Black Veil Brides - Warped Tour 2013 - St. Louis, MO

Front row for BVB's set at Warped! 7/24/13

Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators - St. Louis, MO

July 21st, 2013 - Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators

              We celebrated Appetite For Destruction's 26th anniversary. Managed to get some decent photos. Enjoy :)

Six Eleven Thirteen

This is a friendly reminder that you are entitled to your opinion, whether it is positive or negative. You are allowed to like or dislike Black Veil Brides. Do you know how boring the world would be if everyone had the same taste in music?

I, personally, love Black Veil Brides, but I am not going to condemn you if you don’t like Black Veil Brides. I respect your taste in music as long as you respect mine. I don’t have a problem with people who dislike them; I have a problem with people who dislike them and don’t know how to state their opinion without being an asshole about it. This goes for people who dislike any musician. If you trash an artist and their fans because you don’t like them, you. are. an. idiot.

BVB took over the Vans Warped Tour (Twitter, Instagram, and) Facebook page(s) today, and they were welcomed with hundreds of hateful comments. There were a (very select) few people who actually said things somewhere along the line of, “I don’t like Black Veil Brides, either, but you shouldn’t insult them and their fans because you hate them.” *applause* - THAT is how you state your opinion without being an asshole about it.

I understand that people don’t like them; I do NOT understand, though, what the fuck makes people think they have the right to threaten Black Veil Brides’, and their fans’, lives. There is a line between stating your opinion and being a complete asshole - these people not only crossed that line, they shit on it, and it makes me sick. I was sitting there reading the comments, and my stomach literally hurt. Honestly, what the fuck makes you think it’s okay to say shit like that?

•Argument: Black Veil Brides are arrogant assholes. *link to video from Golden Gods - Andy’s little “acceptance speech” for “In The End” as best song*
-Rebuttal: Andy should not have made rude comments (“Black Veil Brides have a song on the radio, you have a fat ass”) regarding the appearance of the men in the audience who were booing them. When they took the stage to accept the award, a bunch of people in the audience close to the stage began booing, spitting at, and flipping off the band. It’s obvious that those people strongly dislike Black Veil Brides, and that’s okay. What’s not okay is disrespecting others who work their asses off to make people happy. While that does not excuse Andy’s comeback comments, he had been a littttttle tipsyyy as well as angry as hell at those people. He has been taking shit for years, even before he formed BVB, and his anger just kind of overflowed at this point.
-http://officialandybvb.tumblr.com/post/49667537106/1-00-am-hotel-room-in-tucson-arizona - Andy tweeted this link shortly after the Golden Gods. (His Twitter account is verified.) If you’re not going to consider anything I say, at least read that post.
-Tweets (@AndyBVB) posted the morning after the Golden Gods: “I won’t ever apologize for speaking my mind or defending myself or my band. Always respect yourself enough to stand proud. I DO however apologize for any generalized or image based comments that I made last night in the midst of my anger.”
-Some guy on Twitter: “wow so the band that stands up for the bullied and oppressed calls people fat motherfuckers? Okay you skinny KISS wannabe!”
~Andy’s reply: “Dude the whole KISS wannabe insult thing is played out. And of course I want to be like KISS. KISS is awesome. And no I don’t go around calling people ‘fat motherfuckers’ just people who are spitting at me and booing and flipping me off”
-Andy is a good person. If he disrespects someone, it’s because they disrespected him first. While I don’t think he should’ve made the “fat bearded motherfucker” comments, I fully understand his anger, and he DID apologize for it the day after.

•Argument: Black Veil Brides’ music isn’t real music.
-Rebuttal: To define music in the simplest way I can - music is the combination of sound and silence. BVB records songs of organized language (lyrics), sound, and silence made on percussion, vocal, and string instruments, like any other band. It’s music.

•Argument: Black Veil Brides are faggots.
-Rebuttal: Do I really have to explain this? “Faggot” means gay, correct?…Two of them have girlfriends. One is engaged. One is married. The other has gotten more action than you ever will. They are most definitely not gay.

•Argument: Black Veil Brides are talentless/a disgrace to the music industry.
-Rebuttal: They write their own songs and play their own instruments, and still maintain creative control over their music.
-Andy Biersack (founder, lyricist, vocalist) is an extremely talented writer and he’s got an extensive vocabulary. He might not have the best range, as deep as his voice is, but he has a distinct vocal style. Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen aren’t the best singers in the world, either, and uh, they’ve done pretty well.
-Christian Coma (drummer) is badass, as a musician as well as a person in general. That pretty much sums it up.
-Ashley Purdy (bassist, backing vocalist) plays guitar, bass, was the lead singer of the band he was in prior to Black Veil Brides (Stolen Hearts..?), he’s a fairly highly skilled graphic designer, and has his own god damn fashion line.http://www.ashleypurdy.com
-Jake Pitts (lead guitarist) is an all-around amazing guitar player. I don’t know much about him other than that, but listening to BVB, it’s one thing you can safely assume.
-Jinxx (rhythm guitarist, violinist) is some kind of fucking prodigy, as in, string instruments are his forte (pun intended). He can play classical/romantic/Baroque-era symphonies as well as pure rock n roll. If classical instruments being used in rock music isn’t one of the coolest things ever, I don’t know what is.

