Pull Tiger Tail

Pull Tiger Tail (often abbreviated to PTT) were an indie rock band based in London and originating from Stratford-upon-Avon and Edinburgh; they formed in 2006 while attending Goldsmiths College.

History

Formation and Early Years

Pull Tiger Tail was formed in 2006 by three friends who met while attending school together. Later, they went on to study at Goldsmiths, University of London, where they further developed their artistic and musical talents. Marcus Ratcliff, Jack Hamson, and Davo McConville decided to start a band, drawing on their shared interests in music and visual art. The band quickly developed a unique sound, which drew comparisons to other contemporary British indie acts such as Bloc Party and The Maccabees.

All three members had grown up together in Stratford-upon-Avon where they played in indie-rock band Antihero, releasing two singles and winning the support of John Peel on Radio 1. The three friends shared a flat together when moving to London to attend Goldsmiths.

Before forming Pull Tiger Tail, all three members were part of the band Antihero. Antihero achieved modest success in the early 2000s, known for their raw, energetic performances. They even caught the attention of legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who featured them on his show, giving the band valuable exposure to a wider audience.

Prior to both Pull Tiger Tail, Jack Hamson and Davo McConville, along with Simon Taylor-Davis and James Righton (who would later form Klaxons), were in a band called Hollywood Is A Verb. This band was an experimental project that laid the groundwork for their later musical endeavors. The creative energy from Hollywood Is A Verb carried forward into their subsequent projects, influencing the formation of Pull Tiger Tail and Klaxons.

The members of Pull Tiger Tail shared a house in New Cross, a vibrant area in South London known for its thriving artistic community. They invited Simon Taylor-Davis and James Righton, whom they had known from growing up, to join them in their house. It was during this time that Klaxons was formed, with Simon and James becoming founding members. This shared living situation fostered a creative environment where both bands could exchange ideas and influences, contributing to the energy and experimentation that characterized their music.

Pull Tiger Tail played their debut gig at London's Tatty Bogle club on 2 February 2006.

The band released their debut single, "Animator", on Young and Lost Club Records on 25 September 2006. Copies were limited to 1000, with 500 7"s, each hand customised by the band, and 500 CDs available.

Touring

During their active years, Pull Tiger Tail toured extensively across the UK and Europe. They participated in the NME Indie Rave Tour alongside Blood Red Shoes, The Little Ones, and The Rumble Strips.

Additionally, they joined the MySpace Music Tour with Hadouken!.

Pull Tiger Tail also toured with a variety of other notable acts, including:
* Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly
* Razorlight
* Of Montreal
* We Are Scientists

These tours helped the band build a dedicated following and solidified their reputation as an exciting live act.

Post-Breakup Activities

Following the breakup of Pull Tiger Tail in 2009, the members embarked on various musical and creative pursuits:

* **Marcus Ratcliff** and **Jack Hamson** continued their musical career by founding the band Thumpers in 2012. Thumpers released their debut album ''Galore'' in 2014, which was well-received for its vibrant and anthemic indie pop sound. The band continued to tour and gained a following in the UK and the US, releasing a second album, ''Whipped & Glazed'', in 2017.

* **Davo McConville** pursued multiple musical ventures after Pull Tiger Tail. He played bass for ** Your Twenties**, a band formed by ex-Metronomy member Gabriel Stebbing. McConville later joined Night Works, Stebbing's solo project. Night Works released their debut album ''Urban Heat Island'' in 2011 and received critical acclaim for their sophisticated synth-pop sound. McConville has also been active in visual arts and sound design, contributing to various creative projects.

Despite their relatively brief time together, Pull Tiger Tail made an impact on the UK indie rock scene. Their energetic performances and distinctive sound continue to be remembered by fans and critics alike.

Their final single with B-Unique was "Hurricanes", released on 11 June 2007. An iTunes error prevented the single hitting the Top 40. Because of this, the band was dropped. However, B-Unique retained the band's album, resulting in a lengthy legal battle to return the album to Pull Tiger Tail.

As of 2009, following the release of '' PAWS.'', the band have gone their separate ways, although a b-sides and rarities album, '' The Lost World'', was released on 14 December 2009. In mid-2009, Hamson joined the indie folk group Noah and the Whale for a short time after drummer Doug Fink left the band. In 2011 he joined Friendly Fires on percussion and bass guitar for their Pala world tour.

In 2012, Ratcliff and Hamson re-emerged as a duo called Thumpers.

Band members

* Marcus Ratcliff - guitar, keys, vocals
* Davo McKenzie-McConville - bass, keys, vocals
* Jack Hamson - drums, vocals

Discography

Albums
*'' Paws.'' (New Art, Please, 17 August 2009)
*''The Lost World'' (New Art, Please, 14 December 2009)

Singles
*"Animator" (Young and Lost Club Records, 25 September 2006)
*"Mr 100%" (B-Unique Records, 11 December 2006)
*"Let's Lightning" (B-Unique Records, 26 March 2007)
*"Hurricanes" (B-Unique Records, 18 June 2007)
*"Mary Jane" (Young and Lost Club Records, 2 June 2008)

References

External links

Official SiteMyspace.comCD Review

Pull Tiger Tail on Bandcamp

Thumpers - Galore Album Review

Thumpers Announce New Album

Night Works Overview

Night Works Announces New Album

Indie rock groups from London
Rock music groups from London
Musical groups established in 2006
Alumni of Goldsmiths, University of London

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