Minneapolis is a treasure trove for great music. Fortunately I have been going out and experiencing some of it first hand. At the end of 2011 and at the beginning of 2012 I was invited to a show by a friend and I experienced Tiger Vs. I have seen a lot of local talent over the past few years, but Tiger Vs. stuck out to me. They had something different and interesting about them. Their sound radiated on a different level; the concept of their music was deep to my ears, it did not sound thrown together, but put together carefully piece-by-piece. This was a multi-layered band with a multi-layered sound. At first they reminded me of a Radiohead-esque type band (with a touch of sound from The Beatles), but then I was hit with thing I hadn’t heard before, classical sound in a present setting. The vocals were deep and the sound was of quality and thought provoking. Their sound was new and interesting. They didn’t sound like a one off band, all of their songs were solid. I completely enjoyed my experience, and at the end of the set I wanted more.
So after a bit of contemplation I searched out Tiger Vs., I wanted to know more about them. I figured I would sit down and write to the band and collect some information. As I see this band has something to offer musically. Tiger Vs. intrigued and delighted at the Triple Rock. They were the opening act, but I feel they had the ability and talent to be the headliner. They did an excellent job and I feel they deserve a shout out on Mindinversion. So here is my second attempt at an interview. I hope it is as interesting and revealing as possible. Check out Tiger Vs. they are down to earth and their sound is deep and moving. Introducing Tiger Vs., here it is, the interview:
TS: Members of Tiger Vs. and their roles:
Tiger Vs.: Ranelle Johnson- singer/songwriter, keyboards
Addison Wasson- electric cello
John Accaregui- drums
TS: Where are you all originally from?
Tiger Vs.: Ranelle- Spicer, MN
John & Addy- Iowa City, IA
TS: How long have you been performing together?
Tiger Vs.: 1 year
TS: What do you think the Minneapolis music scene brings to the table for local bands, and how has that benefited you (Tiger Vs.)?
Tiger Vs.: Everyone in the local music scene is very welcoming and supportive. Bands help each other out with booking shows and promoting each other’s music. The Minneapolis scene is also really eclectic and provides a place for music of diverse styles.
TS: Who is Tiger Vs. most influenced by musically and what is in your boombox right now?
Tiger Vs.: We all grew up in very different backgrounds. We also all are influenced by and listen to a variety of genres. (Rock, pop, hip-hop, indie, jazz, electronic, punk, funk, classical).
Influences: Beach House, The Books, Portishead, Sufjan Stevens, CocoRosie, Battles, Don Caballero, The Beatles, Bjork
Boombox Right Now: Ranelle- Dvorak (Symphony No. 9 in E minor), The Beastie Boys (Hello Nasty)
Addy- J Dilla (Donuts), St. Vincent (Strange Mercy)
John- Beach Boys (The Smile Sessions), Dr. Dre (The Chronic 2001)
TS: After rocking a show describe the type of after party Tiger Vs. has.
Tiger Vs.: We go home and let out the dog.
TS: I noticed at the show you all played musical instruments, such as the electric cello, and the piano (it seems to make the listening experience more involved) as an artist how does having a classic instrument like that on stage make your performance different?
Tiger Vs.: We use modern spins on our classical instruments. We are able to express the classical sound in our music, but are still able to provide that rock edge in our live performances.
TS: What is the direction of your band, is there a sound you are trying to emulate?
Tiger Vs.: There is not a specific sound that we are trying to emulate, for we have a lot of different influences. We are about to release our first EP. After this, we are looking forward to writing new material and expanding our sound.
TS: Where does your inspiration come from when writing songs?
Tiger Vs.: Thought bubbles, freedom, Addy’s fear of birds, breakfast, coffee, and vigilante justice.
TS: Where do you see Tiger Vs. in a year?
Tiger Vs.: Writing new music, releasing another album, playing shows outside of Minneapolis.
TS: Dream venue?
Tiger Vs.: Aboard the Battlestar Galactica…or
TS: Pepsi or Coke?
Tiger Vs.: Coke for whiskey, Fuck Pepsi.
TS: If there is one thing that you would want your audience to know about, or take away from you (Tiger Vs.), what would it be?
Tiger Vs.: We are passionate about writing music, and are grateful for the opportunity to share and perform. We just want people to have fun and enjoy themselves at our shows. If they can relate to the music or take away something more from it, that is awesome.
TS: I asked for a CD at the concert at the Triple Rock and you all said you didn’t have one. If I want to get a CD of yours now where would I look?
Tiger Vs.: We have not pressed/released our first EP yet. We do have a website where you can listen to some of our tunes that will be on the upcoming EP.
www.facebook.com/tigervsmusic
www.soundcloud.com/tigervs
We are currently working on designing our own website, which should be up by March! www.tigervs.com
TS: Also, can I get a shirt or CD or something? Tiger Vs. shirts would be awesome by the way.
Tiger Vs.: We will be releasing our first EP this Spring 2012. We will keep everyone updated on dates and more info on our websites. It is going to be real soon! We just need to master our tracks and find an artist for our album art.
TS: Lastly, If you could hang out anywhere in Minneapolis what side would it be on, and what bar? a.) Downtown, b.)NE c.) South d.) Uptown e.) North f.) Loring Park.
Tiger Vs.: WEST BANK!
Favorite Bar: Triple Rock
Bowling at Memory Lanes
DP! (dog park)
End of Interview.
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I would like to give a big thanks to Tiger Vs. for taking the time to answer my questions. I would also like to say if you have the opportunity to catch Tiger Vs. live do it. They are a locally performing band and they are very talented.