Those were the main insults that caught my attention. If you don’t like them, okay, you don’t like them, but don’t harass the band and their fans on the fucking internet. Grow up. I was also told that I’m the one who needs to grow up if I think Black Veil Brides is real music, and that real music is Pink Floyd, SlipKnot, Foo Fighters, and Linkin Park. If you know me, you know that I love classic rock. My favorite bands other than Black Veil Brides are Mötley Crüe, Guns N Roses, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Foo Fighters, Aerosmith, Poison, Skid Row, Van Halen, The Rolling Stones, Sixx:A.M., and Slash (with Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators). It’s all rock n roll to me. Where do you get off on judging other people for their taste in music? Why do you care what they listen to? Jesus fucking Christ, trying to defend Black Veil Brides to these assholes is like trying to win an argument with a 3 year-old child. “Nuh-uh!” “Yuh-huh!” “Nuh-uh!” “Yuh-huh!” If you dislike Black Veil Brides, fine. But don’t sit behind a screen and throw immature hateful comments towards them; don’t go see their set at Warped tour just to spit and throw bottles at them; and above all, don’t ever, EVER, fucking tell ANYONE that they should die. It’s not a BVB Army rule, it’s a decent human being rule.

Last day of school is Wednesday. I should probably be studying, but the only finals I have tomorrow are music and math. The music one is all about the elements of sound and the Middle Ages/Renaissance/Baroque/Classical eras, and on math we can use a 5x7 notecard to remember formulas and whatnot, so it'll be a breeze.

I've been writing a lot lately, and it's kind of taking over. Most of the time I just want to stay in my room, listen to GnR, and write. I've also been listening to a lot of symphonic music lately. I tend to write more poetry when I'm listening to like, Mozart or Beethoven or Haydn. And the tone/mood of what I write differs between composers. Like, all the poems I've written while listening to Mozart are dark and symbolic, whereas the ones I've written listening to Beethoven are kind of philosophical and sarcastic. You are what you listen to.

                                ~

Warped tour last year was kind of a bummer, in all honesty. Aside from meeting Kellin Quinn and seeing Falling In Reverse, it was bad. People spat stupid comments at me about my weight and my scars, and we only saw one band play (FIR). And I spent all my money on water. Afterwards, I decided I never wanted to go back. Annnnnd a few months ago, Black Veil Brides announced that they'll be playing the main stage all summer. I was so torn, man. I ended up buying tickets, because, other than Warped (it'll be in St. Louis on July 24th), they had no tour dates announced near me. I'm not exactly looking forward to it, considering last year's experience...

However, I am looking forward to seeing Slash ft. Myles Kennedy & the Conspirators again on July 21st at The Pageant. I saw them last summer, and it was the absolute best night of my life. Hopefully seeing BVB three days after that will top it.

Short Interview with Jake Pitts' father... "You don't find a style, a style finds you." -Keith Richards

I had the privilege of talking to Mark Pitts a few weeks ago. I've been super busy with school stuff (EOC and final preparation. Blah) so it's taken me a while to edit and put it together, and then my Google account was screwed up, so, yeah, I apologize.

~

Can you tell me about Jake’s childhood? When/where he was born/raised, etc…

Jake was born Jacob Mark Pitts on August 21st 1985 in Nampa Idaho. Jake was raised in Nampa and Boise Idaho for most of his young life. Jake has an older sister Sarah. Jake had a pretty normal childhood until probably junior high school. I think one day Jake will write a book and elaborate about that time in his life. :) Jake moved to Minnesota to live with his mom when he was a sophomore in High School. I was sad to see him go but under the circumstances it was the best thing for him to do......

To state the obvious, the music industry has gone to shit.

This is no secret.
Way back when, popular musicians had some sort of artistic integrity, a uniqueness about them that set them apart from the copies of copies of copies of people who just wanted to be famous. Now, popular "musicians" have little to no artistic integrity, and they are the copies of copies of copies of people who just want to be famous. How so many of them managed to climb to the top of the charts is beyond me. Like, how does one feel artistically satisfied singing "ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass ass" or "Gucci Gucci Louis Louis Fendi Fendi Prada/them basic bitches wear that shit so I don't even bother"...I don't understand it, it doesn't speak to me. I don't care how many girls you have in your bed or how much money you spent last night. That's not art, it's monotony.

