BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's MATT TUCK On Band's Future: 'Everything's Looking Very, Very...

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Guitarist/vocalist Matt Tuck of BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE was recently interviewed by Master T of RX TV. The two-part conversation can be viewed below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): On the factors to which he attributes the band's longevity: Matt: "I just think the, initially, kind of the dream to do it when you were a kid, it was always something that we wanted to do, always something we focused our energy on. We sacrificed everything to get it in the first place, so I think it's just that hunger and that motivation to do what we want to do, really, and just keep going." On staying connected with the band's fans: Matt: "The most important thing for us, we know the reason that we're allowed to keep doing this. They're a huge part in our success, and they thankfully get what we do, and they keep us on the road [and] give us a job that we love. It's cliché, but without them, we're kind of irrelevant. We'd still do what we do — we still love it — but it allows us to do it as a career, which is amazing." On maintaining a consistent style: Matt: "It's in our blood. It's what we'll always do. We have had moments where we've tried different things and tried to be diverse in our music, but it always still has that spirit of rock and metal. It's always there. It just runs straight through it all. We like to try, album to album, they've got be their own little thing — they can't just be repeating. That's why you won't be around for 20 years." On the importance of the group's musical proficiency: Matt: "It's something that we like to showcase as much as possible. The song is always the end goal — we always want to write great songs – but we do have our moments when we want to turn it up a bit. That's what the rock and metal genre is all about — showcasing what you can do. Fans love that stuff." On what he's drawing lyrical inspiration from nowadays: Matt: "Just kind of the last couple years of my life, really. Just trying to capture that. As the albums go on, it does get harder to try and write about certain things, because you kind of feel like you're repeating yourself a lot of the time. At the moment, we're still in the early days of the new record. I've only written lyrics to two of the songs, so I'm still trying to find that theme, really. But as soon as it starts to flow, it will be quite easy, because you can just carry on the story of that one song, almost. It's the most stressful part of the job, because you obviously want to say something meaningful, and the goal is to try to connect with the fan base and make them feel how you feel. I think that's the key to a good song — someone going, 'That's me!' Having that relationship, I think that's what separates the men from the boys a lot of time. It is hard. Not all of the songs have that — it's impossible, you know — but you do try and channel all that energy into that moment. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but that's what I try to do." On signing with Search And Destroy, the imprint launched in 2014 by Spinefarm Records and the international artist management company Raw Power: Matt: "We chose these people because they talked the talk when it came to having meetings about the band's future. They were really passionate. We know the guys from the label — have known them for years — and we just wanted to move on and start a new chapter with everything and everyone. I think it's important that the band moves on, and these guys really fought for us. We had a lot of opportunities to go wherever we wanted, really — we're very lucky — but these guys were, like, adamant that they're the right team for us, and we agreed. We're super-excited. Everything's looking very, very bright for us for the next record with a new team on board and what they can do for us." BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE is currently in the midst of an extensive American tour with AVENGED SEVENFOLD and BREAKING BENJAMIN. The band's forthcoming sixth studio album — the follow-up to 2015's "Venom" — will mark BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE's full-length recording debut with new drummer Jason Bowld (PITCHSHIFTER, AXEWOUND), who has been touring with the group for the past two years, and bassist Jamie Mathias (formerly of REVOKER), who joined the band after the last disc was completed.

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