My whole life, I've loved '80s synth and goth rock like The Sisters of Mercy and Depeche Mode.

There's no place for Depeche Mode and the Sisters of Mercy in the music I make with my band. If I was a fan, I wouldn't want to hear that on a Black Veil Brides record. It was important for me and for the integrity of the band not to tarnish it.

I don't know what metalcore is. I know what rock n' roll is... It's not rocket science.

There is nothing more, I guess, cannibalistic than the metal or the hard rock scene, it seems.

We're not here to make the ignorant people happy. We're here to write our music for those people that are interested in good rock n' roll music.

As far as being onstage, commanding presence, I've always looked up to people like Axl Rose and Freddie Mercury and Paul Stanley - the rock gods. I've always wanted to be able to achieve that level of commanding nature onstage and really leading people at a show.