If you turn on your local popular music radio station, you'll hear the same stupid song over and over again. The sad thing is that those songs are hits. They sell, and people are buying it. It's like buying a black shirt every day from the same brand because that brand is "in." (Black is the absence of color.)
I love spending money on music, because I feel like the artists I buy it from deserve every cent and more. I buy band merchandise of every color in existence from whatever brand that sells it because I love it. My iTunes library is an ocean of white (white contains every color in the visible spectrum) - it's everywhere, it's what makes up most of the world on which you live, but most of it goes undiscovered. Still pure. There are hundreds of square miles of ocean, out in the middle of nowhere, that no one has ever seen. It's undeniably there, but most people don't allow themselves to see it. The same goes for true, raw artistry.

Good music is the color in an otherwise black and grey world. Artists are people who care enough to search for the colors and create unique combinations that can be appreciated by other people who've adjusted their eyes to see them, in all forms of art. It has meaning. It can be interpreted different ways by different people. The creation of true art depends on the individuality of the artist, and the interpretation of true art depends on the individuality of the audience. You don't have to look at a painting and see the exact same thing as the next person, or hear a song and be listening to the exact same thing as the next person.
If you listen to a popular song right here right now, you'll be hearing the exact same thing as the person next to you. Most likely, since it's popular, that song is about sex or drugs or weed. There's no room for interpretation.

In a hundred years, we'll be remembered for what was popular at this time and that frightens me to the point that I'm ashamed to be human.
"I am the ocean, I am the sea. There is a world inside of me."
There are people like me, that nobody sees. There is good in the world, but the majority of its population are too blind to acknowledge it, and for that I apologize - whatever divine purpose we may have is going unfulfilled.

Slash/Myles Kennedy - "Sweet Child O Mine" acoustic

I love this song.

I love Slash.
I love Myles Kennedy.

I love asklhfsjgajkhgdfaksjh

I love these two.

^modesty is so hard to find. iii];-)'

"Whether you are just bored, alone, depressed.. When the Devil chooses you as his instrument, just pick up an instrument yourself." -Jinxx

A Shot to the New World Order - BVB essay

Recently did a research essay type thing in English class. I wrote mine about BVB, and I apologize to my English teacher but I cut out the internal citations for this post because they look ridiculous haha. Sources are at the bottom. :)

The Story of the Wild Ones

The prominence of rock music, not only in the United States but also worldwide, has declined in the past twenty years. Even so, the passion of its fans keeps rock and roll alive and burning. Inside the fire blazes a modern, five-piece band by the name of Black Veil Brides. Heavily influenced by classic rock and punk bands, Black Veil Brides have established their legacy beneath an eye catching image of black leather and studs. Unfortunately, as it is in the way of neoteric society, the band's rebellious appearance has disillusioned some from looking past the early Mötley Crüe-esque image and actually listening to the music. Black Veil Brides released their third studio album, Wretched and Divine: the Story of the Wild Ones, worldwide on January 8, 2013, selling 42,000 copies in its first week of release - about twice as much as its predecessor, Set the World on Fire. It's obvious that the band's fan base is growing,yet they continue to receive criticism based on their aggressive image. Notwithstanding this, Black Veil Brides guide a legion of dedicated fans with unifying rock anthems composed of incredible combinations of instrumentation, vocals, and lyrics.

