Bullet for My Valentine are a Welsh
heavy metal band from
Bridgend, formed in 1998. The band is composed of
Matthew Tuck (lead vocals, rhythm guitar),
Michael Paget (lead guitar, backing vocals),
Michael Thomas (drums) and Jamie Mathias (bass guitar). Former members include Nick Crandle and
Jason James; both were on bass. They were formed under the name
Jeff Killed John and started their music career by covering songs by
Metallica and
Nirvana. Jeff Killed John recorded six songs which were not released; two of these tracks were reworked later in their career as Bullet for My Valentine. Financial difficulties dictated the name change, which was followed by a change in music direction. In 2002, the band secured a five-album deal with
Sony BMG. The band has stated that their music is influenced by classic metal acts such as
Metallica,
Iron Maiden, and
Slayer. The band is part of the
Cardiff music scene.