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Since the '80s, Black Tape For a Blue Girl has been crafting intricate tales of darkened beauty and passionate poetry. Since the beginning, Sam Rosenthal (now the head of Projekt Records) has helmed the band, first as a solo project before evolving into a revolving door of some of the most talented and revered artists in the goth and darkwave scene. Over the course of time, they have released album after album of music so diverse and so genuinely emotional, with the various players working in such harmony that the words "artistic" and "soulful" simply do not do justice. ReGen's Kirsten Power gets to speak with the man behind the music, Mr. Rosenthal, about the path the band has taken him on in his life, with a little foresight into a future that may just be a little bit brighter.

What was the band like back as early as 1987 and 1991, when the first couple of albums were released?

Rosenthal: Oh my god, what was it like? It was me, recording at home?it wasn't like we were a live band at that time. It was similar to how the band is now in that I would write the songs and bring people in to perform them. The difference was that it was more of a solo project. Now it is a little more about the other people involved in directly arranging the songs, etc.

Even in the relatively short time (well, since 1994) that I have been listening to Black Tape, it has changed somewhat stylistically, in my mind, and I wonder if you would like to comment on what the music itself was like for you in the early to mid-90s as opposed to where you are now.

Rosenthal: For me, the music is a lot less dense now. You can hear what is going on in the music. I don't put as much into it, maybe, as far as my keyboards, because I like to hear what else is going on in the music. I like to be able to hear everyone's involvement in the songs. I listen to whole songs and I don't necessarily know all of the parts that are in there that you can't hear. It gets so dense that it used to be harder to hear the individual instruments and pieces. That was 10 years ago?it's not like it was yesterday.

For me, Black Tape for a Blue Girl has always been a synthesis of Middle Eastern sound with a more symphonic/harmonic/ melodic Western ethereal or goth sound. Is this an accurate description of the way that the band intends to sound? If not, how do you think you might like to go about breaking out of this seeming stereotype for ethereal/ goth bands?

Rosenthal: It's accurate enough. I don't think that you can ever really describe it perfectly. All of those descriptions are relevant to the sound. I just think that the new album is less symphonic. That description applies to certain previous albums, but I don't really care about stereotypes. To me, we perform live a lot more now, so it is more like a band in how it sounds, but everyone views it differently.

It seems that the band has changed artistically through the years?

Rosenthal: Well, it has always been my vision as far as what the band will sound like. So it has changed over time. Because you do something, and you're happy with it, and you move on. I guess if it were about hit singles, you would keep turning them out to make a buck. But this is really about making music that I want to hear. It is more interesting to keep moving and to keep changing. And I will bring in different people who also make it happen. I knew I wanted to have more of a male focus this time, so I planned to have Bret singing for the majority of the album. And it will, you know, give it a different kind of sound. But it is still done intentionally, even though I don't know where the music is going.

Have you changed personally over the years as well?

Rosenthal: Yes, I think I have since having the baby. Well, he's not a baby now, but I have been more optimistic now, which is odd for me. He is so happy, he is so fun and he's not jaded. You can hang out with him and play with trains and be happy about that, so it is a lot nicer to hang out with him than with some other people.

Also, I am aware that you have a beautiful son, Sasha. How is it for him having parents who are as actively involved with the music industry as you are, as well as being in a very successful band? Is he aware of what you do for a living? How does it affect him? Does he enjoy it?

Rosenthal: He's not really old enough to be aware of it. When we went to Convergence (in Chicago ) he was running around happily because there were all of these people who looked like his Mom and Dad. He was like, ?Oh, look at all of these people!' and he was running around saying ?hi' to everybody. And, so, he recognizes that there are a lot of people who don't look like Mom and Dad. When we are rehearsing he always want to come in and play the percussion.

How is it for you when you are introduced to new musical faces (such as Nicki Jane) within the community and what is it like for you to be approached by bands who cite you as one of their main musical influences?

Rosenthal: I think that I, as Lisa would agree, dread being introduced to new music because it doesn't involve just pleasure, but it involves obligation and desire for what I can do for them. And so, generally, I shy away from it. But Nicki and I just met by chance at a party and that was nice because I wasn't there for a reason, so I could just enjoy it. And a lot of bands on the Projekt label are more word-of-mouth than otherwise. I don't necessarily want to be in the position to have to do something for somebody.

How is it when these, and other, bands also approach you for advice, both musically, creatively and with regards to the music industry in general?

Rosenthal: Oh, I think people mostly ask without really wanting to listen, so I find it very frustrating. Then it is like, ?Look, they are doing that thing? Oh, why did they do that?' I also think that it is easier to get wrapped up in everyone's problems. You start hearing how fucked up situations are for people and it's, ?Oh, how did you get there? Oh, you want help.' But, then it's, ?No, no I just need help with one problem.' But you want to help everyone, save the world.

What types of approaches do you normally take in regards to people asking about your longevity as an icon within the community?

Rosenthal: I don't actually know. There is something about not being able to hear praise, so it is really easy to just go, ?It's just what I do.' I don't really hear it now. When I meet people and they're nervous I find it odd. I'm just me, so it is like, ?Uh, why are you nervous?' Like when I met the guy from Devo I was nervous because he was somebody (at the time he was still somebody, it was in the ?80s). But it is sort of hard to say, ?Hey, I'm just a guy.'

How is it for you balancing work and a home life? It seems like the label alone would constitute a full-time job, am I right?

Rosenthal: Yeah, it's really hard because there is always more to do at the label. My work is never done. Then trying to find time to work on the music is hard, because it is always ?tick, tick, tick, tick.' It is easier to work on the label while people are going, ?Why don't you do this?' than to actually take the time to work on my own music. So it is kind of a hard balancing act.

What are your musical goals for the band? Is there any collaboration that you are planning or would like to do? Are you planning to work with any other bands specifically or are there any other bands that you would like to try to work with?

Rosenthal: My goals are to try to work on a new album, probably in the late winter or early spring. I want to start writing new stuff and then start recording it. I suspect that it will involve more people in the live band, so it will sound, once again, different than the last album. But there will be more of a continuation, and probably more of a logical one. Um, the people in the band are already from other bands. Nicki has her own band, as does Audra, and so it is sort of involving their styles into what I do. But it is not really like collaboration because they are still performing all of my songs, as opposed to songs like ?Scarecrow? that Brett and I wrote together.

Finally, are there any other musical groups or individuals who you would like to thank for helping you achieve your goals and helping to make Black Tape for a Blue Girl stronger?

Rosenthal: The Masons, the Freemasons! No, I think it is the people in the band. Even more than playing or going on tour, making the records is a lot of fun. It is a very fun to be with this group of people, so it is a lot different than past tours where it was like, ?Oh my god, I can't wait to go home!' In the past, there were ?creative differences,' as people say. So, the group now is great, really great. So, stuff like that.