Hey~* Would you like to listen to my story? Don't worry, it's not too long to read, haha. I just wanna let you, my friends in the world, know who The Rocktigers are…Briefly~*
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Since 2001, The Rocktigers have been playing rock'n'roll music in Korea and parts of Asia. The original member, Tiger (Guitar, Vocal), formed The Rocktigers with 3 friends. These guys, who had been punk rockers (except for one, Psycho MJ, who majored in Guitar at Berkley) found some shocking and tough, rough music like Guitar Wolf (Japan). They loved the wildness and raw sound and tried to bring that excitement to Korea. To set themselves apart they bought black leather jackets, pants and black sunglasses. Since then, if someone wanted to join The Rocktigers the first step was getting a Black Leather Jacket. If a member wanted to leave the band he had to hand it over to the next member. One day, while they were practicing in a small, dark studio, suddenly a girl (me!) with a black leather jacket and micro mini skirt came up. (I already knew their essential condition even though nobody told me) There was no position for me at that time, but I insisted on doing something ~ even if it were only choruses. So we became 5, and I started to find things I could do onstage in the band. I already knew that I could be a main vocalist in the band someday ...Yes!
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Our first album was released in 2003. After it came out, there were member changes, except for Tiger and me, Velvet Geena. The 5 members are now Velvet Geena (Vocal, Acoustic Guitar), Tiger (Vocal, Guitar), Hurricane Billy (Drums), Roy (Upright Bass), and Ace (Guitar). The 2nd album was recorded in 2006 during heavy gigging and touring to places like the Tokyo Big Rumble and Singapore's Rock de Fort Festival. It was released in early 2007. It showed a real change of direction and includes some different color compared to the first album. The band likes 50's~60's early rock'n'roll music, such as Eddie Cochran, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wanda Jackson, Janis Martin, Elvis, Buddy Holly and many musicians of that time, and many bands of the 80's rock'n'roll revival times like the Stray Cats.
The band is currently working with another new drummer - more news on that later! Recording is underway on our next studio release... look for it in August?
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Is there much of a scene in Korea?
Actually in Korea, (of course South Korea, ahem!) "indie" was born in the mid of 1990's around Hongdae [an arts university district]. It was too late? Ha... Under our long military regime, however, it was hard to build up a varied and liberal indie culture. At the same time, it took a long time to accept great rock'n'roll music. Maybe...for these same political reasons, rock'n'roll music is very rare in Korea, so The Rocktigers may have been the first rock'n'roll band in Korea. Loud and rough sound, wild stage manner, black leather jackets, greasy pomade hairstyles...oh my god... we love these things so much!!! We were the first rock'n'roll band with pomade hairstyles in Korea, and the first to introduce slap bass. We hope we can spread the cool rock'n'roll music and culture here!!! YEAH!!! Rock'n'Roll!!
