A NWoBHM institution, the TYGERS OF PAN TANG never really capitalised on their impressive headstart despite some excellent albums (most notably 'The Cage') towards the effective end of their career. The band formed in late 1978 in Whitley Bay with original vocalist Mark, guitarist Robb Weir, bass player Rocky (a.k.a. Richard Laws) and drummer Brian Dick. This incarnation lasted a mere three gigs before ex-WILLY AND THE WEREWOLVES guitarist Jess Cox was asked to join the then trio as lead vocalist. At this point the band had only one original composition, 'Don't Touch Me There', and relied on covering material by acts such as MOTÖRHEAD and TED NUGENT.

The band's debut demo recordings were cut at Impulse Studios in Wallsend and featured three tracks, namely 'Euthanasia', 'Straight As A Die' and 'The Final Answer'. Feedback generated from a 'Sounds' magazine feature saw the band at a Sunderland gig in 1979 being watched by major labels such as Virgin, RCA and MCA amongst others. However, local label Neat, owners of the same studios where the group had demoed, picked the band up for a single deal. The TYGERS OF PAN TANG debut single, the ribald 'Don't Touch Me There', not only sold over 7'000 copies for the indie Neat label but its success steered the record company into becoming an out and out Heavy Metal factory production line.

The TYGERS OF PAN TANG would be quickly snapped up by major label MCA Records, who re-released the debut single again in March 1980, whereupon it proceeded to sell another 7'000 copies. The band played their first support dates to MAGNUM, followed by a myriad of gigs with DEF LEPPARD, that April in London, Newcastle and Manchester, DIAMOND HEAD, ANGEL WITCH, GIRLSCHOOL and IRON MAIDEN. In those heady days the TYGERS OF PAN TANG were never out of the Rock press and consistently touring - including dates in Japan - in what many came to see as a case of over exposure.

The band added ex-STREETFIGHTER protégé guitarist JOHN SYKES following the release of the 'Wildcat' album in 1980 and the band toured hard, supporting SAXON on their British 'Wheels Of Steel' tour, with the SCORPIONS and first headlining dates. It was following the group's Reading Festival performance supporting WHITESNAKE, no doubt prompted by numerous press jibes citing simply that Cox could not sing, the TYGERS OF PAN TANG ditched their frontman and duly replaced him with erstwhile PERSIAN RISK vocalist Jon Deverill. However, it would seem that for a burst of gigs in Germany as support to the SCORPIONS the group had drafted Swiss Italian singer Marco Paganini. His tenure would be brief as he was poached during this tour to join Barbara Schenker's VIVA (subsequently forming his own act PAGANINI).

Meantime, an undeterred Cox joined LIONHEART then formed the JESS COX BAND. During this period METALLICA were considering making an approach to Cox - that is until they saw a recent photograph of the man then changed their minds! Apparently his dress sense put the Bay Area legends off.

Jon Deverill made his debut with 1981's 'Spellbound' album and the record certainly improved the group's standing. TYGERS OF PAN TANG were quick to record their third album, 'Crazy Nights', and initial copies came complete with a free 12" single featuring exclusive tracks 'Slip Away' and 'Stormlands'. JOHN SYKES left shortly after its release, having offered the position of the late Randy Rhoads' replacement in the OZZY OSBOURNE band, an option he declined after a rumoured bizarre audition. Reports suggested Osbourne had invited Sykes to the USA but, in an apparent inebriated state, insulted the guitarist, only realising his mistake upon the guitarist's return home. Sykes briefly formed BADLANDS, a band which demo with former URIAH HEEP singer JOHN SLOMAN and WHITESNAKE's Neil Murray on bass, then found fame in THIN LIZZY, WHITESNAKE and BLUE MURDER. In later years JOHN SYKES would rise to genuine superstar status in Japan as a solo artist.

Sykes abrupt departure from the TYGERS OF PAN TANG two days before a scheduled French tour meant his replacement, ex-PENETRATION guitarist Fred Purser, had to learn the set in those two days and the band undertook the tour.

Strangely enough, despite losing their obvious 'star' member, the TYGERS OF PAN TANG produced their finest album, the Pete Collins produced 'The Cage' which saw a resurgence of interest. 'The Cage' went on to sell over 200,000 albums globally and spawned two Top 50 hits in Britain with the covers of Leiber & Stoller's 'Love Potion No 9' and the lesser known, RPM penned 'Rendezvous'. The TYGERS OF PAN TANG undertook a highly successful Japanese tour before falling flat on a tour of Britain. Subsequently embroiled in a lengthy wrangle to free themselves from their MCA contract, due to the label's reluctance to promote the band in America, the group gradually fell apart. Weir and Dick quit in late 1983 to form SERGEANT.

The TYGERS OF PAN TANG regrouped in late 1984 with Deverill, Purser, ex-JESS COX BAND guitarist Mark Proctor and former WARRIOR bassist Colin Irwin. However, success still eluded the band and Proctor quit to join fellow newcastle act BLITZKRIEG.

