Andy Biersack says he decided to make his Andy Black solo album to avoid “diluting” Black Veil Brides’ sound.
The BVB frontman issues solo effort The Shadow Side on May 6 via UMG Recordings and has previously explained how it is influenced by Billy Idol, Depeche Mode and The Sisters Of Mercy.
He works with a range of guests including Patrick Stump, Gerard Way, Quinn Allman, Ashton Irwin and Rian Dawson on the record.
In a video in which he takes questions from fans, Biersack says: “I was going to do something that musically wouldn’t necessarily fit into the context of Black Veil Brides but something that I felt was true to myself and my interests.
“One thing that has alway been upsetting to me as a fan of music or a fan of many bands is that the singer, or whoever, will get an idea to change genre because they are interested in something else.
“And very rarely does it come through in terms of execution, where the person feels like they’ve gotten their message through. It mostly just dilutes the sound of the band.
“So I thought rather than doing that, it would be better to take this as a side-project or something that I done in addition to Black Veil Brides.
“Creatively, it’s been fantastic and I’ve found it very fulfilling to make something that, as a teenager especially, I would have really been excited about.”
In response to another question from a fan, Biersack compares the album to a “delicious buttercream birthday cake.” He jokes: “Because it’s delicious like a birthday cake…and also it will make you fat if you listen to it.”
He will tour the UK under the Andy Black moniker in May and also has North American dates lined up for later in 2016.
Andy Black tour dates 2016
May 10: Sheffield Leadmill
May 11: Newcastle University
May 12: Glasgow O2 ABC
May 14: Birmingham O2 Institute
May 15: Cardiff Tramshed
May 16: Manchester O2 Ritz
May 18: Brighton All Saints Church
May 19: Portsmouth Pyramid
May 20: London Koko
May 23: Baltimore Soundstage, MD
May 24: Allston Brighton Music Hall, MA
May 25: Philadelphia Underground Arts, PA
May 27: New York Highline Ballroom, NY
May 28: Freehold Gamechanger World, NJ
May 29: Norfolk The Norva, VA
May 31: Greensboro Arizona Pete’s, NC
Jun 01: Atlanta The Masquerade, GA
Jun 03: St Petersburg State Theatre, FL
Jun 04: Orlando The Social, FL
Jun 06: Dallas Trees, TX
Jun 07: San Antonio The Rock Box, TX
Jun 08: Houston Warehouse Live, TX
Jun 10: Omaha Slowdown, NE
Jun 11: Minneapolis Mill City Nights, MN
Jun 13: Cleveland Agora, OH
Jun 14: Pittsburgh Altar Bar, PA
Jun 15: Toronto Opera House, ON
Jun 17: Pontiac The Crofoot, MI
Jun 18: Chicago Bottom Lounge, IL
Jun 19: Lawrence Liberty Hall, KS
Jun 21: Denver Bluebird Theater, CO
Jun 22: Salt Lake City The Complex, UT
Jun 24: Seattle The Showbox, WA
Jun 25: Portland Wonder Ballroom, OR
Jun 27: Orangevale The Boardwalk, CA
Jun 28: San Francisco Social Hall, CA
Jun 30: San Diego Observatory North Park, CA
Jul 01: Mesa Nile Theater, AZ
Jul 02: Los Angeles El Rey Theatre, CA
