Calling all music fans who are completely bored out of their minds with the current cookie-cutter, copy-and-paste alternative rock scene. If you’re looking for a band who doesn’t give a shit about what people think and simply want to do things their way – which “their way” is nothing but infectious guitar-driven rock n roll music – get ready to fall head over heels for UK newcomers Tigress.
Out of Chelmsford, England, the feisty five-piece is teaming up with The Noise to premiere their out-of-the-box visual for their killer new track “Hangman.” Taken from their soon-to-be-released EP Who Cares, according to vocalist Katy Jackson, the band’s retro-feeling track was born out of some pretty unique circumstances.
“We were halfway through writing the EP and had a power cut for two days so found ourselves with little to do,” says vocalist Katy Jackson. “Sean [Bishop, guitarist] picked up his acoustic guitar and just started playing, we had a load of candles lit and I just started singing. Sean and I wrote [this] song in a night. It was amazing to be cut off from everything and to just be alone with your thoughts.”
Now, as for the band’s fiery no-fucks-given attitude that can be heard throughout their impressive five-track EP (especially on “Bring Me Down”), Jackson had plenty to say about that stating:
“We have been playing music together for a long time now and I wish I could say things have changed over the years but that’s simply not true. I am speaking of my own personal experiences and cannot speak for every female within the rock industry but I have heard similar stories from friends in bands.
As a female in the industry, you are either objectified or dismissed. A few years back we were made to play a festival called Chebfest without knowing what that actually meant - and only recently did a pub announce that they have banned all female fronted bands from playing their venue because their customers don’t like it.
As a band, we have been told numerous times that their ‘female quota has been met’ and that there is no place for us on festival line-ups, record labels, PR companies etc… simply because I am a female. I can honestly say that it’s my belief that if I were a male, our band would have progressed a lot faster than it has.
The pressure I feel is at times is unbearable. You are made to feel that you must be the skinniest, the prettiest, the most talented, the best performer, the most confident etc - Those ideals are impossible to live up to and have often made me dread having to step out on stage.
I think the industry is shallow and lazy. Long gone are the days when record labels hustled to make their artist a success, now the labels seek bands who already have a massive following and ride their wave of success. I feel that today’s industry is so heavily image-lead that it isn’t about the music anymore. Long gone are the days that the likes of Freddie Mercury can front a band.
I often wonder if I feel this way because my band isn’t good enough, and maybe I think I’m owed something that I am not. But then I realise that I make music because I have to, it’s what keeps me sane and I can’t [imagine] doing anything else.
Personal experience has taught me to just keep moving [forward], no matter what gets in the way. I didn’t think I had any more songs in me to write, but this new EP flowed so effortlessly. I spoke with honesty and we had the time of our lives making it. I don’t know if other people will like what we have done, but we love it. We decided to stop caring about what other people think and just do it for ourselves.”
To support the band’s passion for change in the music industry, be sure to check out their new video below and pick up a copy of Who Cares before it’s officially released this Friday. For more from your new favorite band Tigress, head here.