Following a series of contractual hassles the band split, only to be re-formed in 1985. Joining Deverill and Dick were new members Neil Shepherd on guitar (later to join WAYSTED), SERGEANT guitarist Steve Lamb and bassist Paul Irwin. By June 1985 Dave Donaldson of the JESS COX BAND had replaced Irwin. The resulting album, 'The Wreck-Age', emerged through Music For Nations.

During 1986 Neat Records released a TYGERS OF PAN TANG album titled 'First Kill'. The record turned out to be a collection of early material featuring Jess Cox from 1979/1980 and also included a track from TYGER TYGER, a short-lived outfit put together by Cox, Rob Weir, former EMERSON bassist Bri Emerson and ex-TYSONDOG guitarist Kevin Wynn.

After he final demise of the TYGERS OF PAN TANG Jon Deverill quit the music business, gaining a degree in drama and becoming a theatre actor. Rocky became a music business lawyer, whilst Rob Weir found a career as a ticket inspector on Newcastle's metro underground system. Brian Dick still performs in various R&B club bands. Donaldson re-surfaced as a member of TOKYO BLADE. Fred Purser meanwhile went on to run a recording studio in Newcastle producing acts such as XLR8R. Together with WARFARE's Evo he wrote soundtrack music for the Hammer horror film 'Vlad The Impaler'.

The TYGERS OF PAN TANG did finally reform, of sorts, with Cox and Weir together with members of BLITZKRIEG and EARTHROD guitarist Glenn Howes for a one off reunion gig at the 1999 Wacken festival. The band began their set at 2.15 in the morning! Tapes from this show would surface in America on the Spitfire label as the 'Live In Wacken' album.

With renewed interest in the TYGERS it still came as a surprise to many that the band would reunite in late 2000 for a projected brand new album. The band had approached Jon Deverill to fill the vocal position but this gesture was declined. The new face behind the microphone was later announced to be Tony Liddell, previously with STRANGEWAYS and a previous union with Weir entitled SERGEANT.

This reformation bowed in with two tracks- 'The Story So Far 2001' and 'Secret Agent', donated to a Z Records compilation album 'Rock The Nations'. The band line up credited for the resulting 'Mystical' album found founder member guitarist Robb Weir alongside Liddell, guitarist Dean Robertson, bass player Brian West and drummer Craig Ellis.

Besides his endeavours with TYGERS OF PAN TANG Liddell would put his energies into another Z Records project LIDDELL, RUSH, THRALL, a union which found the frontman in alliance with Billy Rush of SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & THE ASBURY DUKES and renowned guitarist Pat Thrall of ASIA, MEATLOAF, PAT TRAVERS and HUGHES/THRALL.

In November it would be announced that Liddell was no longer fronting the band, the position having been delivered to ANGEL WITCH bassist Richie Weeks, one time singer with SONS OF EDEN. However, in an unusual move Z Records dropped the band citing an unexpected lack of album sales. During the summer of 2002 drummer Craig Ellis united with former VENOM and CRONOS guitarist Jim Clare and bass player Willie Angus in a new band project entitled PASSION PLAY. During October Richie Weeks enrolled as lead vocalist for Power Metal band SHADOWKEEP.

TYGERS OF PAN TANG set about recording new material for a projected three way split album entitled 'Second Wave', sharing CD space with fellow NWoBHMers OLIVER / DAWSON SAXON and GIRLSCHOOL on the Communique label. This trio also plotted a joint tour of the UK to promote the record. However, an original set of dates was scrapped and pushed back to September due to delays in recording. The band's next studio album, 'Noises From The Cat House', mixed by Chris Tsangarides, surfaced through Communiqué Records in 2004.

Meantime the band's original singer was back in the spotlight too, in March of 2004 JESS COX was scheduled to form up part of a one off 'N.W.O.B.H.M. ALL STARS' band alongside ex-JUDAS PRIEST singer AL ATKINS and erstwhile IRON MAIDEN guitarist Dennis Stratton for a performance at the New Jersey 'Metal Meltdown' festival. October shows in Europe would be scheduled in alliance with GIRLSCHOOL and PAUL DIANNO. However, TYGERS OF PAN TANG parted ways with singer Richie Wicks on the eve of these gigs due to "his ongoing work commitments".

In December TYGERS OF PAN TANG announced they had recruited Italian vocalist Jacopo Meille from the band MANTRA. A further live release surfaced in 2005, 'Leg Of The Boot', being recorded in Holland during 2004 and issued through Angel Air Records. That same year, ex-TYGERS OF PAN TANG guitarist Glenn S. Howes joined another NWoBHM reformation, AVENGER. Meantime, former singer Richie Weeks was revealed to be auditioning for German band STORMHAMMER.

The 'Animal Instinct' album saw release on 9th June 2008 in Europe and Scandinavia, with a Japanese release on the Avalon Marquee label in July. The band partnered with THE STEVE GRIMMETT BAND band for UK tour dates in November.