Black Veil Brides currently consists of founder/lead vocalist/lyricist Andy Biersack (penned "The Prophet" in their second studio album), lead guitarist Jake Pitts ("The Mourner"), rhythm guitarist/violinist Jinxx ("The Mystic"), bassist/backing vocalist Ashley Purdy ("The Deviant"),and drummer Christian "CC" Coma ("The Destroyer"). The musical chemistry among the quintet is undeniable, sewn together simply by talent and passion for music. Front man Andy Biersack had been bullied frequently growing up for a multitude of things, most memorably the way he dressed and the music he listened to. This triggered the vision of a band who would speak for the unspoken. Eventually, his focus switched predominantly to music and performing. Andy, according to his father (and agreed upon by most anyone who has seen him perform live), has belonged onstage from the very beginning. He was raised on classic rock and punk bands - the Misfits, the Clash, Sex Pistols, KISS, Billy Idol, the Damned, Dead Boys - as well as the performing aspect of punk-rock bands his father had been in. Introverted, having been bullied for his appearance and labeled "emo" in Catholic school, but charismatic and creative, Andy attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. Meanwhile, he formed a band, the lineup of which changed most frequently during the three years it was based in Cincinnati (2006-2008). When Black Veil Brides released its first music video, "Knives and Pens," in the summer of 2009, it consisted of only three members - Andy Biersack (then known as Andy Six) on vocals, Chris Hollywood on guitar, and Sandra Alvarenga on drums. After moving to Los Angeles he met (current Black Veil Brides bassist) Ashley Purdy. The two collaborated over reconcilable ideas of the band they wanted to be in. Both had been into music and art throughout their lives and were heavily influenced by Mötley Crüe - Ashley had been in a tribute band and Andy, under the alias"Andy Six," alluding to the Crüe's bassist Nikki Sixx, was inspired visually by Mötley Crüe circa the 1980s. Ashley helped propel the business behind the band and, with (then) Six, reformed Black Veil Brides. By the end of 2009, the lineup had welcomed guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinxx. The band released their debut album, We Stitch These Wounds, in 2010; their first and only record with Sandra Alva, who joined Modern Day Escape shortly after the tour that followed. The album consisted of eleven original songs, plus an acoustic version of "Knives and Pens" and an introduction by the name "The Outcasts (Call to Arms)" that summarized the band's central theme: "This record is for the outcasts. The following are stories of love, life, and never giving in. We are the Black Veil Brides."

Guitarist Jake Pitts showcases his extraordinary guitar skills by means of insane chord progressions and an impressive solo in nearly every track. Jinxx (formerly of The Dreaming), being trained significantly in classical music, provides phenomenal string additions to Black Veil Brides' punk rock sound, while also managing the rhythm guitar. Jake Pitts, who, like Andy, was bullied a lot, comes up with riffs that mirror the melodies of the songs, something comparable to the abilities of the legendary Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe. He and Jinxx continue to create remarkably rock-solid rock riffs collectively, something that earned them the Revolver Golden God Award for Best Guitarists in 2011. Their sheer talent will undoubtedly earn the two recognition among legendary rock guitar duos like James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett (Metallica), and Glenn Tipton and KK Downing (Judas Priest). Outlining the rhythmic pulse and harmony of the music, bassist Ashley Purdy was meant to be a rock star beyond question, having energy on stage not unlike drummer Christian Coma (CC),who took Sandra Alva's place in 2010. In a Revolver magazine interview,released in early 2012, when asked, "What is a rock star?" vocalist Andy Biersack responded: "There has to be an air of mystery, a reason why people want to know about this person. I don't think there's a recipe, you just have to have passion, talent, and a belief in yourself."

All five members of Black Veil Brides have undeniable passion, talent, and belief in their band,even if they haven't always. When Jinxx and Jake Pitts first joined the band,neither of them planned to stay long-term, much less the three years (and counting) that they've been with one of the most controversial rock bands in the world. CC had the opportunity to join Avenged Sevenfold after their drummer, Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan (RIP) passed away in December of 2009. Instead,Andy Biersack's pure determination and confidence convinced the three hesitant musicians that Black Veil Brides would take over the world. (So far, so good.)Their fan base, commonly known as the BVB Army, stands behind its heroes in defense of the Fallen Angels. The Army is subject to constant ridicule in the name of mindless popular culture, too often labeled "emo" or "Devil worshipper" because of what people think they know about Black Veil Brides. A lot of Black Veil Brides fans are or have been bullied, depressed, and/or self-destructive in some way. For this reason, the claim is often made that the music is what causes people to dress,act, and rebel the way they do, when, actually, it is the exact opposite. The music does not cause the fans to do what they do - self-injure, isolate themselves, act or dress in ways that are not considered "normal," henceforth provoking a barrage of cruel words from their peers - they cause the music to do what it does. Andy Biersack founded the band around the belief that it gets better; that, no matter what, you are not alone. Since its formation in 2006, Black Veil Brides has strongly advocated against things like self-harm.Regarding this, Andy has stated, "...find something that is a healthy and happy alternative to hurting yourself...because, at the end of the day, you're only hurting the most important person in the world, and that's you - and you don't want to hurt that person." Although he admits that he has never fallen victim to the pleading desire to harm oneself, Andy has been open about having been bullied harshly in school and branded an outcast, which helped shape his vision of Black Veil Brides.

