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BANDS: Punk
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Interview
with Nick 13 & Geoff Kresge of Tiger Army 4/17/02
The Southern California-based Tiger Army is the brainchild of longtime NoCal punk rocker Nick 13. Their unique brand of Psychobilly can be identified immediately within the punk rock scene because it cannot be duplicated by anyone else. Since their birth in 1995, Tiger Army has put out two deliciously rich albums that infect your soul like the demons they choose to embrace. I got to spend time with the guitarist and founder of Tiger Army, Nick 13, and the current bassist, Geoff Kresge, in order to find out what is behind this band becoming the kings of Psychobilly. LOTD:
I know that you two go back like car seats but what were you doing before Tiger
Army? Geoff:
Before Tiger Army, I was living in Canada, playing in a horror-rock band called
Forbidden Dimension and after that a rock band called Daggers. LOTD:
So Nick, were you doing anything musically while Geoff was the bassist for AFI? Nick:
I was in a band called Influence 13 that actually started six months before AFI
became a band and Geoff was in it as was Jade [Puget, current guitarist for AFI]. LOTD:
Wow, I didn't know you guys had that close of a history. So high school was the
birth of your friendship? Nick:
Yeah we all went to Ukiah High School. LOTD:
Do you ever drink the Mendocino brews, like Red Tail or Blue Heron? Nick:
No, not really. I didn't like that beer that much. LOTD:
Oh, I forgot that there was a big straight edge revival around that time... Nick:
Yeah, but I wasn't straight edge for that long, maybe six months. LOTD:
I know that Jade and Davey [Havok, lead singer of AFI] got a friendship tattoo
with you. Was that a straight edge thing or what? Nick:
No, we just thought it would be cool to get it done. (He shows me his inner arm
to expose his "Nine Lives" tattoo that marks his friendship with the
two AFI members.) LOTD:
Geoff, I notice you have a good number of
tats yourself. It's a far cry from
the four or so tattoos you have in the AFI video for "He Who Laughs Last." Geoff:
(laughs) Yeah, when we were making that video was when I first got into getting
tattoos. I've always liked tattoos. My dad's side of the family had a lot of
them from when they were in the military. LOTD:
Cool. (Notices that Geoff is a big dude and would definitely kick some ass if he
were in the military but is thankful that he is in the Tiger Army
instead.) Are
you guys more comfortable touring with Rancid or other punkers like the
Dropkicks Murphys, or is your reception better with Rockabilly giants like the
Reverend Horton Heat?
Geoff:
Well, its not necessarily better for one specific one. I think fans of all
those bands can get something out of Tiger Army. LOTD:
You guys must be excited to finally play on Warped Tour. Are there any specifics
laid out yet? Nick:
As far as touring this summer goes, we'll be in California for a week in June
and then pick up on Warped Tour somewhere in the Midwest like Milwaukee and then
be on Warped for about two weeks. LOTD:
Are there any cities that you guys are looking forward to playing in the future
for the first time? Nick:
We just played Texas for the first time and they were a lot of fun. I'd love to
play in the South a bit more. Canada, we haven't been there yet. Geoff:
I really want to go back to Japan. It was amazing. I am looking forward to playing
in Holland, England, Germany. Also, playing Australia and New Zealand. Maybe
some Scandinavian countries. LOTD:
I love Nord-Core. Are you into black metal from that region? Geoff:
Oh yeah, I like In Flames and The Haunted. LOTD:
Big fan of the Meteors? Geoff:
Yeah I like them, but my biggest influences are the Nekromantix, Mad Sin and the
Godless Wicked Creeps. LOTD:
Are there any side projects you guys are working on or thinking about working
on? Nick:
No, Tiger Army is all I do. I don't rule it out, but I'm just really into this
band LOTD:
Me too. So that means you guys will be concentrating your efforts on the next
album? Geoff:
Yeah, that should be sometime in the winter. LOTD:
I noticed that Tiger Army II has
more of a twang and keeps the punk but emphasizes the Rockabilly sound a little
more. Is that how the next album is going to sound? Geoff:
I have no idea right now. It will be a surprise. Nick:
Psychobilly. LOTD:
As long as you guys keep doing what you're doing, it's cool with everybody.
I wanted to ask about the Tiger Army mantra: "Never Die."
I
noticed that a lot of your songs are about death - is there a fear of death or
an embrace of it? Nick:
It's definitely an embrace of death. I find that the fullest way to live life is
to measure it against death. It's a good way to stay centered and make sure to
take care of things that are most important. LOTD:
One last thing, I
found out about you guys by looking for live AFI songs to download on Morpheus,
and I stumbled across your song "True Romance."
What are your opinions on online music trading? Nick:
Yeah, I'm all for it. It helps
smaller bands more than it hurts them.
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