Leg Of The Boot

One does wonder how a band is defined nowadays. One assumes it refers to an established group of musicians, in which case Tygers of Pan Tang certainly fit the bill, as every member is a veteran, albeit, bar Robb Weir, not of Pan Tang itself. There again, as the booklet pointedly notes, this lineup lasted longer than the original; keeping the Tygers together was even harder than herding cats. In any event, this live album, recorded on an unnoted date an unnamed Dutch venue, captured for posterity this group of Tygers before they roared their last. And roar they did, through a scorching set of new numbers and old faves, including their classic "Don't Touch Me There," the single with which they introduced themselves to the world back in 1979. Obviously much has changed in the intervening quarter of a century since the New Wave of British Heavy Metal first crashed onto the island's shores. Hard rock is back in fashion, metal is no longer ignored, and as for the Tygers, they can still rock out with the best of the new crew, and pound it out harder than most. The musicians may have changed, but the enthusiasm for the music and the power they bring to it hasn't dissipated an ounce over the years. No wonder then that the Dutch crowd is shouting up a storm, as the band whips them to their feet time and time again. Beyond the hell-bound live set, the CD appends three bonus tracks -- a pimped-up "Highspeed Highway Superman," a storming "Slave to Freedom," and an incendiary "Don't Touch," all fired to pyrotechnic proportions in the studio. The Tygers may continue to change their stripes, but their claws remain razor sharp. ~ Jo-Ann Greene