Tygers of Pan Tang

Hailing from the tiny town of Whitley Bay in North-East England, the Tygers of Pan Tang (whose name originated from the Michael Moorcock novel Stormbringer) formed when aspiring vocalist Jess Cox met guitarist Robb Weir at the local pub in November 1978. Weir, along with bassist Rocky Laws and drummer Brian Dick, had recently formed a band that combined the lessons of early-'70s heavy metal legends such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple with the do-it-yourself ethos of punk -- an emerging style eventually dubbed the new wave of British heavy metal. After much rehearsing and gigging in the surrounding area, the foursome recorded a number of demos at Impulse Studios, whose owners (Neat Records) released their first single "Don't Touch Me There" in September 1979. Relentless touring across Britain followed as the band supported such childhood heroes as the Scorpions and Budgie, as well as NWOBHM peers like Iron Maiden and Saxon. They also signed a deal with MCA and entered London's Morgan Studios in June to record their proper debut, Wildcat, which went straight into the British charts at number 18 upon its released in July 1980. Looking to beef up their sound, the band added virtuoso guitarist John Sykes just in time for their biggest gig ever at 1980s Reading Festival. Despite this promising start, however, Cox decided to quit the group at year's end, citing the ever-popular "musical differences" and going on to form the short-lived Lionheart with the recently ousted Iron Maiden guitarist Dennis Stratton. Ex-Persian Risk vocalist Jon Deverill was drafted to replace him, and the revitalized Tygers of Pan Tang set to work on their new record. Widely considered their best effort, Spellbound hit the streets in April 1981 and was followed by another bout of touring, which...