Interview with Tygers of Pan Tang vocalist Jack Meille
By Mick Michaels
COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
COSMICK VIEW: Hello! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
CV: When you approach songwriting, is it a planned process or is it more of an organic thing...allowing it time to come about on its own terms?
Jack Meille: We are all 5 songwriters. For this album, we started sharing ideas we had. Then we did some separate jam sessions: Micky and myself for example spent a couple of days in a rehearsal room and we wrote a couple of songs, one of which is “Words Cut Like Knives.” The same happened with Gav and Robb and finally the 4 of them got together to jam the songs. I am based in Italy, so whenever there was a song that they thought was ready, they would send it to me and I would start working on melodies and lyrics together with Craig…bouncing ideas via internet. I know it sounds a bit crazy, but we tend to use the best of the old school approach and nowadays technology.
CV: Can songwriting be a conscious effort on the part of the artist and still be a successful process? Or is some element lost and the music becomes contrived?
JM: Tough question. We are talking about a band so the songwriting is based to follow what we agreed should be the distinctive elements of "Tygers" sound. We wanted to record a bunch of powerful and riff based songs without forgetting big and catchy choruses.
CV: Do you feel having a level of inspirational connectivity to the world around us is the best tool an artist can have in their songwriting toolbox?
JM: I don't know. Personally I think there are far better songwriters than me who can make people think about what's happening in the world. Tygers are a Hard Rock band…we want to give the audience something they can use to distract themselves from everyday life. We are not a party band, yet we want to give people a chance to have a good time.
CV: The band's new album, "Ritual," is one that seems to heavily embody the band's early 80s razor-sharp sound and vigor...an all out Metal assault. Do you think that Metal fans today are desperately craving such a return to that classic style and form, especially being that the genre itself is split into so many sub and splinter genres?
JM: We are aware of the heritage the band has and we are proud and honored of this. So we are the first who want to keep a link to the past, yet we want to let people know the band in 2020 is a different band from the one that started all way back in 1978. It's “us” 5. We are not a tribute band.
CV: What do you think about the evolution of Metal since the birth of NWoBHM? Are you happy about where Metal is today? Did you see it evolving differently or has it surpassed your expectations?
JM: NWOBHM is still alive. It's surprising how many new bands want to reconnect to that era which was really special. Whenever the “nostalgia” doesn't exceed, I'm ok with it. When I hear a new record recorded bad because 40 years ago technology was not as good as today's, I don't get it. I mean, Iron Maiden would have loved to record their debut album with today's technology!
CV: "Ritual" took over a year to write and was dealt with two studio postponements before the album saw its completion. Now reflecting on as the album since its release, was it worth the effort and the wait? Are you happy with how it turned out and would fans agree with your assessment?
JM: It was tough. But 100% worth it and showed how strong the relation between us 5 is. That's how you build trust within a band. Not all of us were happy to postpone the recordings, but we did it and it was the right thing to do.
CV: Do fans play a big role in regards to the types of songs that are decided upon for album inclusion? Is keeping fans happy part of the consideration regardless of the band's personal musical aspirations?
JM: 'Ritual' represents “US” in 2020. It's Tygers, but it is also Micky, Robb, Craig, Gav and myself. We don't want to please the fans, we want give them the best songs we can write.
CV: What do you believe a veteran band can do to stay current in an ever changing industry besides following the trends? Or is the strength of their back catalog all that's needed to keep fans coming back for more?
JM: A band needs to move forward…in our case, we are so lucky to have such a strong back catalog we can play live. So I think we manage to find a solution which keeps everybody happy.
CV: With all the new releases happening everyday...roughly 25,000 new releases daily, how difficult is it for bands to get their music heard? What steps need to be taken to ensure someone will listen?
JM: We have to say a big “thank You” to Mighty Music who really supports us and works so hard to let our music be out and be heard. It's a jungle…a digital jungle…a really tough place to survive.
CV: In your opinion, can a band truly reinvent themselves without coming across as a watered down version of their former selves? Is it possible to have a second coming?
JM: I think it can happen. Look at Aerosmith and their come back in the late '80...but you still have to write good songs…good new songs, otherwise it's not worth it. I joined the Tygers because I wanted to write new songs with them, not just because I could sing their hits. And I love singing “Take It,” “Euthanasia” or “Gangland!”
CV: Does the band plan to tour the new album in the US in 2020?
JM: We'd love to but it's not easy to tour America: you need a good promoter and you need time, you can't just do a week... so it needs to be well planned.
CV: What's next? What can fans expect to see?
JM: 2020 looks already pretty exciting: we will tour Europe…in April we play with Saxon, Doro and Diamond Head in March and play so many cool festivals.
CV: Thank you again for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.
JM: Thank you Mick and thank all the fans who showed such appreciation to our new album!
Check out Tygers of Pan Tang at:
www.tygersofpantang.com
My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.
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