Tiger Army
Horror Business
Words: James Ferreira

Appearing:
2007 Vans Warped Tour

July 19, 2007
Reynolds Park Yacht Center, Jacksonville

July 20, 2007
Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg

July 21, 2007
Bicentennial Park, Miami

July 22, 2007
Tinker Field, Orlando

Life comes at you fast, or so the adage goes. For Berkley, psychobilly rockers Tiger Army, the ascent towards relevance has been quite arduous. Formed in the mid 90’s by visionary song-writer Nick 13, Tiger Army has gone a long way towards making psychobilly relevant in mainstream music circles across the globe. For those unfamiliar with the genre, it combines punk music with rockabilly, giving it a modern flair as well as an added sense of toughness. Thanks to rigorous touring over the past six years, along with an uncanny ability to not waver in the face of tragedy, they have begun to garner respect worldwide. Tiger Army has parlayed some of that success into becoming one of the headliners on this year’s Warped Tour, in support of their newest album on Hellcat Records entitled Music from Regions Beyond. I was fortunate enough to speak with Nick 13 about his vision, the psychobilly scene, and Tiger Army’s propensity for broadening the horizons of the typical punk fan’s mentality.

REAX:  Tiger Army was formed during the mid 90's in Berkley, California. Your first show was at Gilman Street playing alongside AFI and the Meteors. Can you explain what it was like to give your band/vision that kind of launch?
Nick 13:  Well, Gilman St. was just the natural club to start playing. It was where we went a lot for shows at the time. AFI were our friends and gave us the show. Opening for the Meteors at our second show was certainly a thrill as they were perhaps the main band that got me into psychobilly. Looking back, it was definitely a special time in the scene.

REAX:  Can you recall the initial reaction of the locals? What was the psychobilly scene like at the time in Berkley?
Nick 13:  There was no psychobilly scene, only a handful of people even knew what it was. Luckily, the punk scene was pretty open-minded musically, so we were able to play mixed bills with punk and hardcore bands and get a good response.

REAX:  Could you explain a little about your relationship with AFI and what their support meant to getting Tiger Army off and running?
Nick 13:  Their help was crucial in the beginning. They let us borrow their drummer Adam, and their practice space.  We recorded a demo which led to getting signed by Hellcat. It would have been at least a couple of years before that could've happened without their help.

REAX:  What was your initial reaction when you were first approached by Hellcat Records gaining the attention of Tim Armstrong along the way?
Nick 13:  I was stunned. I had no band at the time and was back at my parent's house -- it came along at just the right time. He liked the songwriting and didn't care that I didn't have a lineup, which was also amazing.

REAX:  I vividly recall the first time I caught Tiger Army on the Warped Tour playing one of the small stages back when I was in college. What has the transition been like throughout the years as you have garnered more attention, and respect as you were on your way to becoming one of the headliners this time around?
Nick 13:  It's been a very slow gradual thing. We started touring heavily in the summer of 2001 and have done it ever since. 2002, 2004 and now 2007 we've been on Warped. I think people know that we've paid our dues and then some when it comes to hard touring. I'm proud that our band has reached the point where we can be a headliner on a tour like that.

REAX:  What was it like to work legendary producer Jerry Finn on the new album?
Nick 13:  It was a great experience. Jerry has an incredible ear, and helped us make the best Tiger Army album to date.  I got to know him from the sessions he did with AFI, so it was more like being in the studio with a friend. The tones he got on "Music From Regions Beyond" are amazing.

REAX:  What advice can you give to aspiring young rock stars who hope to make their mark in the cut-throat world of rock music?
Nick 13:  I think the most important thing is to go beyond your influences. Too many young bands are content to imitate.  Take your influences and make them your own. If you're not doing something original, something that reflects ‘you’, there's no reason anyone should care about your music.

Please check out Tiger Army at www.tigerarmy.com or www.myspace.com/tigerarmy .