Tiles (band)
Encyclopedia
Tiles is a progressive rock
band from Detroit, Michigan
, USA.
), Chris Herin (guitar
), Paul Rarick (vocals
), and Jeff Whittle (bass
). It is signed to Inside Out Music in North America and Europe. Over the past fourteen years, the band has developed and refined a sound that blends experimental progressive rock overtones with an aggressive hard rock edge. Mixed with lyrics of an "observational" or "human experience" quality, TILES continues to cultivate a sound that rewards more than just passive listening.
TILES first reached the international music scene in the summer of 1995 when Polydor released the band's eponymous tiles album throughout Europe on the Dream Circle Records label. Sales were strong with the help of excellent reviews from Aardschok in the Netherlands (91/100), SCREAM in Norway (6/6), Rock Hard in Germany (8/10), and others. On the opposite side of the world, Teichiku Records revised the artwork and released the disc in Japan. Burrn!
magazine rated "tiles" an 88/100 saying "...(tiles is) a wonderful album with a very high level of technique and a great melodic sense." The CD entered the Burrn! chart at #47.
TILES released its second CD, Fence the Clear, in the spring of 1997 and overseas in Europe and Japan in the fall of 1997. The disc was again well received by fans and reviews were positive with "Fence the Clear" scoring 94/100 in Aardschok, 5/6 in SCREAM, earning HM Magazine's "Pick of the Litter" award, and the Detroit Free Press naming TILES "Detroit's leading progressive rock band."
TILES released its third CD Presents of Mind worldwide in the summer of 1999. Shortly after the album was recorded, Pat DeLeon replaced Mark Evans on drums. Bolstered by positive reviews, airplay, and strong word-of-mouth, "Presents of Mind" became the band’s best-selling CD to date and generated an invitation from Dream Theater
to open its November 1999 European tour. Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy
offered his endorsement: ‘I love this CD! The entire disc is full of great musicianship and great songwriting with catchy hooks.’
The band’s first three CDs have been re-mastered with bonus tracks, expanded packaging, and reissued as part of InsideOut’s Special Edition series in March 2004.
TILES released its fourth CD Window Dressing in the summer of 2004. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Terry Brown
(Rush
, Cutting Crew
, Fates Warning
), “Window Dressing” received excellent reviews worldwide and was nominated for a 2005 Detroit Music Award. The CD features the design and artwork of award winning artist Hugh Syme
(Aerosmith
, Rush, Megadeth
), and features several special guests: Kim Mitchell (Max Webster
), guitar; Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), violin; and Hugh Syme, keyboards. “WindowDressing” was issued with a bonus “live bootleg” CD from the band’s 1999 European tour with Dream Theater, titled Presence In Europe 1999.
Tiles is also working on a "Soundstage" type recording
hopefully to be out sometime this year.
. The CD features several notable guests including Alex Lifeson of Rush
; Alannah Myles
; and Kim Mitchell
. The band also brought in Detroit friends Matthew Parmenter of Discipline on keyboards and vocals & and percussionist Sonya Mastick. Hugh Syme
contributed keyboards along with the CD's artwork and packaging.
"Fly Paper" has enjoyed glowing reviews from the hard rock, metal, and progressive music communities with the legendary Ian Anderson
of Jethro Tull
hailing “Fly Paper” as: “Tiles' best yet! Hard-edged sounds from the Michigan Prog-rockers show off their prowess as maturing, well-formed music-makers for the new age of inventive, guitar-based Rock. Sharp, precise vocals tell tales and set scenes. Thundering drums and bass lines connect weaving melodies... strong stuff from a band who must soon find long-deserved success."
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band from Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, USA.
Biography
TILES was formed in February 1993, featuring Mark Evans (drumsDrum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
), Chris Herin (guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Paul Rarick (vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
), and Jeff Whittle (bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
). It is signed to Inside Out Music in North America and Europe. Over the past fourteen years, the band has developed and refined a sound that blends experimental progressive rock overtones with an aggressive hard rock edge. Mixed with lyrics of an "observational" or "human experience" quality, TILES continues to cultivate a sound that rewards more than just passive listening.
TILES first reached the international music scene in the summer of 1995 when Polydor released the band's eponymous tiles album throughout Europe on the Dream Circle Records label. Sales were strong with the help of excellent reviews from Aardschok in the Netherlands (91/100), SCREAM in Norway (6/6), Rock Hard in Germany (8/10), and others. On the opposite side of the world, Teichiku Records revised the artwork and released the disc in Japan. Burrn!
Burrn!
Burrn! is a monthly Japanese magazine, published since 1984, for fans of heavy metal music. It is published by Shinko Music in Tokyo. The magazine's content is in Japanese, but the covers are predominantly in English.-References:* Japanavision...
magazine rated "tiles" an 88/100 saying "...(tiles is) a wonderful album with a very high level of technique and a great melodic sense." The CD entered the Burrn! chart at #47.
TILES released its second CD, Fence the Clear, in the spring of 1997 and overseas in Europe and Japan in the fall of 1997. The disc was again well received by fans and reviews were positive with "Fence the Clear" scoring 94/100 in Aardschok, 5/6 in SCREAM, earning HM Magazine's "Pick of the Litter" award, and the Detroit Free Press naming TILES "Detroit's leading progressive rock band."
