Bullet For My Valentine
by Kimberly E. McDaniel
February 2008
Bullet For My Valentine on the Cover of Maximum Ink for February 2008
There just may be something in Britain’s water supply that causes the country to produce some of the finest heavy metal bands the world has ever known. Black Sabbath, Cradle of Filth, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest…the list goes on and on. Now, 2008 is shaping up to be the year of the Valentine, as Welsh rockers Bullet For My Valentine unleash “Scream Aim Fire” on an unsuspecting public.
The band, comprised of Michael “Moose” Thomas on drums, Jason “Jay” James on bass, Matthew “Matt” Tuck on vocals and guitar and Michael “Padge” Paget on guitar, have won their share of awards already, such as Metal Hammer’s 2006 “Golden God Award” for Best British Band. They have become big stars in Europe, sharing the stage with Iron Maiden, Guns N Roses, and Metallica. The new album and subsequent tour will likely aid the band in their bid for success as the new material has been described as slightly more commercial than the band’s debut, “The Poison” (but hard-hitting just the same). In other words, current fans should be pleased.
Bullet For My Valentine readily acknowledges their fans, giving them credit for the band’s success. The band cancelled several shows last year due to Tuck being hospitalized and forced to have surgery on his tonsils, but the front man is healed and stronger than ever. As he has said, “If it wasn’t for the fans, we would never even have been able to make this second album. We are so thankful to them, and we will always try to deliver the goods.”
In today’s rock-and-roll market, it seemingly doesn’t take much for a band labeled as “emo.” Michael “Moose” Thomas is aware of this, and while he doesn’t consider Bullet For My Valentine an emo band, he is not surprised to find the band lumped into that particular category. “I think people hear the name and just assume it’s an emo band,” he said. “I don’t feel we are, but what can you do?”
Moose says he is not a fan of dance or electronic music, preferring to stick with the bands that he and the rest of the band grew up listening to and admiring. “I love playing with Metallica,” he stated. “They are one of my favorite bands, especially to share the bill with, and it would be great to collaborate with them on a song.“
The band is gearing up for their American tour, which begins in February in Denver, Colorado, and takes them on a whirlwind ride through the U.S. and ends on April 15 in Seattle, Washington. Moose says the band loves touring, but acknowledges it has its downsides as well as perks. “It’s amazing! I get to do what I love, which is play drums every night for lots of people,” he said. “But, I’m also away from my home and my family. It’s hard to be away from the kids.” Even as he talks about the impending tour, small voices interrupt his conversation. As the children call out for their father, he apologizes. “They’re supposed to be in bed!” he laughed. In some weird way, it’s comforting to know that, at the end of the day, even rock stars have their share of parental difficulty.
Talking about kids, Moose had some advice for youngsters who have dreams of one day sharing the stage with their idols, just as Bullet For My Valentine have been able to do. He knows that success doesn’t come easily, or overnight as some have implied of his own band. “You can’t give up,” he said. “You can’t be deterred and you have to keep working for it. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says, just keep going.”
Although it is difficult to see beyond the release of “Scream Aim Fire,” and the tour that will take the band all over the U.S. and Europe, Moose sees the band being around for the fans for years to come. “I see us still writing music and performing,” he said. “I think we’ll be doing what we love for as long as we possibly can, and hopefully, the fans will still enjoy it and come to the shows. No, we’re not going anywhere!”
Catch Bullet For My Valentine along with Atreyu, Avenged Sevenfold and more on March 2nd at the Rave in Milwaukee, and March 11 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
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