Goth music may have peaked in the '90s and early 2000s, but it’s far from dead. Danny Blu, the lead singer from Echo Black, proves that goth is alive, well, and hella queer.
In anticipation for the premiere of Echo Black’s newest music video for their single "Reckless Heart," (from their debut, 2017 album Dawn) we caught up with the goth heartthrob.
PRIDE: What inspired the music video for "Reckless Heart?"
Danny Blu: Well, we knew that the videos for "Poison Apple" and "Reckless Heart" were going to be a two-part series. They just felt like opposite sides of the same coin. We came up with the concept for PA, which had this sort of dangerous temptation feel to it, and we wanted to portray the opposite with "Reckless." This video feels like solitary longing. We wanted to give it a desperate feel, something stripped down. When someone mentioned me being suspended upside down, I was like, "Fuck it, I’ll learn aerial silks and really do this right."
Who are you and your bandmates' musical inspirations?
The band’s inspirations vary heavily from member to member, but my personal inspirations all lie within the pop realm. But, what was pop when I was growing up and before then is not what we call pop now. When I was growing up, Marilyn Manson and Orgy were pop and served as some of my main musical influences. Now, I can’t get enough of either top 40 or industrial. Equal parts.
Talk about how being goth influences who you are.
I’ve been a goth kid since the 7th grade. I tried to fight it for a period of time in my early 20s, but it’s always been there. It’s always felt right. The worst part of my day is when I have to take my makeup off. The goth scene is one of the most accepting scenes I’ve ever been a part of. We take all kinds. Even the goth tourists. I’ve always been too weird for the gays, but I never feel out of place at a goth party. Anywhere in the country.
Any exciting plans for the upcoming year?
We plan to be on the road as much as possible! Our members are also involved in a few side projects, and, personally, I’m working on some solo music that I’ve extremely excited about! It’s shaping up to be a fierce year and this is a dope way to kick it off!
Watch the premiere of "Reckless Heart" in the video below!
