TIGERTAILZ Guitarist: 'Most So-Called Glam Bands Couldn't Do What We Do'

Metal Sickness recently conducted an interview with TIGERTAILZ guitarist Jay Pepper. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Metal Sickness: We've been waiting for long years for your reformation back in 2005. Why have you choose to make this comeback? What have you all done along this time?

Jay Pepper: The time just seemed right for us. We've all done different things outside of music but now it felt right for us to do bring the TAILZ to the work again. And, up until Pepsi [Tate, bass] got ill, things were going great.

Metal Sickness: What are the differences between the new TIGERTAILZ and your earlier incarnations, besides the personal stuff?

Jay Pepper: I think we now know what people liked about us and don't get to distracted by looking at what other bands are doing. In my view TIGERTAILZ has always had something that other image bands didn't — we are much heavier in a kind of OZZY/CRÜE sort of way and have never really dealt in that sleazy kind of 12-bar boogie sound. We spend a lot of time in writing songs for albums and don't just throw any old rubbish down.

Metal Sickness: "Thrill Pistol" is up to be distributed worldwide now. How do you feel before the release of this album?

Jay Pepper: Under the circumstances, with Pepsi being so ill, I can't quite believe we actually finished this album. We managed to keep him well enough so he could help with the song writing and he managed to record his bass parts before he got taken into hospital while we were still in the studio. As for the album, I think the first 5 songs on the record are some of the best tracks we've ever recorded and have a real new vibe.

Metal Sickness: "Bezerk 2.0" was picking up exactly where "Bezerk" left off. How do you define the new brand album "Thrill Pistol", then? An evolution, a revolution, a step...?

Jay Pepper: "Thrill Pistol" is our first real attempt at taking the band forward. It's got a lot more edge to it and even sounds quite punk in places. The opening track "Brain The Sucker" is an awesome mix of insanity punk meets JUDAS PRIEST. Then you've got "Long Live The New Flesh" which rips your head off and spits it back out. I'm really proud of the record and it gives us a new direction. The bottom line here is most so-called glam bands couldn't do what TIGERTAILZ do...

Metal Sickness: You seem to be focused on a more "current-sounding," very riff-orientated than by the past. How did you come to develop this point? It was natural or did you work on it?

Jay Pepper: It's just our own evolution, I suppose. We realise that whilst people expect us to sound a certain way we can't just release new versions of our old tracks which sound as though we're still in the '80/'90s. If TIGERTAILZ is to sustain itself and move forward, we have to get a new vibe into the music that excites us. I can understand if people think tracks like "Brain The Sucker" and "New Flesh" are a bit aggressive, but that's how we like our rock. We need to move on and hope our fans will come with us. We've never considered the TAILZ as a typical glam band. What we do, the songs we write, the way we play, the way we behave — all of these factors are nothing like the L.A. scene and we've never wanted to be part of that. We're more like the Banana Splits than the "dudes" of Sunset Strip. We call each other "dude" just to take the piss out of each other... We're very proud to be British and our musical routes are far more based in the great UK bands like OZZY, PRIEST, ZEPPELIN, SLADE, SABBATH etc. than any from the L.A. glam scene. Give me "Unleashed In The East" or "Diary Of A Madman" any day.... That's what I want to hear when I'm sunbathing in the pouring Welsh rain....

Metal Sickness: There were two different TIGERTAILZ bands playing the UK. The other was Steevi James and Ace Finchum's version, they were essentially original members. After a trial process, you "win" the right to use the name of TIGERTAILZ. How do you feel about this? Does the hatchet have been firmly buried? All the fans want to see the two bands playing together? Do you think that's possible for you?

Jay Pepper: This is all dead and buried now. The info from the Patent Office hearing is on our site if poeple want to read about it, but it's finished now. As for playing together with Steevi and Ace, I have no problem with this if the right situation presents itself.

Metal Sickness: Do you think that the Steevi or the Kim era of TAILZ could have made a bigger impact if you had moved to the States?

Jay Pepper: At the time that's what we were thinking. But I've got no regrets. I love this country and hate the fact that for the last 20+ years we've been consumed by U.S. bands. Don't get me wrong, some of my fave bands and friends are from the States, but it really bothers me that we haven't really produced any really big metal bands from the UK. We used to lead the world in rock, but now we follow whatever the Yanks do. We need another SEX PISTOLS but I fear rock 'n' roll may be finally dead...

Metal Sickness: Recently, Pepsi passed away. It's a very bad thing. Will you keep going on with the TAILZ?

Jay Pepper: We haven't made any decisions on how or if the band will continue. We do feel it's the right thing to do so we keep Pepsi's memory alive — but how we do this, we just don't know yet. We'll discuss things over the next few weeks and then issue a press statement. But for now we just remember our friend and all the great times we had together, all the great music we made and try and come to terms with living our lives without him.

Read the entire interview at www.metalsickness.com (scroll down for English version).