TILES released its third CD Presents of Mind worldwide in the summer of 1999. Shortly after the album was recorded, Pat DeLeon replaced Mark Evans on drums. Bolstered by positive reviews, airplay, and strong word-of-mouth, "Presents of Mind" became the band’s best-selling CD to date and generated an invitation from Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
to open its November 1999 European tour. Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen "Mike" Portnoy is an American drummer primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and a co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater, as well as the temporary drummer for the hard rock band Avenged Sevenfold. Known for his drumming prowess and technical...
offered his endorsement: ‘I love this CD! The entire disc is full of great musicianship and great songwriting with catchy hooks.’
The band’s first three CDs have been re-mastered with bonus tracks, expanded packaging, and reissued as part of InsideOut’s Special Edition series in March 2004.
TILES released its fourth CD Window Dressing in the summer of 2004. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Terry Brown
Terry Brown (record producer)
Terry Brown is a record producer involved in a variety of work, but most noted for his involvement with the Canadian rock band Rush and the British/Canadian band Cutting Crew. Brown is currently working with emerging Ottawa roots-rockers Ken Workman & The Union. He is referred to fondly by the band...
(Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, Cutting Crew
Cutting Crew
The Cutting Crew is a pop rock band formed in England in 1985, best known for their #1 hit, " Died in Your Arms".-Career:Vocalist Nick Van Eede founded the group along with Canadian guitarist Kevin MacMichael in 1985, and the two made demos that led to a recording contract, before bassist Colin...
, Fates Warning
Fates Warning
Fates Warning is an American progressive metal band, formed in 1982 by vocalist John Arch, guitarists Jim Matheos and Victor Arduini, bassist Joe DiBiase, and drummer Steve Zimmerman in Hartford, Connecticut. Fates Warning has experienced numerous line-up changes...
), “Window Dressing” received excellent reviews worldwide and was nominated for a 2005 Detroit Music Award. The CD features the design and artwork of award winning artist Hugh Syme
Hugh Syme
Hugh Syme is a Canadian Juno Award-winning graphic artist who is best known for his artwork and cover concepts for rock and metal bands. He is also a musician and has appeared in some Rush songs as a keyboard player. Syme is notably responsible for all of Rush's album cover art since 1975's Caress...
(Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, Rush, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
), and features several special guests: Kim Mitchell (Max Webster
Max Webster
Max Webster was a Canadian rock band of the 1970s and early 1980s.-Career:The band was formed in 1973 in Toronto, Ontario and originally consisted of guitarist and vocalist Kim Mitchell, keyboardist Terry Watkinson, bassist Mike Tilka and drummer Paul Kersey. Mitchell and Pye Dubois would write the...
), guitar; Matthew Parmenter (Discipline), violin; and Hugh Syme, keyboards. “WindowDressing” was issued with a bonus “live bootleg” CD from the band’s 1999 European tour with Dream Theater, titled Presence In Europe 1999.
Current happenings
Tiles is playing shows and writing for their next cd.Tiles is also working on a "Soundstage" type recording
hopefully to be out sometime this year.
About "Fly Paper"
“Fly Paper” was recorded in Toronto and produced by Terry BrownTerry Brown (record producer)
Terry Brown is a record producer involved in a variety of work, but most noted for his involvement with the Canadian rock band Rush and the British/Canadian band Cutting Crew. Brown is currently working with emerging Ottawa roots-rockers Ken Workman & The Union. He is referred to fondly by the band...
. The CD features several notable guests including Alex Lifeson of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
; Alannah Myles
Alannah Myles
Alannah Myles is a Canadian singer-songwriter, the daughter of Canadian broadcast pioneer William Douglas Byles. In 1989, she released her eponymous debut album...
; and Kim Mitchell
Kim Mitchell
Joseph Kim Mitchell is a Canadian guitarist. He was the lead singer and guitarist for the band Max Webster before going on to lead a solo career. He is currently a radio show host for CILQ-FM in Toronto....
. The band also brought in Detroit friends Matthew Parmenter of Discipline on keyboards and vocals & and percussionist Sonya Mastick. Hugh Syme
Hugh Syme
Hugh Syme is a Canadian Juno Award-winning graphic artist who is best known for his artwork and cover concepts for rock and metal bands. He is also a musician and has appeared in some Rush songs as a keyboard player. Syme is notably responsible for all of Rush's album cover art since 1975's Caress...
contributed keyboards along with the CD's artwork and packaging.
"Fly Paper" has enjoyed glowing reviews from the hard rock, metal, and progressive music communities with the legendary Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson (musician)
Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
of Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
hailing “Fly Paper” as: “Tiles' best yet! Hard-edged sounds from the Michigan Prog-rockers show off their prowess as maturing, well-formed music-makers for the new age of inventive, guitar-based Rock. Sharp, precise vocals tell tales and set scenes. Thundering drums and bass lines connect weaving melodies... strong stuff from a band who must soon find long-deserved success."
Discography
- tiles – 1994
- Fence the Clear – 1997
- Presents of Mind – 1999
- Presence In Europe 1999 Live (Boardtape Recordings) – 2000
- Window Dressing – 2004
- Fly Paper - 2008