Tiger Army - History

History

Tiger Army played their first show at the famous 924 Gilman Street venue in Berkeley, California, on March 29, 1996. The band went on to popularize the psychobilly genre in North America. The band's sound draws from early punk, rock n' roll and rockabilly, as well as dark English pop. Nick 13's emphasis on melody and his lyrical inspirations from various types of literature have helped to distinguish them from some of the more "novelty" aspects the psychobilly genre sometimes embraces.

The band's first official release was a self-titled vinyl record EP, now referred to as the Temptation EP. The record was released by Chapter 11 Records. This EP caught the attention of Tim Armstrong, co-owner of Hellcat Records, who signed the band.

Tiger Army recorded their first full-length, the self-titled Tiger Army, in January 1999. It was released that October. Stand-up bassist Joel Day left Tiger Army before the band was signed, so the Quakes stand-up bassist Rob Peltier was hired to play on the album. Drummer Adam Carson of AFI (band), who had been helping out the band live, played on the record, as well.

The band then embarked on a California mini-tour promoting the album in 1999. Then in 2000 Nick 13 asked former AFI (band) bassist Geoff Kresge, one of his former bandmates from Influence 13, to join Tiger Army. Ex-Samhain drummer London May came onboard as well.

Tiger Army II: Power of Moonlite followed in 2001. Fred Hell replaced London May shortly after the recording. The band toured with TSOL, The Damned (band), Dropkick Murphys and others in support of the record and went to Europe and Japan for the first time on the album as well.

The band's friend and drum tech Mike Fasano played on the next Tiger Army album, Tiger Army III: Ghost Tigers Rise, when Hell was unable to record or tour behind the album.

Nick 13 announced a new line-up for Tiger Army, featuring drummer James Meza and stand-up bassist Jeff Roffredo, formerly of seminal Los Angeles psychobilly bands Cosmic Voodoo and Calavera, in 2004. This lineup supported Social Distortion on an extensive US tour. In spring, 2005, the band headlined a string of five sold out shows at the Hollywood House Of Blues. The following year, the band sold out four nights at the Anaheim House Of Blues. They also hit the road with Morrissey and AFI (band) performed several headlining tours around the world.

Tiger Army made major festival appearances across the US and Europe in support of their fourth album, titled Music from Regions Beyond. The album was released on June 5, 2007 and was produced by Jerry Finn.

"Forever Fades Away" went to #1 on Los Angeles rock station KROQ FM, which Tiger Army performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live and at radio festivals like "BFD." Publications like New York Times and Spin covered the band for the first time, as well.

Geoff Kresge returned to Tiger Army in early 2008 and joined Nick 13 and James Meza on tours of the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan and Europe. The band launched a multi-night festival, Octoberflame, in Southern California in 2008, concluding two years of touring behind Music From Regions Beyond.

Nick launched a solo project focused on Americana/country music in 2009, making his first live solo appearance at the Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. Tiger Army continued to appear at Octoberflame each year, as well as in cities like Las Vegas, San Diego, Tempe, Costa Mesa and the MusInk Festival.

Tiger Army played their largest standalone headlining show to date at the Orange County Fair in 2011. In March/April 2012, the band performed two shows in Southern California and one in Las Vegas dubbed "Spring Forward." Octoberflame V followed with 6 shows in 5 cities.

On June 7th 2011 Nick 13 released his long-awaited solo album on Sugar Hill Records.