Interview with Tygers of Pan Tang Guitarist and Founder Robb Weir
By Mick Michaels
Cosmick View: Hello, Robb! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.
Robb Weir: Hi Mick…you are more than welcome! The band is enjoying the fantastic feedback our latest EP “A New Heartbeat” has been receiving so far.
CV: With Tygers of Pan Tang being
such a long standing and influential NWOBHM band, is there ever a feeling like
you're tied to the past you’ve created because of what fans expect?
RW: Well it's a fact that Tygers have influenced a lot of musicians who have
been listening to the old albums when they were kids and in a way we feel a
responsibility, but at the same time we want to write and play the music which
reflects what the band is now.
CV: Being in a virtual and social media society, how important is fan
connection and interaction for the band? Is there a need for Tygers of Pan Tang to have that
connection to thrive as a musical act?
RW: I was a music fan when you had to write a letter to a P.O. Box and wait
months for an answer from your favorite band. Our musical heroes were like
“gods”: impossible to reach. Now everything has changed and social media has
eliminated the distance between a fan and his favorite artists. It's something
you have to accept and deal with it. 90% of the promotion of an album is
through social media now and you have to do it personally. If you take it as a
promotional tool it's enjoyable if you know what I mean, and it helps the band
a lot.
CV: As a guitar player in a band, is it ever a case of fearing the unknown when
it comes to writing and releasing new material, especially in the modern music
industry?
RW: If you write and play what you like there is no reason to be afraid of the
reaction from the listeners or the fans. You enjoy the excitement of releasing
new songs which you and the band like and believe in.
CV: How much does the band's overall internal and external dynamics change when
new members comes on board? Being the band's founding member, is there an
adjustment period for you, especially as a songwriter?
RW: I have been very lucky in my life to share the stage and the writing
process with some exceptional musicians. The thing you have to remember is that
you have to let them express themselves. The Tygers have some kind of trademark
sound which is easily recognizable and that's mainly because I have been
writing most of the riffs, but there has always been “space” for adding something
different. Think who has played in the band before: John Sykes, Fred Purser,
Dean Roberston, Micky Mc Crystal...they all have their very own personality and
sound which have fit perfectly with the Tygers sound and even made it better!
And be ready to hear how fantastic Francesco Marras is!
CV: For you, what does the perfect songwriting scenario look like? What makes
you immediately go, "Yes! That's the one?" And have you found that
such a response on your part is a solid gauge as to how the fans will react to
the song as well?
RW: I write riffs...a few people say that I'm good at that. And a riff shows
the direction a song should go. Francesco has the ultimate gift to understand
without me explaining anything how to turn a riff into a full song. I have to
say I was blown away by his ability to immediately understanding how a Tyger
song should sound like.
CV: At this stage in Tygers of Pan Tang's
career, is radio airplay even something you consider or even worry about
anymore...is it at all important to you? Or is it more a matter of the direct
support received from the fans that’s really the essential piece to the band's
continued success?
RW: So far the reception of our latest single, “A New Hearbeat,” has been
fantastic and one thing that really impressed me is the fact that a lot of
radio stations from all over the world have played the song. There is something
magical about listening to your own song on the radio, so no matter if it is
old fashion, I'm really happy that you can hear our latest song “on air”!
CV: Do you look at Internet radio as a friend or foe, especially with not much
of a financial return of any kind garnished from web airplay for the majority
of artists and bands? Is internet radio more or less the same side of the coin
as streaming services in your opinion?
RW: You can’t stop progress, no matter what you think. People now listen to
music in a complete different way than I did. Are they wrong? Was I right? Who
knows? I keep listening to music on CD and Jack, our singer, is a vinyl and CD
collector…but most of our younger fans have discovered Tygers thanks to
Spotify, YouTube or Apple Music.... The bottom line is: as long as you listen to
our music we are happy!
CV: How differently do you see yourself as an artist from the start of 2020 compared to now in 2022? Is there a difference and if so, would you recognize yourself?
RW: The pandemic had a huge impact on everybody's life. We haven't been able to tour for more than two years. Actually we haven't seen each other for two years! This is simply unbelievable, yet it has happened. I just can't wait to be in the tour bus and gig every night!
CV: In addition to the new EP, "A
New Heartbeat," what more can fans expect to see coming from Tygers of Pan Tang in 2022?
RW: We will be on the road! First gig will be in Madrid on May 21st
and then we will be touring Europe and the U.K. in the summer and in October
and November. We are currently recording the new album but I can't tell you yet
when it's going to be released....
CV: Thanks again Robb for taking the
time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
RW: Thank you, and don't forget to come and say “hi” at one of our shows.
Check out Tygers of Pan Tang at:
Official: www.tygersofpantang.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tygersofpantangofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tygersofpantang/media
Instagram: https://instagram.com/tygers_of_pan_tang?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
A New Heartbeat: https://youtu.be/sYlh7HDjFlw
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