On his MySpace page, Andy posted a story in autumn of 2010 that conveyed the message he and his band try to spear, titled simply "A Story From my Childhood." He emphasized his home life, growing up an only child in Ohio,where his parents, Chris and Amy Biersack, taught him that their home was a "bubble" - no matter what happened in their daily lives, once they were at home, as a family, nothing else mattered. He told of something his mother did when he was about fourteen. The story is told, by Andy, as follows:"My mother works for the children’s hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, and as apart of her job she is required to (like in many jobs) attend yearly training seminars that take place outside of the office and are meant to help shape the employees' work skills, social skills, etc. One of the main draws of these seminars are the key note speakers - people that are supposed experts in their field and are there to share their knowledge over the course of an hour long speech and power point presentation (sound familiar? haha) Anyway, one day my mother attended one of these speeches that was being done by a middle aged man.He was your typical Midwestern 50-something year-old man...lots of rhetoric...plenty of bias, you know haha. His speech was on dealing with people in the workplace in a kind and respectful manner regardless of the situation.He began to tell a story about he and his wife having dinner with a few friends in an Applebee's, the story went as follows: '...and my wife and I were sitting there and suddenly this kid walks in and I started to bust out laughing, I mean he had the spiky pink and black hair...the makeup, piercings...tattoos, just so silly...and my dear wife...she is more kind than I...she hushed me and said 'Honey you shouldn't laugh...don't you know that boy is just some mothers heart break?I mean LOOK at him.'

“Not another word had passed before my mother stood up and firmly said 'That boy was my son.'

“'What? Oh I had no idea...I'm sorry,' the speaker said. My mother then replied,

'No, you don't understand, that boy may not have been my son, but what you just described...that boy represents my son, my beautiful son whom I am so very proud of. He is the furthest thing from 'heartbreak;' he is kind and talented and loving. He has a dream that he will follow and I will support him every step of the way. He may not want to dress like you or your wife sir, but I promise you that my boy and every other child who is a freak to you is the apple of their mother’s eye.' She then walked away.  She called me and told me everything that had happened, and I (as I am now) began to tear up and have a overwhelming rush of happiness and love come over me. I was loved in a way I could never describe and even though I had always known my parents loved me...I was hearing proof that no matter what...I was safe.

“The reason I wanted to share this with you is I feel as if sometimes the outside world (and even for some of you your OWN families) try to convince you that you are not loved, that you are not special. This is simply untrue. Each and every one of us has a flame inside of us, a flame that no one else could ever extinguish, and if you ever feel alone I want you to remember this...as my mother and father did for me...Black Veil Brides will stand strong for you, we will take on the worlds hatred so that you don't have to. Live your life, listen to your music way too loud, be as crazy and as 'different' as you want to be and always remember you're not alone."

After Andy published this story online, more people gained a better understanding of why the band and its message mean so much to him. Black Veil Brides makes listeners feel like they belong somewhere; people who are cast aside, bullied, ignored, are reminded that they matter. "Saviour," a slower song off their second studio album, is fragile and pure, as is the Black Veil Brides army:

"I never meant to be the one who kept you from the dark. But now I know my wounds are sewn because of who you are. I will take this burden on and become the holy one. But remember I am human, and I'm bound to sing this song.

“So hear my voice,remind you not to bleed. I am here, a saviour will be there when you are feeling alone, oh. A saviour for all that you do, so you live freely without their harm.

“So here I write my lullaby to all the lonely ones. Remember as you learn to try to be the one you love so I can take this pen and teach you how to live. What is left unsaid,the greatest gift I give..."

Black Veil Brides tell The Story of the Wild Ones, in which we remember that our heroes are just as screwed up as we are. Neither Andy, nor Ashley, or CC, or Jinxx, or Jake is perfect. As much as people idolize them, they remain human, and no human is perfect. One of their more recent songs, "Nobody's Hero," allows them to graciously step down from the pedestal that the Army sometimes puts them on:

"I'll die fighting, inside me there's a fire that burns. My life begins and ends without the faith that we learn. Save me from the darkest places, save me from myself.

“I'm a loaded gun,an only son. But I'm nobody's hero. I've come undone, I'm on the run. Yeah, I'm nobody's hero.

“To heal your scars, I will give you everything I can. This war, of hearts, we will rise again and take a stand. I can lead you to salvation, yet I am just a man.

“I'm a loaded gun,an only son. But I'm nobody's hero. I've come undone, I'm on the run. Yeah, I'm nobody's hero.

“This martyr's cross gets too heavy to exist. And we feel the loss of the lives I left to risk. I'm a loaded gun, an only son. But I'm nobody's hero. I've come undone, I'm on the run. Yeah, I'm nobody's hero..."

The message of Black Veil Brides does not aim to immortalize its emissaries above the legion of Black Veil Bridesmaids and Ushers. Rather, it unifies an army of outcasts underneath a worldwide "bubble" that Andy Biersack described via MySpace. The band and its fans are essentially the same entity; in each one of us a Prophet, a Mourner, a Mystic, a Destroyer, and a Deviant. Black Veil Brides wants you to be as crazy and as different as you so desire and always remember that you're not alone; there will always be five people from Los Angeles willing to stand strong for you. It's all done for you.

