Bullet For My Valentine guitarist Michael ‘Padge’ Paget has got over the hurt he felt when he was frozen out of writing and recording sessions for fourth album Temper Temper.
And the disagreements that led to the division are behind them as they gear up for the launch of follow-up Venom.
Frontman Matt Tuck and drummer Michael ‘Moose’ Thomas flew to Thailand to create the 2013 album, leaving Padge and then-bassist Jason ‘Jay’ James behind.
Padge tells Metal Hammer’s Merlin Alderslade: “It really pissed me off, to be honest. Being told over email that you’re not going to record an album with your band. I’m sure it would piss anyone off.
“I was fucking confused, hurt – and I just didn’t understand it.”
Temper Temper received a lukewarm reception when it was released. Padge says: “Do I think it was for the best in the long run? No, I don’t, because our momentum kind of levelled off.”
Moose reveals he had his own misgivings. “I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be writing and recording an album,” says the drummer. “Me and Matt were getting on, but I felt bad for Padge and Jay.”
Tuck won’t go into details behind the tensions, but insists: “When things need to be done I’m not afraid of decisions that aren’t going to be popular. There were certain things going on that people needed to sort out. At the same time we needed to get work done.”
He says of the entire Temper Temper era: “Everyone, me included, lost perspective on what’s important. In a way it was tainted before it had even begun.”
But it’s all in the past – including James’ tenure with the band. Padge says: “I don’t want to dwell on the bad times because it’s all so good now.”
Venom is released on August 14. The full interview appears in the current edition of Metal Hammer, on sale now in print, digital and via TeamRock+.
