Tigertailz

Tigertailz
Origin	Cardiff, Wales
Genres	Glam metal, Hard rock
Years active	1986–1995, 2005–present
Labels	Music for Nations Demolition Sanctuary Records Relativity Records Combat Records
Members
Kim Hooker Jay Pepper Ace Finchum
Past members
Steevi Jaimz Pepsi Tate(deceased) Cy Danahar Matt Blakout Andy Skinner Glenn "Nailz" Quinn Robin Guy Sarah Firebrand

Tigertailz are a glam metal band hailing from Cardiff, Wales. They are most famous for their 1990 album, Bezerk, which made the Top 40 in the UK Albums Chart,^[1] and spawned a couple of successful singles. The band have recently reformed to considerable popular acclaim.

Early years (1986-1990)

Part of the nascent glam metal scene in the late 1980s, Tigertailz first line-up issued their debut album, Young And Crazy, in 1987. The album featured vocalist Steevi Jaimz, guitarist Jay Pepper, bassist Pepsi Tate and drummer Ace Finchum. The debut album also provided their first single, "Livin' Without You".

As the band toured, vocalist Steevi Jaimz was not fully committed to the band, and several instances of fighting were recorded. The band recruited Kim Hooker to replace Jaimz in time for follow-up album, Bezerk which was released in 1990 on the Music For Nations label.

Commercial success (1990-1995)

Prior to the release of Bezerk, the band re-recorded "Livin Without' You" with Hooker as vocalist, and released it as a single. Bezerk saw the band breakthrough as a headline act, and delivering three singles, "Love Bomb Baby", "Noise Level Critical" and "Heaven". The album peaked at #36 in the UK Albums Chart.^[1]

They released Banzai!, a collection of B-sides and re-recorded tracks, in 1991 in Japan. They also issued Wazbones in 1995, by which time the Hooker-Pepper-Tate-Finchum line-up had fragmented, and was replaced by the formidable Hooker-Danahar-Tate-Skinner line up. Touring proved successful, but there was insufficient record label interest to sustain the band.

Reunion (2005-2009)

In 2005, the band reformed their classic line-up, with the addition of former City Kidds drummer Matt Blakout, who replaced Andy Skinner. The band won a court order winning ownership of the Tigertailz name from a spin-off band fronted by Steevi Jaimz. This problem resolved, Tigertailz were able to work on Bezerk 2.0.

They completed a short reunion tour of the UK, culminating in some festival dates in Sweden and Spain, playing to over 70,000 people with Whitesnake and Twisted Sister. Kerrang! magazine wrote in praise of the reunion; journalist Steve Beebee describing it as "persistently entertaining, with monstrous melodies that reach delirious peaks".^{[citation needed]}

Bezerk 2.0 was released through Demolition Records on 7 August 2006.

Bass player Pepsi Tate was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007. The band signed a new recording contract with Sanctuary Records, and released Thrill Pistol on 27 August 2007, barely a year after their previous album release. This release was a double album, packaged with the original 1992 version of the Wazbones album, that had never been officially released. Beebee again wrote in praise of the album in Kerrang!, calling on fans to "kindly hail this rejuvenated band for the time-defying devils they are".^{[citation needed]}

Following Tate's death in September 2007, Tigertailz continued to tour with former City Kidds and current WarDance lead guitarist, Glenn 'Nailz' Quinn, playing bass. As well as numerous European festival shows, they supported ex-Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley in the UK, and performed at the UK's Hard Rock Hell Festival in both 2008 and 2009.

Bezerk anniversary (2010)

In January 2010, Tigertailz recruited Sarah Firebrand as their new, permanent bass player. They also announced that they would be playing Bezerk, originally released in 1990, in its entirety and in sequence at some subsequent live shows. Some of these performances were recorded for use as a future live album.

After playing a show at the Fuel Rock Club in Cardiff on 17 April to raise money for the Amser Justin Time charity set up in Pepsi Tate's memory, the band headlined the Stockholm Rock Out Festival in Sweden.

Following further 'Bezerk Live' dates, Tigertailz replaced drummer Matt Blakout with former Rachel Stamp sticksman Robin Guy. Tigertailz headlined the first night of 2010's Hard Rock Hell and released Bezerk Live - Burnin' Fuel on 6 December. They are expected to record their next studio album in 2011/2012/2013.

In June 2011, it was announced, via the band's website, that Ace Finchum had re-joined the band.

Discography

• Young and Crazy (1987)
• Bezerk (1990) UK #36^[1]
• Banzai! (1991)
• Wazbones! (1995)
• You Lookin' At Me? (1996) (live)
• Bezerk 2.0 (2006)
• Thrill Pistol (2007)
• Bezerk Live-Burnin' Fuel (2010)

Videography

Music videos

• Livin' Without You
• Love Bomb Baby
• Noise Level Critical
• Heaven
• Dirty Needles
• Belly of the Beast
• Falling Down
• Long Live The New Flesh (unreleased)
• I Believe

VHS

• Bezerk - Live 1990
• Video Frenzy

Line-ups

Line-Up #1	Steevi Jaimz - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Pepsi Tate - bass Ace Finchum - drums
Line-Up #2	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Pepsi Tate - bass Ace Finchum - drums
Line-Up #3	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Cy Danahar - guitar Pepsi Tate - bass Andy Skinner - drums
Line-Up #4	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Pepsi Tate - bass Matt Blakout - drums
Line-Up #5	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Sarah Firebrand - bass Robin Guy - drums
Line-Up #6	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Sarah Firebrand - bass Ace Finchum - drums
Line-Up #7	Kim Hooker - lead vocals Jay Pepper - guitar Ace Finchum - drums T.B.C. - bass

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 559. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• Official website
• Tigertailz on Myspace
• Tigertailz biography from BBC Wales
• Metal Sludge interview with Pepsi Tate
• Robin Guy interview at Love-It-Loud.com
• Jay Pepper interview at Love-It-Loud.com
• Sarah Firebrand interview at Love-It-Loud.com
• Ace Finchum interview at Love-It-Loud.com