Moe Train catches Moose, drummer of Bullet For My Valentine, backstage at Mayhem Fest, on a rare morning without a hangover. The band is two weeks into the festival, fresh off flying to Europe and back in the middle of the run to play two more festivals, and the new album is finished except for Matt's vocals. Ten minutes before they went on in front of a hundred thousand Metallica fans in Estonia, Lars Ulrich knocked on the dressing room door. What follows is the full conversation, word for word, from the remastered tape.
Moe:
How's it going, man?
Moose:
Good, you know. It's nice to wake up without a hangover today.
Moe:
Oh, yeah? Without a hangover?
Moose:
Yeah, I took a night off the drink last night.
Moe:
What are you drinking?
Moose:
Cider.
Moe:
Well, you guys have been hitting the road non-stop. You guys, what, been going back and forth overseas, like, bounce back and forth, or what's your deal?
Moose:
We done the first two weeks of this festival. I mean, before this festival was booked, we already had two European festivals booked, so we had to take four days off to fly, do those shows, then fly back and come join and finish this tour.
Moe:
How's that treating you?
Moose:
It was great. Yeah, it was right. I think yesterday probably was the worst day for me.
Moe:
So how are you holding up with that? Drinking some Jäger to keep you up, or what?
Moose:
I may have a couple tonight. Yeah.
Moe:
Yeah, the first real exposure I had to you guys was NHL 06. Okay, holy shit, I heard your song a hundred million times. I mean, what do you feel about the new modes of exposure for your music? I mean, like, because, you know, I of course listen to the kind of music, and your song was stuck in my head for months. But now, you know, you have video games, you have certain forms, the internet. How's it been treating your band?
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Moose:
I think any form of exposure for a band is good. You know, even if it crosses, like, ten people to a hundred thousand people, you know. I mean, as long as people get to hear your music, then that's the main thing, I think, for any band. So I think it's a good thing, right?
Moe:
So you've seen real positive feedback from the different...
Moose:
Yeah, I mean, even like illegal downloads. I mean, if kids want to, if they download a song or an album of ours illegally, and it makes them come to the show, so be it.
Moe:
Seems like that's the new model, the new music model for the industry these days. Obviously, there's so many ways to get to illegally download.
“I mean, you know, that was, yeah, it's kind of weird for, I mean, playing in front of that many people, and they're all there just to watch one band.”
Moose (Bullet For My Valentine)
Moose:
Exactly.
Moe:
But if it gets them in the shows, that's where you're fine. That's what you're really making your, you know, you're living off of, the live shows, busting your ass every night.
Moose:
To be honest, I don't think bands ever make a penny off selling records anyway. I mean, that's a record label thing anyway. But obviously we make money on touring. But we do, we didn't start this band to, well, we did, to make records, but ideally just to tour the world and play our music to the masses, you know, as a live band, which we are. So that's the main element for us, is to play live, right?
Moe:
You have a new album coming out, right? You're, what, you're working on it? You're finishing up the album after the tour, or what's your deal?
Moose:
Yeah, we, well, I'm finished. I think we're gonna go home and write just an extra two safety songs, right? So, but basically the album's finished. We just got to go home, and Matt's gotta put vocals on it, and then it's finished.
Moe:
Did you take a different approach with this album than the other albums? Didn't you write the music and the lyrics, vocals together? Or how was, what was the approach on this album?
Moose:
It's kind of, it was kind of different, but it's kind of the same. It was just, this time we actually blocked off like two or three months, rather than the last record, we had to write as we were touring. So this record, we've been writing since February, and yeah, we just go in a room and just started writing, jamming riffs, and then I'd play to it, and then everyone just be throwing in ideas, right? So it was a group thing. It was really good.
Moe:
What's the overall influence of the band? I mean, your whole entire sound isn't just, you know, metal. It's not just rock. It sounds like you have blues influences. It sounds like you have a whole plethora of influences across the genres. What do you feel like each member of the band contributes, genre-wise?
Moose:
Well, you said blues. Padge is a massive blues fan, so that's probably where the blues element comes in. And I remember when me and Matt first started the band, at that time in music, we thought that the songs, you know, there were a lot of great bands around, but as we were growing up, we were growing up listening to, I mean, Metallica, and they always brought, like, classic songs, and everyone could sing along. And at the time when we were writing songs, we thought that there weren't enough, like, big choruses out there and stuff. So that's what we did. We just wanted to write songs like what we enjoyed as we were growing up as kids.
Moe:
Yeah, see, the Metallica, you open, you know, you opened for Metallica.
Moose:
Yes.
Moe:
How was that, standing in front of, what, a hundred thousand plus people? I mean, that's got to be a holy shit moment.
Moose:
I mean, you know, that was, yeah, it's kind of weird for, I mean, playing in front of that many people, and they're all there just to watch one band. I mean, you can do European festivals to like a hundred thousand people, but these people were there to watch Metallica. Where was it? In Austria? It was in, well, Estonia, okay. And then we've done another couple of shows in, like, Holland and stuff with them, right. But it was weird.
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Moose:
I mean, the most weirdest part is, ten minutes before we played, there's a knock on our dressing room door, and I opened the door, and it's Lars Ulrich.
Moe:
Oh, my God.
Moose:
That was so strange.
Moe:
And what happened?
Moose:
He just said, can I come in? And we were like, yeah, yeah, absolutely, come in. Like, introducing himself, and, you know, said a big, big fan of the music and stuff, and he said he'll be watching. And I was like, oh, thanks for telling me that. And now I'm scared.