The “Knives and Pens” music video on YouTube is followed by hundreds of hateful comments towards the band and its fans. The strongest argument behind those comments appears to be, “The lead singer dresses like a fag, this music is for wannabe emo freaks and anyone who thinks otherwise should just kill themselves.” The ones making such comments from behind a computer screen are the same ones taping hateful signs to kids’ lockers and shoving them inside for being different, the ones who would have been shot and killed at Columbine, and the ones who go so far as to tell an innocent five year-old girl, who recently lost her father to a motorcycle accident, to kill herself. (As ridiculous as it sounds, yes, unfortunately, it happened. My heart goes out to Jolie and Kenadee Lucker. RIP Mitch.) Most criticism cast upon Black Veil Brides is of this nature, so it is not always justified. “Andy did nothing to anybody except wear black eyeliner and a Misfits shirt. For that, he’d get shoved into a locker. For being himself he’d have hate signs taped to his locker. And the teachers would tell him, you know, you wouldn’t get all of that from the other kids at school if you didn’t do this or that.They tried to put the blame on the victim.” (C. Biersack).

When their sophomore record, Set the World on Fire, earned them a significant amount of attention, Black Veil Brides' reputation grew with the increasing fan base from all genres of rock music, into an image epitomizing glam rock itself. Critics presented the band as a new-age hair band among the ranks of artists like Poison - not always in a bad way - and calling them the next generation KISS. The band's image grew out of proportion to the original vision of Black Veil Brides that [founder]Andy Biersack had in mind. The forefathers of rock and roll - artists like Alice Cooper, Sebastian Bach (Skid Row), Nikki Sixx (Mötley Crüe), and more -praised Black Veil Brides, grateful that the heart and soul of rock and roll was still alive. Even so, the typical glam-rock stars the media portrayed them as were not what Andy Biersack initially pictured. The band's image strayed out of his control, even when they released Rebels, an EP that consisted of one new song "Coffin," covers of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" and KISS's "Unholy," and the music video for a song from Set the World on Fire, "Rebel Love Song," six months after the release of their second album. Not long after, Biersack cut off his famous long hair, a huge surprise to his fans and band mates alike. As they were set to begin working on their next album later that year, changing his hair was one thing the lead singer did to symbolically resurrect his leadership over the band that he created. And, as most Black Veil Brides fans know, symbolism plays a big role in their music.

The band's latest album is the most symbolic of all: a rock-opera concept record called Wretched and Divine: the Story of the Wild Ones, set in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic dystopia. This concept is similar to that of the 2005 film (and the comic books it was based on) V for Vendetta. (The movie contains a reference to black veil brides, which sparked the idea for the name of the band. It's one of Andy's favorite movies.) The record centers around a group of rebels - "the Wild Ones" - who live under the reign of a totalitarian theocracy known as F.E.A.R. (For Every and All Religion). F.E.A.R. exists to rule in the name of God (supposedly), thereby censoring all creativity and individuality, something the Wild Ones seek to rebel against. William Control provides the voice of F.E.A.R. in several "transmissions" throughout the album, which tie the story together. Other artists lent their voices to this record, as well. Juliet Simms - Andy's girlfriend, of Automatic Loveletter, and previously a contestant on The Voice - appears on the heart-wrenching track titled "Lost It All," along with Roberta Freeman, who provides additional vocals for Guns n Roses. Bert McCracken of The Used is also featured, in "Days Are Numbered." The story of political and social upheaval parallels the life (worth living) as an outcast, with outstanding music to carry it. The tenth track, "Overture," reminds us of the incredible talent possessed by Black Veil Brides' rhythm guitarist and violinist, Jinxx. It mimics the anthemic rock melodies of four songs that preceded it on the record - "I Am Bulletproof," "New Years Day,""We Don't Belong," and "Resurrect the Sun" - in polyphony. The classical twist that the Mystic brings to the band is one of many things that set Black Veil Brides apart from the majority of bands today. Of course, all five members were born to stand out.

