Jimmy Kay from The Metal Voice out of Canada recently spoke to shock rocker Lizzy Borden about his new album, My Midnight Things, his appearance and thoughts on the '80s documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2: The Metal Years, his 11 year gap in making a studio album, and if he regards himself as a solo artist or a band.

On the musical and lyrical direction of My Midnight Things
 
Lizzy: "Every album has been different and I go out of my way to do that, this album is no exception. All my albums are theme albums and on this album's theme I wanted to talk about love but I wanted to dig down deep and  find anything that hasn't been done yet to death. I found a lot of cool ideas  like the song 'Long May They Haunt Us'. That is about the people that are no longer in your lives but you think about them everyday, they are haunting you but you don't want that haunt to go away. Also a song like 'Obsessed With You' that obviously a whole different kind of love. All the songs on the album kind of fit together under the umbrella of Love but there is also a multi-layered  individually lyrical component to each song. Musically I went out to write good songs and I didn't want to showcase musicians, I just wanted to write good songs and that was my whole goal on this album."

On the 11 years gap between albums

Lizzy: "I had to wait for the music industry to change. When I released the last two albums, they got released and they didn't really find the target audience because there was no marketing, no nothing, so it didn't make any sense to keep trying to record albums and try to find the audience. I wanted the audience to find my album but it wasn't happening because there was no structure, because of the collapse of the music industry. The music industry has been crawling back to life and Metal Blade had figured out a way to use social media to be successful.  Metal Blade is more successful now than they have ever been, and Brian Slagel talked me into making records again. So I signed a three album deal, there will be two more album if not more."

On whether Lizzy Borden is a band or a solo artist

Lizzy: "We never were a band; every album I had a different line-up. I have always done everything, it's never been a democracy. Sometimes I market the band as a band because I think I have a line-up that I think is going to work, but it usually doesn't so then I go back to marketing myself as a solo artist. In reality I have always been a solo artist."

For decades, Lizzy Borden has been one of theatrical rock's top frontmen. And on June 15th, Borden will issue his first album in 11 years, My Midnight Things, via Metal Blade Records. The extended layoff between albums has not dulled his desire to rock and shock. "Although we have stayed busy touring all over the world, I missed being a recording artist. I look at the new album as a new beginning, I pushed the restart button on my career," Borden comments.

For a preview of My Midnight Things, watch the video for "Long May They Haunt Us" below. Lizzy Borden proclaims the track as "the most meaningful song on the My Midnight Things album. It's about those people that are no longer in our lives but we still think about them every single day. They haunt us with more than a memory, a haunt that we hope will never go away."

The video was directed by David Brodsky / www.davidsbrodsky.com.

To celebrate My Midnight Things' release, Lizzy Borden will have an album release party on Thursday, June 14th from 7 - 10 PM at the Hard Rock Live, Las Vegas (3771 South Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109). Hosted by Jim Florentine (along with Lizzy Borden in attendance), there will be giveaways, drink specials, signed CDs/LPs available for purchase, and more at this event, which is open to the public. Please RSVP to mymidnightparty@gmail.com to confirm your attendance.

Having signed a new contract with Metal Blade on the strength of three demo tracks, Borden opted to produce My Midnight Things himself, with Joey Scott as co-producer, who also handled all the drumming duties. "I knew what I was going for and had doubts that I could find a producer who would understand that," Borden explains. "My approach is very different than what is happening in today's current sound."

The album was also mixed by Greg Fidelman (Metallica, Black Sabbath, Adele, U2) and mastered by Tom Baker (David Bowie, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Tom Petty).

Borden is planning on hitting the road shortly. "I've already started working on the 'My Midnight Things' show, and I really can't wait to play these songs live," Borden adds. "There are so many talented players out there in the world, I know I will find the right musicians to be on stage with me in my touring band in the new show. And just based on what is being talked about so far, it will be the best show I've ever done. I really do feel a new excitement that I have not felt in years. The best is yet to come."

My Midnight Things tracklisting

"My Midnight Things"
"Obsessed With You"
"Long May They Haunt Us"
"The Scar Across My Heart"
"A Stranger To Love"
"The Perfect Poison"
"Run Away With Me"
"Our Love Is God"
"My Midnight Things" (Reprise)
"We Belong To The Shadows"

"My Midnight Things" lyric video:

The album can be pre-ordered here in the following formats:

- limited first edition digipak CD (includes bonus tracks)
- jewelcase CD
- 180g black vinyl
- clear pacific blue marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- clear burgundy marbled vinyl (EU exclusive - limited to 200 copies)
- olive/black marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 300 copies)
- opaque cool gray marbled vinyl (US exclusive - limited to 200 copies)

* exclusive bundles with a shirt, plus digital options are also available.