Tora Tora
Encyclopedia
Tora Tora is a hard rock
band formed in Memphis, TN in 1985. "Tora" means "tiger" in Japanese (not "bird", which is "tori" in Japanese). The name is a play on the code name for attack used by the Japanese Imperial Navy during their attack on Pearl Harbor
, "Tora, Tora, Tora". The actual origin of the band name was more likely a reference to the song of the same name recorded by Van Halen on their 1980 release Women and Children First.
Tora Tora started out as a local garage band then eventually got studio time when they won a local Battle of the Bands
contest. Following this, the band recorded To Rock To Roll as an independent EP
. After its release the songs "Phantom Rider" and "Love's A Bitch" received extensive airplay on local radio station Rock 98. After signing with A&M Records
, they recorded their debut album Surprise! Attack in 1989. This album peaked on Billboard
s Top 200 at #47. The single "Dancing With A Gypsy" was on the soundtrack for the film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure later that year.
In 1992, their second album, Wild America, was released. It only achieved #134 on the Billboard charts and it did not sell as well, but, it was a more mature step at songwriting.
A third album, Revolution Day, was recorded in 1994, but it was never released due to label restructuring. After missing the due date, the band folded.
Recently, in 2008
, all four original band members have reunited to do several performances. One was a sold out performance at Newby's, a local club in Memphis, TN to celebrate their 20th anniversary of receiving their record deal. After the show, a record was sold to fans which included songs from their first two albums and material slated for their unreleased "Revolution Day" album. The album was titled The Warehouse... 20 Years Later. The second occurred during Rocklahoma 2008
. The band is scheduled to play another reunion show at The New Daisy Theatre
on March 7, 2009, in Memphis.
At the end of 2009
Tora Tora signed with the Nashville, Tennessee
based FNA Records and released 3 albums. "Before & After", "Bombs Away: The Unreleased Surprise Attack Recordings", and "Miss B. Haven': The Unreleased Wild America Recordings".
On February 28, 2011 FNA Records in conjunction with the band decided after seventeen years since the completion of their 3rd album, which was shelved indefinitely at the time due to label complications, finally decided to release their "lost album" Revolution Day. A pressing decision since there were many bootlegged copies floating around on the internet and various file sharing websites...which those copies were only hard demos and not professionally mastered (because the copies out there were dubbed from an original source of a cassette tape). Anthony Corder on the Revolution Day Sessions:
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band formed in Memphis, TN in 1985. "Tora" means "tiger" in Japanese (not "bird", which is "tori" in Japanese). The name is a play on the code name for attack used by the Japanese Imperial Navy during their attack on Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, "Tora, Tora, Tora". The actual origin of the band name was more likely a reference to the song of the same name recorded by Van Halen on their 1980 release Women and Children First.
Tora Tora started out as a local garage band then eventually got studio time when they won a local Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
contest. Following this, the band recorded To Rock To Roll as an independent EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. After its release the songs "Phantom Rider" and "Love's A Bitch" received extensive airplay on local radio station Rock 98. After signing with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
, they recorded their debut album Surprise! Attack in 1989. This album peaked on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Top 200 at #47. The single "Dancing With A Gypsy" was on the soundtrack for the film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure later that year.
In 1992, their second album, Wild America, was released. It only achieved #134 on the Billboard charts and it did not sell as well, but, it was a more mature step at songwriting.
A third album, Revolution Day, was recorded in 1994, but it was never released due to label restructuring. After missing the due date, the band folded.
Recently, in 2008
2008 in music
2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
, all four original band members have reunited to do several performances. One was a sold out performance at Newby's, a local club in Memphis, TN to celebrate their 20th anniversary of receiving their record deal. After the show, a record was sold to fans which included songs from their first two albums and material slated for their unreleased "Revolution Day" album. The album was titled The Warehouse... 20 Years Later. The second occurred during Rocklahoma 2008
Rocklahoma
Rocklahoma is an annual hard rock music festival held in Pryor, Oklahoma...
. The band is scheduled to play another reunion show at The New Daisy Theatre
The New Daisy Theatre
The New Daisy Theatre is an all-ages venue located at 330 Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.The New Daisy plays host to both local and national acts as well as being available for rental events....
on March 7, 2009, in Memphis.
At the end of 2009
2009 in music
The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
Tora Tora signed with the Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
based FNA Records and released 3 albums. "Before & After", "Bombs Away: The Unreleased Surprise Attack Recordings", and "Miss B. Haven': The Unreleased Wild America Recordings".
On February 28, 2011 FNA Records in conjunction with the band decided after seventeen years since the completion of their 3rd album, which was shelved indefinitely at the time due to label complications, finally decided to release their "lost album" Revolution Day. A pressing decision since there were many bootlegged copies floating around on the internet and various file sharing websites...which those copies were only hard demos and not professionally mastered (because the copies out there were dubbed from an original source of a cassette tape). Anthony Corder on the Revolution Day Sessions:
Lineup
- Anthony Corder - vocalsSingingSinging 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...
- Keith Douglas - GuitarGuitarThe 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...
- Patrick Francis - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- John Patterson - Drums
Discography
- Surprise AttackSurprise AttackSurprise Attack is the debut studio album released by the hard rock band Tora Tora.-Track listing:# "Love's a Bitch"# "28 Days"# "Hard Times"# "Guilty"# "Phantom Rider"# "Walkin' Shoes"# "Riverside Drive"# "She's Good She's Bad"...
(1989) - Walkin' Shoes (single) bw Love's a Bitch and One For The Road (UK AMY557) (1990)
- Wild AmericaWild America (album)-Track listing:# "Wild America"# "Amnesia"# "Dead Man's Hand"# "As Time Goes By"# "Lay Your Money Down"# "Shattered"# "Dirty Little Secrets"# "Faith Healer"# "Cold Fever"# "Nowhere to Go But Down"# "City of Kings"...
(1992) - Revolution Day (1994/2011) (recorded in 1994 - released on February 28, 2011 by FNA Records)
- The Warehouse... 20 Years LaterThe Warehouse... 20 Years Later (album)The Warehouse...20 Years Later is a limited release that was sold after Tora Tora's reunion concert at Newbie's on June 28th, 2008. The CD features songs from the band's two released albums, plus material that was slated for the third album titled Revolution Day.-Track listing:# "Phantom Rider"#...
(2008) - Before & After (2009)
- Bombs Away: The Unreleased Surprise Attack Recordings (2009)
- Miss B. Haven': The Unreleased Wild America Recordings (2009)
- Revolution Day (2011)