It's unlikely that you will hear Black Veil Brides songs played on the radio or see them perform at the American Music Awards. Despite the major lack of air space given to this band, Wretched and Divine: the Story of the Wild Ones debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 chart the week of January 26, 2013. Even though they aren't invited to perform at awards ceremonies like the AMAs or the Grammys, they are constantly selling out venues on their current Church of the Wild Ones Tour. How did a band that you never hear on the radio manage to release a top ten record, and sell more tickets in less time than pop artists whose shelves are stacked with American Music and Grammy Awards? The passion of rock and roll fans. People like music they can relate to, and they like songs they can singalong with. Popular music today all sounds the same; you can turn on the radio and hear the same song over and over again about wanting money, making money, sex, spending money, sex, sex, more money, sex, weed, sex, and alcohol. Most songs played on popular radio stations in the United States are corporate manufactured to appeal to the impressionable minds of the nation's youth, and the “artists” who represent them get fame and fortune in turn. In the words of Nikki Sixx, “Remember there is no music business without music. There seems to be a misunderstanding that we need them. We don’t need them, they need us…Manifest your future. It’s yours for the making, not theirs for the taking." The popular music industry puts out the fire, telling you that the right thing to do is be just like everyone else. No one will like you if you're different. Walk on the pavement. Take notes. Work at a fast food restaurant. Obey the law. Go to college. Get a boring job. Get married. Reproduce. Clip leather wings. Do so in whatever manner your blind eyes see fit, every day until you die. Repeat.

The songs that Black Veil Brides sings encourage you to do things not because it will be popular, but because you believe you should. They pour their hearts, souls, and rock and roll into their music so that you can rejoice in being different. You may be condemned for being a little weird, and that's okay, because "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." (Unknown)

~

Biersack, Andy. “A story from my childhood.” MySpace. Myspace LLC. Web. 19 Feb. 2013. 

Biersack, Chris. Personal Interview. 16 Feb. 2013.

Black Veil Brides. Rebels– EP. Lava/Universal Republic, 13 Dec. 2011. MP3.

Black Veil Brides. Setthe World on Fire. Lava/Universal Republic, 2011. CD.

Black Veil Brides. We Stitch These Wounds. StandBy,2010. CD.

Black Veil Brides. Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones (Deluxe Edition). Lava/Universal Republic, 2012. CD.

BlackVeilBridesTV. “Black Veil Brides ‘Knives and Pens’ OFFICIAL VIDEO.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 17 Jun. 2009. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.

Photobycourtney. “Andy Biersack of Black Veil Brides Talks About Self Harm.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 21 Jan. 2013. Web. 14 Feb. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4LtaTKAbIc>

“100 Greatest Living Rock Stars: AndyBiersack.” Revolver Jan./Feb. 2012: 88. Print.

Sixx, Nikki. This is Gonna Hurt. 1st ed. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2011. Print.

~

My darkest desire.

I just listened to Black Veil Brides in chronological order (minus the first EP)...We Stitch These Wounds, then Set the World on Fire, then Rebels, then Wretched and Divine. Annnd then I listened to "Beautiful Remains" - from We Stitch These Wounds - annnd then "I Am Bulletproof" - from Wretched and Divine, back to back.
I can't
Like I literally can not.
I don't even...omfg. I CAN'T. I JUST
I CANNOT.
I CAN NOT EXPRESS MY...
some sort of positive feeling?...towards Black Veil Brides, I just omfg. I can't put into words how grateful I am. Buuut I guess I can try..ok.

This band is my livelihood. They keep my heart beating. I can't tell you how many times I've sat alone in my room, silently weeping, in the dead of night, with a razor blade in my hand listening to Black Veil Brides. Summer of 2011 was the worst. In addition to my self-harming habit spiraling out of control, I also started drinking sometime in June or July. Every night, drink, puke, cut. Drink, puke, cut. Drink, puke, cut. I had these awful nightmares...lots of fire, sharp things, screaming, mirrors (I hated looking in the mirror), blood, and people laughing at me...I didn't sleep very much because I was trying to avoid them. After a few days awake, though, I'd bash myself to sleep, so the nightmares weren't so bad. I'd wake up with scratches and bruises everywhere, but the nightmares weren't too bad.
Black Veil Brides released their second studio album, Set the World on Fire, June 14, 2011. My favorite song, immediately, was "Ritual:"

"Praying for what your heart brings
Thoughts of escape and bloodshot eyes
You're barely sleeping, no longer dreaming
Now what you do to feel alive

Rise up and celebrate your life
We're not alone in our ritual
Sing for what you feel inside
Becoming one with our ritual

Singing songs of the old days
Try to remember what's gone by
Stronger in new ways
Don't care what they say,
This is your life
It's time to rejoice

Rise up and celebrate your life
We're not alone in our ritual
Sing for what you feel inside
Becoming one with our ritual

Our destiny is what we learned
Together wanting something more
Their misery and demons burn
A feeling that's worth fighting for

Rise up and celebrate your life
We're not alone in our ritual
Sing for what you feel inside
Becoming one with our ritual

Rise up and celebrate your life
We're not alone in our ritual
Sing for what you feel inside
Becoming one with our ritual"

Thoughts of escape and bloodshot eyes.
Barely sleeping.
No longer dreaming.
What I did to feel alive.
Summer 2011 in a nutshell...Hell.

