Interview with Black Rose Moves by DJ Jason

DJ Jason: Hello and thank you for agreeing to this interview. Black Rose Moves is one of the best sounding new Goth bands out of the UK in a long time. Being a newer band, there are some background questions that may help new fans learn more about the band. Let’s start with the band name. Where is it from and does it have any specific meaning that you would like to expound on?

Black Rose Moves: Thanks for having us! The band name, Black Rose Moves, really crystallises the essence of what we’re about. I’ve always been drawn to the darker side of things – black roses have consistently been a personal symbol. One particularly windy day, while walking my dog here in Birmingham, I saw some flowers swaying quite dramatically in the breeze. That’s when the phrase ‘Black Rose Moves’ just clicked for me. It perfectly encapsulates our sound: it signifies something dark and danceable, which is exactly how we see our music. It’s about finding that rhythm and movement within an inherent darkness.

DJ Jason: Black Rose Moves is a duo. What are your names and what roles do you have in the band respectively?

Black Rose Moves: I’m Grant Leon, and I handle the vocals and lyrics for Black Rose Moves. Mark Neat is the other half of the duo, and he takes on the music and production. But it’s definitely a joint effort; we both work really closely together on the structure and fine-tuning of every track to get it exactly where we want it.

DJ Jason: Were either of you in other bands before this? If so, what bands were they?

Black Rose Moves: We’re experienced musicians, but past bands aren’t really relevant to Black Rose Moves. We’ve been hyped up and hyped down many times, though, and it all feeds into what we’re doing now. We have toured the States and played with acts like Simple Minds and The Charlatans. We’ve learned a lot, and it all feeds into what we’re doing now.

DJ Jason: Although I have spent a lot of time in England and travelled quite a bit there for the sake of Goth stuff (mostly years ago), I have not explored your hometown of Birmingham at all. How is the gothic scene there? Was Birmingham’s substrate central to the development of the band, or is the band more product of this internet era’s online goth ubiquitousness?

Black Rose Moves: Birmingham is definitely an underrated city in the UK. People often forget it’s the second-largest, and to me, it shares a vibe with places like Hamburg in Germany – often negatively talked about but actually offering so much. The gothic scene here is not too bad. We’ve got a few nights scattered around the city monthly, including a newer one at a cool horror bar called Merlins, and another at Eddies which has been going for years. There’s certainly a darkness to parts of the city that has influenced the band, and being Sabbath City definitely plays its part too. I wouldn’t say we’re hugely influenced by many newer acts or the internet’s ubiquitous goth scene; I’m discovering a lot of those myself daily, which is cool. Personally, we’re definitely influenced more by the 80s and early 90s gothic sound, and I think you can hear that in our music, albeit with modern production techniques.

DJ Jason: The band’s songs have a gothic rock quality that is both unmistakably new and traditionally classic. Musically, who are your respective influences? What inspirational bands, musicians and/or producers helped your spark of creativity take flame?

Black Rose Moves: Musically, it’s a real melting pot. For me, you’ll hear The Doors, The Cult, and The Sisters of Mercy for that brooding intensity and atmosphere. I’m also drawn to Scott Walker’s unique artistry and the experimental edge of PIL, alongside traditional goth acts like Clan of Xymox and UK Decay. Beyond that, I’m into a lot of dark techno music – its hypnotic rhythms really align with modern goth. And honestly, I’m always discovering new music, so those subconscious influences are always creeping in.

DJ Jason: You have shows with legendary veterans such as Gene Loves Jezebel (June 27th) and Clan of Xymox (October 29th) coming up. Are there any other bands old or new that you would like to perform with?

Black Rose Moves: It’s true, we’re incredibly excited to share the stage with legends like Gene Loves Jezebel and Clan of Xymox… and we’ve just announced a show with UK Decay in November, which is awesome… they’re a direct influence, so having them ask us to play is just ace. As for other bands, old or new, it would be a real honour for me personally to share the stage with The Cult or Death Cult that would be a real honour. Beyond that, it’d be incredible to play with classic acts like The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission, or PIL. But honestly, we feel really lucky that our first shows are already with some great classic bands, so I’m happy about that.

DJ Jason: How have the previous live shows been going? Do you have any stories from them that you would like to share?

Black Rose Moves: Actually, our first show is at the end of this month, supporting Gene Loves Jezebel! So, I’ll have stories after that. We’re really excited to finally bring Black Rose Moves to the stage.

DJ Jason: The lyrics combined with the vocal delivery in Black Rose Moves are powerfully emotional. Would you like to elaborate on any of your songs lyrics’ meanings and/or the motivation behind them?

Black Rose Moves: The lyrics are definitely dark, exploring isolation and longing. But if you listen closely, you’ll always find a little bit of light woven in. It’s about acknowledging the shadows while finding resilience or a subtle glimmer of hope.

DJ Jason: Your new E.P. ‘Death Dance’ will be released on June 13th 2025 in both CD and download forms. Even now, before the release, Black Rose Moves have garnered positive interest from the press (BBC) and notable journalists such as Mick Mercer due to the earlier ’Summer of Sorrow’ (2024). Would you like to talk about this rapid ascent?

Black Rose Moves: It’s been exciting with ‘Death Dance’ coming out June 13th. The early press interest is great. For us, it’s just about working in the shadows and staying focused. We concentrate on writing good songs and believing in ourselves. Nothing happens overnight; it’s about staying with the process and staying true to what you do and yeh lets see where we go.