Bassist Ashley Purdy is out of Black Veil Brides. He was with the band since 2009, and appeared on five albums. The band released this statement announcing his departure:
"Black Veil Brides and Ashley Purdy have mutually agreed to part ways," the statement reads. "We have enjoyed a wonderful run together and both parties wish one another continued success moving forward."
Purdy was last in the news in July of 2018, when he went on a podcast and claimed that the band would be breaking up. At the time, he said the band's appearance on the upcoming final Warped Tour would be Black Veil Brides' last appearance as a band: "And that is where you are going to see Black Veil Brides for the last time ever in your entire lives. So, you better fucking go, because that's gonna be it." He later added, "You better see us before you don’t see us.”
"To be honest you guys already know that Andy Black is doing his fucking next thing so the rest of us are going to do something separate and easy. Nothing more, nothing less."
Andy Black, the frontman of the band was caught off guard with the declaration and quickly told AltPress that is not the case:
“This is the first I’ve heard of any ‘break up.’ As far as I know, there are no plans to end the band after Warped. Or, at least if there were, I was not made aware of them.
We are in the early stages of work on a big 10 year retrospective release. And my personal focus as it relates to BVB are on that and these upcoming Warped Tour shows.”
Later, in an interview with Loudwire, Black elaborated:
"As far as I know, there are no plans to break up the band," he said. "I spoke to the band this morning, and that seems to be echoed by everybody. I can’t really speak to any comments about the band breaking up, because I was never aware of that. As far as I know, that isn’t the intention, and it certainly isn’t my intention."
"I can say that I’m aware that there have been conversations about various side projects and things that people wanted to do," Black said. "And, as always, with any band that’s been around for a while, that’s encouraged. People want to make different types of art or music, there’s never been anything but encouragement as far as that goes. I can say that yeah, there probably will be supplementary projects coming up from different members of the band. But as far as the band ending after the Warped Tour, that certainly isn’t my plan."
Black Veil Brides are opening for In This Moment on their upcoming tour. Here are dates:
03/24 Orlando, FL – House Of Blues [Tickets]
03/26 Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle [Tickets]
03/27 Birmingham, AL – Sloss Furnaces [Tickets]
03/28 Cherokee, NC – Harrah’s Cherokee Events Center [Tickets]
03/30 Richmond, VA – The National [Tickets]
03/31 Silver Spring, MD – Fillmore [Tickets]
04/01 New York, NY – Terminal 5 [Tickets]
04/03 Stroudsburg, PA – Sherman Theatre [Tickets]
04/04 Cleveland, OH – The Agora Ballroom [Tickets]
04/05 Pittsburgh, PA – Stage AE [Tickets]
04/07 Nashville, TN – Marathon Music Works [Tickets]
04/09 Columbus, OH – Express Live! [Tickets]
04/10 Detroit, MI – Fillmore [Tickets]
04/11 Chicago, IL – Aragon Ballroom [Tickets]
04/13 Louisville, KY – Palace Theatre [Tickets]
04/14 Ft. Wayne, IN – The Clyde Theatre [Tickets]
04/15 Grand Rapids, MI – 20 Monroe Live [Tickets]
04/17 Minneapolis, MN – Myth Live [Tickets]
04/18 Milwaukee, WI – Eagles Ballroom [Tickets]
04/19 Columbia, MO – Blue Note (Outdoor Stage) [Tickets]
04/21 Kansas City, MO – Arvest Bank Center at The Midland Theatre [Tickets]
04/23 Dallas, TX – Southside Ballroom [Tickets]
04/24 Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion [Tickets]
04/25 Lubbock, TX – Lonestar Events Center [Tickets]
04/27 Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre [Tickets]
04/28 Anaheim, CA – House Of Blues [Tickets]
04/29 Los Angeles, CA – The Novo [Tickets]
05/01 Las Vegas, NV – House Of Blues [Tickets]
05/02 Reno, NV – Grand Theatre – Grand Sierra Resort [Tickets]
05/03 San Francisco, CA – The Warfield [Tickets]
05/05 Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex [Tickets]
05/06 Boise, ID – Revolution Center [Tickets]
05/07 Portland, OR – Roseland Ballroom [Tickets]
05/08 Kennewick, WA – Toyota Center: Retter & Company Theatre [Tickets]
05/10 Seattle, WA – Paramount Theatre [Tickets]
05/11 Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre [Tickets]
05/13 Calgary, AB – MacEwan Hall [Tickets]
05/15 Billings, MT – First Interstate Arena [Tickets]
05/16 Casper, WY – Casper Events Center [Tickets]
05/17 Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre [Tickets]