“I mean, the most weirdest part is, ten minutes before we played, there's a knock on our dressing room door, and I opened the door, and it's Lars Ulrich.”
Moose (Bullet For My Valentine)
Moe:
And that's how'd you deal?
Moose:
Yeah, I mean, it was good. Yeah, I mean, that was the first of four shows we'd done with them, so it's cool. Yeah, so, yeah, I mean, we played a show in London the other day, and they played the same day.
Moe:
Okay.
Moose:
And they came to our after-show party.
Moe:
No way.
Moose:
Yeah.
Moe:
That's amazing. Like, whoa, playing, and actually hanging out, you know. Then they come to watch you, hanging out. That's got to feel amazing.
Moose:
Yeah. It does feel, it's very nice. You know, biggest metal band ever. Yeah.
Moe:
I'm amazing, too. Touring on a dry tour, hired back in the day. Yeah. The first thing, honestly, the first thing I do when I come to the festival, so even if I'm covering, is I get a drink in my hand, even before I get a microphone in my hand. Yeah. I know that the shit went down with Rob Zombie. How's that, how's that going now?
Highlight
Moose:
Yeah, I mean, we said some stuff, maybe, which we shouldn't have said, and obviously we learned from our mistakes and stuff. It was just, you know, it was a bad day, and spoke out a little too loud, I think. And, you know, I gotta say, though...
Moe:
From my point of view, outside looking in, I gotta give you guys credit. You know, even though, it takes balls. People, big people, that are in a larger band than you or whatever, it takes balls, essentially. I'm like, you know what, we have our own fucking values. You know, like that. So...
Moose:
Yeah, I mean, that's what we said. I mean, we're sorry we said it, but, you know, we still stand by our beliefs and stuff. And me and Matt talked about it, and, you know, what I said has been said. But, you know, you can't treat people bad because, you know, maybe you think you're better than them. So, right. We just treat every band we ever take out on tour, like, you know, if you need anything from our dressing room, just ask, and we'll give it to you. If you need anything extra, just ask, and we'll give it to you. Not fucking, you know, who do you think you are, something.
Moe:
Exactly. I mean, we're all people at the end of the day. So, how's the overall experience been for you over the years? I mean, you've, I'm sure you've seen a lot of stuff. Good, bad, ugly.
Moose:
Yeah, great. Yeah, I mean, I still kind of can't believe when I wake up in the morning that this is what I do for a living. See, it was always what I wanted to do, from being in school at a young age. And I get to do it with, like, four, my best friends, three of my best friends, right? So, I just, strange, still, you know. And then, like, obviously touring with Slayer, Metallica. I mean, strange, man.
Moe:
How's the camaraderie been with all the bands during the tour? Do you guys get to hang out at all? It's, I mean, I know you're traveling all the time. I mean, like I said earlier, that you'd go back and forth overseas and stuff. But within this tour, have you been a chance to kick back, hang out with the different bands, talk and bullshit?
Moose:
Oh, yeah. I mean, we hang out with Slayer a lot, which is another big, like, wow, for me. Me and Dave Lombardo, kind of cool friends now. Which is, how's Kerry? I don't really talk to Kerry. I'm still a bit afraid of...
Moe:
He's a, he's a scary guy.
“And, I mean, I've had, you know, right, just try and be the band who, you know, will become a classic band, and we'll stand the test of time at the end of the day.”
Moose (Bullet For My Valentine)
Moose:
But, you know, I've talked to him a couple times, and he seems a really nice guy. Yeah, but he's still scary.
Moe:
So, obviously, you're still very young, and the band's got so much potential to go in so many different directions. Like I said, with some different genres. Do you see yourself in a certain path? Do you just go from album to album, and hopefully, you know, you end up in a certain spot, or just let things flow? What's your, obviously...
Moose:
We had goals when we started, and those goals have now been achieved. So we always, we make new goals for ourselves. But I think the overall goal is to be as long-lasting as possible, and to have a career like, like Slayer, Metallica. And, I mean, I've had, you know, right, just try and be the band who, you know, will become a classic band, and we'll stand the test of time at the end of the day. So, I mean, that's the overall goal we've had, and that's the one which we're always fighting to have.
Moe:
This is sort of random, but I saw a video of you guys with Edward Fortyhands. I don't know, I don't know where it was from. I'm almost positive, I'm pretty sure it was you guys.
Moose:
I heard of all this Edward Fortyhands last night.
Moe:
Were you taped? We actually tape 40s to your hands, and you can't do anything.
Moose:
Yeah. We did something similar, but it was, instead of 40s, it was Jack Daniels.
Moe:
Oh, shit.
Moose:
It was our, both hands?
Moe:
No, just one.
Moose:
Yeah, and we'd have to, like, I want a drink, I want a drink, you'd have to, like, kind of just pour his hand to drink, because he wouldn't let it go. He's just, like, gaffer taped to his hand.
Moe:
I would say, I would volunteer to stand on stage with 40s in both hands, and finish them before...
Moose:
I might have a go at tonight, actually, because God forbid I throw in a party tonight. And I think that's one of the things which has any good seed, a party, for sure.
Moe:
Yes. Well, thanks a lot for being with us. Appreciate it.
Moose:
That's cool.
Moe:
Do me a favor, do a drop for us. We're Moe Train's Tracks. Moe Train's Tracks. Yeah, okay.
Moose:
Hey, everyone. This is Moose from Bullet For My Valentine, and you're listening to Moe Train's Tracks.
Moe:
Excellent. Thanks, man. Appreciate it.
Moose:
No problem.
Moe:
Look forward to see you tonight. Cool. Have a good one.