The last few plucks of the guitar strings at the end of "Ritual" absolutely shattered me. In a good way, if that makes sense. I don't know. It was consonant in a very strange kind of way...compared to the dissonant mess my life was at the time. Even though the chord itself wasn't like, extremely intricate or difficult to play, it felt like they were tugging at my heart strings. It made me feel...um. It just made me feel. It was (and still is) an incredible alternative to what I usually did to make myself feel again. Cutcutcutcutcut. Anyone else struggling with self-injury knows what I mean...the numbness that consumes you...it's like, there's so much pain you're dealing with. Humans aren't wired to handle so much pain at one time. There's so much emotional pain wrapping its cold, calloused hands around your neck that sometimes you can't even feel it. You know it's there, it's just numb. When you harm yourself, though, you have control over the pain you're feeling. You'd rather feel pain than nothing at all.
If I hadn't been as self-destructive as I was at the time, I know it wouldn't have had that effect on me. But I'm grateful that it did.
When I say that Black Veil Brides saved my life, I mean it.

That's why I get so pissed off when people hate on them for no good reason. Like, I don't care if you don't like their music. I do care, though, if you think they're KISS-wannabe faggots.
I mean, I can see why they're always being compared to KISS. It's a theatrical thing - the makeup and whatnot. And obviously, they're both rock bands. I get it, I'm not blind. Haha. Saying that they're a wannabe KISS, though...no. The lyrical aspects of those two bands are completely different. People will see that their album is titled "Set the World on Fire" and think "'Flaming youth will set the world on fire' omg dirty rotten thieves."
Black Veil Brides were influenced, to a certain extent, by KISS. They are not, however, aspiring to be KISS; they're aspiring to be Black Veil Brides.

And I've heard countless times from people at school - who are aware of my previous self-injuring "habit" - that Black Veil Brides are the reason I've hurt myself. I wore rubber bracelets with their name/logo on them every day and they covered up most of my scars. Sometimes, during school, I'd look at my arm and think, "I hate these fucking scars. I hate these illustrations of weakness and regret. I hate myself." Next to them, though, would always be the simple promise that I wasn't alone. It sounds lame, but it's true.
I can say with sincerity that Black Veil Brides makes me feel like I belong somewhere.

Soooooooo in conclusion...
Andy Biersack
Ashley Purdy
Jake Pitts
Jinxx
CC
Thank you for existing.

Nice boys don't play rock and roll.

I miss Guns n Roses. Classic Guns n Roses. Axl, Duff, Steven, Slash, and Izzy. I mean, I love Axl Rose. I also love Duff McKagan, Steven Adler, Slash, and Izzy Stradlin. The musical chemistry between those guys was undeniable. All b.s. aside, I wonder what it would sound like if those dudes got together today.
Think the Appetite for Destruction era, not this Chinese Democracy thing. Axl's one of the most talented singers to ever live, and the fact that he's the only founding member still in the band doesn't change that. Guns n Roses still plays shows - they don't, like, tour worldwide like Slash does with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators. But they still play shows, and people still buy tickets. I don't know how they sound live - because I live in St. Louis and St. Louis and Axl Rose don't mix. haha - so I can't write a review comparing classic GnR to current GnR. I can say with certainty that Slash is amazing live (The Pageant gig last summer - best night of my life) but that's beside the point.
People selling out the venues Guns n Roses play today, I think, are the same people that were selling out venues to see them play twenty, twenty-five years ago. Everything about Axl Rose just screams "rock star." Even if you think he's an asshole, you can't deny his talent.

That's another thing I can't confirm or deny... whether or not he's as much of a psycho as people say he is... because the most I know is in books and interviews, told from the points of view of people who've worked with him over the years. So, "Is Axl psychotic?" Short answer, "Yes, if..." Long answer, "No, but..."
There's a lot of speculation over why he is the way he is. I'm not a psychologist (yet), but I think there is no genius without a little insanity.

We Salute You.

Are you familiar with Kurt Cobain's "I Like" list? If not, look it up. Anyway, here's mine.
I Like...

• Music
• Art
• Tattoos
• Intelligence
• Psychology
• Literature
• Philosophy
• Photography

More specifically, I Love...

• Rock and roll
• Studying mental health
• Traveling
• Writing
• Black Veil Brides
• The messed up minds of serial killers
• Horror films
• Family Guy
• Slash
• Nikki Sixx
• Steven Tyler
• Marilyn Manson
• The color red
• Symbolism

Did I mention that I love rock and roll? I do, quite a lot, as my heart beats in time with "Juke Box Hero."

This blog, in particular, is devoted to rock and roll, almost as much as I am. Sing with me.