The Story So Far........A Brief
Biography
What’s in a name? Well, quite a lot
as it happens.
The Tygers of Pan Tang were an
essential part of the movement that
became known as New Wave of British
Heavy Metal (NWOBHM). Signed to
M.C.A records they recorded 4 albums
in 3 years, toured the UK and Europe
extensively, outsold ‘name’ bands in
Japan and had an ‘almost’ hit single
with their outstanding arrangement
of The Clovers ‘Love Potion Number
9’. They weathered the mini storm of
their first vocalist leaving after
one album and replaced him with the
towering figure of Jon Deverill.
Against their record companies
wishes they employed an additional
guitarist, the mercurial John Sykes,
who……well that’s another story. On
the brink of following Def Leppard
and Iron Maiden who had softened up
the USA, the band imploded
spectacularly when the Los Angeles
based MCA refused to provide the
support necessary to cross the pond
and, without a doubt, cement their
growing reputation stateside.
And that could well have been the
end of the story had it not been for
Robb Weir, who had founded the
original Tygers and continued to
‘believe’. Recruiting a set of
musicians who could not only perform
the old tunes with the necessary
reverence, but who could also carry
the Tygers torch forward and make
new music suitably fitting of the
name Tygers of Pan Tang, he set
about rebuilding their reputation.
And the results? Well, employing the
vocal talents of a singer from Italy
(Iacopo Jack Meille) who has been
able to command the respect of
Tygers fans old and new (and there
are plenty of new ones) a rhythm
section (Gav Gray and Craig Ellis
bass and drums respectively) who are
schooled in providing the necessary
propulsion to drive the music from
stage to audience and yet another
guitarist of unnerving ability and
an intuitive feel for the Tygers
music (Micky Crystal) , the Tygers
star has begun to rise again.
It began with the release of their
album Animal Instinct – which
Classic Rock’s Geoff Barton (the man
who coined the term NWOBHM) reckoned
was not only an album deserving of 8
out of 10 but he confessed it to be
preferable to offerings from
Whitesnake and Def Leppard.
Following this the band found
themselves in demand at festivals
across Europe and now are set to
play more European and UK dates in
support of their most recent album
(Ambush) which saw them reunited
with their original producer Chris
Tangerines, the go-to producer for
many hard rock acts. So, the band
have returned in a form which not
only pays homage to the past but
sets the compass for growing
success. With a new album for
release in 2016, further dates
across the UK, Europe and South
America, it turns out that there is,
actually, quite a lot in a name.
The Tygers are:
Micky Crystal – Guitar
Craig Ellis - Drums
Gav Gray – Bass
Jack Meille – Vocals
Robb Weir- Guitar
Further information:
http://www.tygersofpantang.com/
Management –
sparechaynge1@gmail.com
Agency – Ludy Wetzl –
http://www.eternalrock.nl/
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