIL BRIDES Singer: 'We Are A Theatrical Band And Always Want To Change Things Up'

Robert Cavuoto of Guitar International recently conducted an interview with vocalist Andy Biersack of Los Angeles theatrical rockers BLACK VEIL BRIDES.

Guitar International: "Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones" is a tremendously cohesive-sounding CD where all the songs fit well together and flow musically and vocally. Tell me about the thought process behind this rock opera?

Andy Biersack: Every band, no matter what scale of success, talks about the importance of their follow-up CD. This puts an unnecessary amount of pressure on a band. While making the follow-up to "Set The World On Fire", we created six songs with a different producer (not John Feldmann, who ended up producing "Wretched And Divine"). They felt like songs that you would expect from a BLACK VEIL BRIDES CD, something that we were supposed to be. It felt a little boring considering we are always evolving. I think that this approach is more fun. There are many bands that I grew up listening to, who I stopped listening to, because they never went anywhere. They would put the same CD out over and over. I think the idea when we starting working on this concept was to detach ourselves from a follow-up and put ourselves in this rock opera. I think that naturally leads itself to a more cohesive sound. By the same token, what we didn't do was try to bog ourselves down with the thought of a concept record. We tried to write great songs that were the best that we could write, then refined them to make sure they fit within the story line. No one was hammering away at "does this work in the story?"

Guitar International: Was changing the band's look part of the evolution process?

Andy Biersack: We are a theatrical band and always want to change things up. I don't think it's fun for any of us to look exactly same all the time. I think our look is more stylistically in line for the CD as well as what are visions are for the CD. I think it's a natural evolution. Sometimes people will say, "I can't believe they are changing or selling out." It's not about selling out, but more that it uncomfortable wearing body paint for years and years. You get bored of it and it's not fun anymore. It's uncomfortable for Jinxx to wear a giant studded cod piece year after year. [laughs] This is the fun part and I'll move on and do the next fun thing.

Guitar International: How does it feel to be carrying the torch for the new generation of glam metal?

Andy Biersack: I guess I would be if it was anything I was aspiring to do. I never set out to be the new "glam band." We grew up listening to the MISFITS, THE DAMNED, L.A. GUNS and MÖTLEY CRÜE. We're an amalgamation of everything we loved. We put it out there and it was BLACK VEIL BRIDES. It's good to know what we are doing is important to people that haven't seen it in quite a while. We don't put any responsibility to carry the torch. It would be disingenuous to be put out the new label on us that we are the "new thing." We try and honor our inspirations and the people that influenced us.

Guitar International: I read a while back that when you first started out, your vocal style wasn't well received. What do you have to say to those people now?

Andy Biersack: I'm sure they still feel that way now. [laughs] Honestly, I don't have any delusions that I'm an award-winning singer in the traditional sense. I would not win the "The Voice". I think that I'm the right voice for this band and singing for my own satisfaction with my style. A lot of people try to do impressions of other people, but I have always sung with my own voice. That's what's most important to me, for better or for worse. You can also choose not to listen to me.

Read the entire interview from Guitar International.

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