Lena:  You have pretty much had the same line up since the beginning, so what is your secret for getting along so well?

JASON JAMES:  The secret for us getting along so well together is the fact that we all grew up together and have known each other since we were three years old.  I’ve known the drummer since I was three.  I’ve known MATT since I was seven or eight and I’ve known PADGE since I was twelve or thirteen so we are all close to thirty now and we’ve just been the best of friends.  It’s really just like going on tour with friends.  All of the fighting has already been done years ago and we are such good friends that we could have a fight and the next day we would make up.  We are just like brothers.

Lena:  That’s great since a lot of bands are not like that.  Some bands change their guys every month.

JASON JAMES:   No, there is nothing we do without each other. 

Lena:  That’s fantastic!  I photographed your show at TASTE OF CHAOS a couple of years ago and I know that very soon after that one of you had a family emergency.

JASON JAMES:  Yeah, that was me.  My daughter was ill.

Lena:  Ah, I know that the whole band cancelled the tour so they could be with you.

JASON JAMES:  Yeah, they were phoning me every day.

Lena:  That is so sweet and you just don’t see that kind of support. 

JASON JAMES:  I know some bands that go in on separate days in the studio to record their tracks.  With us it’s all or nothing.  We live together, go together, write together, do the vocals together, everything together.

Lena:  How is your daughter doing?

JASON JAMES:  She’s doing ok, thank you.

Lena:  Good!  I also want to commend you guys on your work for a cancer cure with the TEENAGE CANCER TRUST.  It’s great that you can take your music to the next level and help people out. 

JASON JAMES:  Yes, I actually suffered a loss in my family from cancer so I know how tough it can be for people.

Lena:  It’s so nice having role models like you guys.  So many people look up to you and your help is very appreciated. 

Lena:  What do you do with your time off?

JASON JAMES:    Well, I have a three year old little girl and a beautiful girlfriend and a beautiful house that I never get to see so I go see my girl, my little girl and my car and do the family thing.  As soon as I get off the bus or plane I go home and be the dad and I just do the regular things that I really enjoy because I never get to do those things.  I get to look after my little girl and play with her princess castle, rock n’ roll stuff, you know. 

Lena:  What is it like in Wales?

JASON JAMES:  It’s a lot smaller because everything is smaller in the U.K., it’s green, peaceful and not busy at all.  It’s like small country lanes, it’s a real beautiful place that’s why I haven’t moved from there to L.A. or someplace like that because I’m there all the time.   I’ve been visiting places all around the world and always the fast life on the road with business all the time so when I go home to Wales it’s so green and peaceful farmland that is just so quiet.  It’s so nice.

Lena:  I’ve only been to Canada so I have to get my world travel through you guys.   

Lena:  What is on your tour rider?  Do you have any rules for the bands that tour with you or are you very easy going? 

JASON JAMES:  On our tour rider is whatever we can get to be honest with you.  Just waters, Corona, my drummers into Cider at the moment , a bottle of Crown Royal everyday and cases of other things.   All of the other bands come on the tour bus to party with us.  We ask for a selection of meats and fruits and that’s about it and we do get catering on the tour as well so we get our meals there.  So, just the basic things like water, beer and liquor.     

Lena:  Do you get socks and underwear?  I know a lot of bands ask for that.

JASON JAMES:  Sometimes we request that, if it’s a long tour and you have that on there like cigarettes and socks.

Lena:  What kind of underwear do they buy you?  I’ve always wondered if they go to B.J.’s or Costco and get you a case of odd white underwear. 

JASON JAMES:  Actually, it’s usually just a box of underwear.

Lena:  Are they different sizes or do they try to get you all in smalls or larges?

JASON JAMES:  I think they are just one size.  On this tour we just stopped at Walmart and we stocked up.  We love Walmart! As for our headlining shows, when the bands come to us with their riders we don’t tell them what they should or shouldn’t have.  To make friends with the bands we insist that they have a drink with us for the first couple of days so we can break the ice and get to know each other. 

Lena:  I know some bands when they tour are very strict and tell people what they can and can not do.   You guys certainly don’t seem like that type at all.  I also wanted to know if there was anything fun in there like on Thursdays you have to wear pink shirts.  Just for the fun of it?

JASON JAMES:  There is nothing that anyone has to do because we are not like that.  We are cool guys that are down to earth and we will always be like that no matter how  big our band gets.  We will always be four boys from Wales.  That’s who I am and it’s the same with all of us.  As for special events we make some up and everyone is welcome to come on our bus.  A couple of months we all dressed up like KISS, all trashed up in makeup just for a laugh.  The other night somebody through on some spandex just for a laugh.  Some crazy things will happen, it’s generally a party and we just want to have a good time. 

Lena:  You guys seem really fun!

Lena:  What was it like working with COLIN RICHARDSON and are you going to work with him again on your new album?

JASON JAMES:  It was amazing working with COLIN RICHARDSON we initially picked him because of the previous work he has done on albums which we listened to ourselves.  So we knew what we were looking for and what sound we wanted so we hired him and COLIN RICHARDSON honestly for his sound he’s amazing.  He told me his philosophy is that you are only as good as your last album and that was good enough for me.  He wants to beat everything that he has ever done so for the sound of our album he wouldn’t let anything pass as second best.  Everything had to be spot on in tune and on time which is a good thing. 

Lena:  That’s how you get the best album. 

JASON JAMES:  We didn’t use him on this one just because we have done three with him and the new one we figured we would try someone new just to see how it goes.  So, with the new one we are working with is DON GILMORE. 

Lena:  What has been the best and worst thing that has happened to you or the others on stage?

JASON JAMES:  The worst thing is on stage PADGE has actually fallen on his face twice.  The first time was when we were playing a small club, it was years ago and we had our friends there and there was this hole in the stage and as he went over it his foot got caught and he fell face down in the middle of his solo.  The second time was on a pretty big stage not too long ago, about a year ago, he was on the riser with the lights under them, the risers are like grids and they kind of burn your shoes if you are up there too long and he was doing his solo and the back of his shoe slipped into one of the grids and he fell backwards and did a bum roll.  He ended up rolling strait back onto his feet, it was insane. 

Lena:  That’s awesome!  It sounds like a levitation trick. 

JASON JAMES:  No kidding!  It was better than the first one because he recovered very well.  Also, the big shows that we got to do with the pyro in the U.K. and Europe one time I forgot to step back at the end of the show at the end of the METAL HAMMER AWARDS in the U.K. and they had these big, huge flames that  at the end of the show come blasting in and we are supposed to remember to step back.  I finished the song and looked down and the thing went off in my face.  My guitar tech helped me walk off and my eyebrows were singed, my eyelashes were singed and I couldn’t see for about an hour.  But, I was alright.

Lena:  Good, and it doesn’t look like any permanent damage to your hair.

Lena:  Why MUSIC MAN over other makers ?

JASON JAMES:  I’m working on a design that hopefully they will take because I have not been with them that long but I chose MUSIC MAN over the company that I was with, SANDBERG, from Germany which are really good and I thought was the best but I tried MUSIC MAN for one role on stage and it sounded amazing.  The sustain on this guitar is amazing!  I can just press the strings on the guitar or strum it and it still makes the sound.  It is just such a good lump of wood.  They sound great.  The MUSIC MAN Bongo, that’s what I use. 

Lena:  Do you have a message for your fans?

JASON JAMES:  BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE want to thank everyone that is reading this and we love all our fans, you are amazing.  If you don’t have our albums go out and buy them and you won’t be sorry and there is a kick ass album coming your way.