“Everything is dedicated to him”— Andy Biersack on Album Of The Year win, honoring deceased friend

Taking home the prestigious Album Of The Year Award for their stripped-down, self-titled 2014 release, Black Veil Brides recognized the dedication of their BVB Army when accepting the final Skully of the night, dedicating the win to guitar tech Chris Holley, who passed away this June. We spoke to singer Andy Biersack about the band’s choice to cover Billy Idol, honoring a deceased friend, and when BVB will head back to the studio.

Interview by Philip Obenschain, photo by Lindsey Byrnes

Congratulations on winning Album Of The Year for Black Veil Brides. How does it feel?
It’s incredible for us to make a record that was in some ways a return to a more basic or stripped down sound. [After making a] concept record that was so well-received and then to go backwards in some ways and strip it down—for that to be so well-received by our fans is a really big testament to their ability to grow and evolve with us. I think where we’re going next is probably back towards a more large scale record. But for us to do a record where the intention was to strip things down, to not put all the bells and whistles in there, and to make more of basic rock and roll record; the fact that it was received so well and the fact that we won Album Of The Year over so many exceptional albums really is a testament to the fans. It’s a fan-voted awards show and AP gives the kids a chance to have that voice.

Does it feel validating to know that your fans really responded so positively and turned out to vote for a record that meant so much to you?
I think that the nicest thing and the biggest validation is that we’re over six or seven years in on being a band that has had success in some capacity; more than half a decade in, to be able to still be winning fan-voted awards and [to see] people still have such a fervor for the band. I would love to be able to have the kind of career that bands like My Chemical Romance or Avenged Sevenfold have, where the fans stay so loyal. I don’t know if that will happen, but at this point it feels good to know they’ve stayed so supportive.

This is your second year at the APMAs. How does the experience compare to 2014?
Well, I flew solo last time. I was here on my own. The boys were all working on the record and I had not tracked vocals yet, so I took the day and came out here. It’s sort of funny in some ways to win this award for Album Of The Year, considering the last time I was at this awards show, I was getting ready to track vocals for that very album. It’s just so much fun. Someone like Josh Bernstein [Director of Sales and Business Development] is just someone I’m so close with, and I have such respect for the work he does. I’ve worked with him at previous awards shows, and I think that this is the best of everybody. Having Mike [Shea] and everybody involved—this is the best one. I can’t wait for it to continue to keep going.

The growth from last year to this year has been impressive.
And it only took you one year to knock out the competition, by the way.

Aside from the win, what’s been your favorite moment of tonight?
I don’t know if it was my favorite moment, but the moment of realization that we could have an embodiment or a trophy we could give to the family of our deceased friend, as a token of his ability to be with us. His mother gave me his ashes in this necklace that I wore on stage tonight, so having him on stage with us was really quite great. So Chris Holley, everything is dedicated to him.

Watch: Andy Biersack discusses honoring Chris Holley backstage at the APMAs

You covered Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.” How did you choose that song?
Massive Billy Idol fan, massive Generation X fan. [They were] favorite band growing up. As a baritone, having that kind of voice, I would sing all of his songs in my room as I kid. I would sing into the mirror “Eyes Without A Face” and try to get it right, so to be able to sing an Idol song on something that is such a big thing for me is a great experience.

Do you feel like you can also use your platform to expose fans to artists like Billy Idol who influenced you?
You can only hope that a band like ours who will sometimes skew younger with their fanbase, that the kids will pick up on bands that influenced us. I know by and large that’s the case last year with the Misfits. Jerry [Only] told me there was a huge growth in their t-shirt sales and everything else after [performing with the Misfits at last year’s APMAs] . Maybe if we have influence to bring kids to great music, then that’s a thing we can do.

What do you have coming up the rest of the year?
We’re pretty much dedicated our time frame for when we’re going to start recording. We have a rough time of when pre-production is going to start, and we’re going to get back from Warped Tour, take about a month off, write, head back out in the fall on a run probably in the States and South America, and then it’s open-ended. I’m not putting us back on the road until we have a record finished, so whenever that is.