Jaguar

Jaguar was an English hard-rock/metal band that emerged with the 1981/82 sides “Chasing the Dragon” and “War Machine,” followed by the 1983/84 Roadrunner albums Power Games and This Time.

Members: Garry Pepperd (guitar), Jeff Cox (bass, vocals, 1979-85), Chris Lovell (drums, 1979-84), Rob Reiss (vocals, 1980-82), Paul Merrell (vocals, 1982-85), Les Foster (drums, 1984, 1985), Gareth Johnson (keyboards, 1984), Gary Davies (drums, 1984), Will Ng (drums, 1984)

Background

Jaguar formed in December 1979 in Bristol when guitarist Garry Pepperd and bassist Jeff Cox recruited drummer Chris Lovell through a local newspaper advertisement. The founders met as apprentices at Rolls-Royce College and auditioned musicians for earlier attempts at a band. Pepperd first played in the school group Deadly Nightshade. Cox built a guitar in school woodwork lessons and switched to bass in a group that played Queen songs. Lovell learned on a reversed drum kit and adopted a left-handed setup.

The trio rehearsed four times a week in the cellar of the Lovell family home and wrote original material. Pepperd drew on hard rock and punk, and the musicians increased the tempos of their songs at rehearsals. Jaguar recruited singer Rob Reiss in early 1980 through an acquaintance at the Granary, a Bristol rock club. The quartet recorded “Feel the Heat,” “Battle Cry,” and “Piledriver” on March 22, 1980, at Sound Conception Studios in Bristol. Jaguar submitted the demo to the Melody Maker Battle of the Bands contest and played their first show on May 2, 1980, at the southwest regional final in Bristol.

Jaguar booked pub and club dates across southwest England and Wales through telephone calls to venues. The quartet also played regular support and headline sets at the Granary. They recorded a second demo in December 1980 at Studio 34 in Bristol and combined material from both sessions on a six-song cassette. Jaguar sold the tape at shows and through advertisements in Sounds and Kerrang! Heavy Metal Records owner Paul Birch contacted the group and commissioned a new version of “Stormchild” for the September 1981 compilation Heavy Metal Heroes. The label issued “Back Street Woman” in November 1981 (b/w “Chasing the Dragon”); Birch declined another pressing despite sales of the initial 4,000 copies.

Dutch promoter Frits Gijsbertse discovered Jaguar through a notice in the heavy metal fanzine Aardschok. He visited Lovell with fellow Dutch fan Nico Wobben, and the visitors arranged a festival appearance in November 1981 in Amersfoort. Jaguar subsequently returned to the Netherlands for further club and festival dates.

Jaguar dismissed Reiss in January 1982 and recruited singer Paul Merrell, a former member of Bristol group Stormtrooper and London-based Hellrazer. Pepperd knew Merrell through local Stormtrooper shows and invited him to rehearse with Jaguar. Merrell played his first Jaguar show five days later at Uden in the Netherlands. Neat Records owner Dave Wood saw the group on a bill with Raven and offered a recording contract.

Jaguar recorded the Neat single “Axe Crazy” (b/w “War Machine”) in April 1982 at Impulse Studios in Wallsend. The quartet also recorded “Dirty Tricks” for 60 Minutes Plus, a compilation cassette sold by mail through Sounds. Jaguar returned in November 1982 to Impulse Studios with producer Keith Nichol for sessions on the debut album Power Games.

Discography:

• Demo 1980 (cassette, 1980)
• “Back Street Woman” / “Chasing the Dragon” (1981)
• “Axe Crazy” / “War Machine” (1982)
• Power Games (1983)
• This Time (1984)

Sources

• Jeff Cox — “Jaguar: Just a Great Unbelievably Amazing Ride” (2022). School instruments, Rolls-Royce apprenticeships, Reiss recruitment, Dutch organizers, and the Neat offer. (Axe Crazy)
• Garry Pepperd — Jaguar interview (2009). Cellar rehearsals, demo sales, Birch contact, Merrell’s previous bands, and the Uden debut. (Leslie’s Metal)
• Garry Pepperd — “The Fast & the Fury” (2017). Deadly Nightshade, early venue bookings, and the refusal to repress the first single. (Alikivi)
• Geoff Barton — “Lager and Limo,” Sounds, January 30, 1982. Contemporary formation account, competition debut, cassette distribution, and the first Dutch contact. (Bristol Archive Records)
• Bob Muldowney — Jaguar profile, Kick Ass Monthly No. 23, November 1983. Early demo dates, compilation release, January singer replacement, and November album sessions. (Scribd)
• Jaguar interview — Metal Rendezvous No. 7, July 1983. Lovell’s first drum setup and confirmation of the April single and November album sessions. (Scribd)
• Matthias Mader — Power Games reissue interview. Pepperd’s account of early tempo choices, friendship with Merrell, and the initial single-only Neat arrangement. (Static Shock Musik)
• Jaguar — Power Games, original Neat edition. Personnel, Keith Nichol’s producer credit, and session information. (Encyclopaedia Metallum)