Tygers of Pan Tang were an English heavy metal band central to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. They released four albums on MCA between 1980 and 1982—Wild Cat, Spellbound, Crazy Nights, and The Cage—highlighted by the twin-guitar interplay of Robb Weir and John Sykes, and signature tracks like “Hellbound,” “Gangland,” “Blackjack,” and “Running Out of Time.”

After Sykes joined Thin Lizzy, the band continued with ex-Penetration guitarist Fred Purser joined for The Cage. Vocalist Jon Deverill fronted both their classic-era and late-’80s revival on The Wreck-Age and Burning in the Shade, issued on Music for Nations and Zebra.

Members: Brian Dick (drums, 1978-83, 1985-87), Robb Weir (guitar, 1978-83, 1999-present), Rocky Laws (bass, 1978-83), Jess Cox (lead vocals, 1978-81, 1999), John Sykes (guitar, 1980-82), Jon Deverill (lead vocals, 1981-87), Fred Purser (guitar, 1982-83), Steve Lamb (guitar, 1984-87), Neil Shepard (guitar, 1984-87), Clin Irwin (bass, 1984), Dave Donaldson (bass, 1985-87)

Formation

Tygers of Pan Tang formed in 1978 when singer Jesse Cox and guitarist Robb Weir teamed with bassist Richard “Rocky” Laws and drummer Brian Dick in Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear. After some months on the working-class bar circuit, they signed to the NWOBHM label Neat Records.

1980

First Two Singles

In January 1980, Tygers of Pan Tang released their sole Neat single: “Don’t Touch Me There” backed with “Burning Up” and “Bad Times.”

The release captures the band in a stripped, high-velocity mode, driven by Robb Weir’s compact guitar figures and abrupt lead breaks that pivot sharply against the vocal lines. Weir keeps the guitar work direct and aggressive, favoring short bursts and repeated phrases over extended development.

A1. “Don’t Touch Me There” (2:33)
B1. “Burning Up” (3:00)
B2. “Bad Times” (3:15)

The single sports a black–gold depiction of a gaping tiger, illustrated by one Joan Cruickshank. Tigers appears on most subsequent Pan Tang album covers and 7″ sleeves.

On June 8, Tygers of Pan Tang debuted on MCA with their second single “Rock N Roll Man” backed with “All Right on the Night.”

A. “Rock N Roll Man” (2:32)
B. “All Right on the Night” (3:05)

The single coincided with their opening slot for Saxon at the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich. On June 10, both bands played the Rotters club in Doncaster.

Wild Cat

Tygers of Pan Tang released their debut album, Wild Cat, on August 23, 1980, on MCA.

The album delivers ten originals anchored in raw twin-guitar interplay from Robb Weir and guest rhythm guitarist/vocalist Jess Cox, whose phrasing aligns with the band’s lean, riff-based attack. Weir handles both rhythm and lead figures, blending harmonized themes with terse fills between verses and break sections.

Wild Cat delivers taut tracks with rapid pacing, jagged riff structures, and a consistent low-register snarl. Robb Weir’s guitar stays in the foreground, trading tight, compact chugs with ascending bursts that drive most of the material, while Jess Cox shapes each track with an unwavering, midrange bark—gritty but rarely varied. “Euthanasia” and “Slave to Freedom” open with sharp momentum, built around brisk 4/4 riffing and clipped phrasing, while “Killers” stretches into a six-minute barrage of shifting intensity with alternating clipped chords and sustained mid-tempo crashes.

“Fireclown” and “Wild Catz” push harder with raw urgency, driven by unison riff–vocal phrasing, while “Insanity” closes the album with the widest range of internal motion: starting at a gallop and repeatedly dropping into sudden halts and angular restarts. “Badger Badger” maintains speed with jagged unison riffing, but several mid-album tracks blur structurally, circling similar patterns without textural contrast. Throughout, Weir’s leads emerge in short, spiraling climbs rather than extended solos, mirroring the album’s blunt-force rhythm work with stripped-back efficiency.

A1. “Euthanasia” (3:44)
A2. “Slave to Freedom” (5:55)
A3. “Don’t Touch Me There” (2:58)
A4. “Money” (3:18)
A5. “Killers” (6:36)

B1. “Fireclown” (3:15)
B2. “Wild Catz” (3:06)
B3. “Suzie Smiled” (5:12)
B4. “Badger Badger” (4:10)
B5. “Insanity” (6:26)

Tygers recorded Wild Cat at Morgan Studios in London with producer and engineer Chris Tsangarides, assisted by Andrew Warwick. The cover art and packaging were handled by Cream, with photography by Pete Vernon and management by Grahame Thompson and Tom Noble under Pan Tang Productions.

They released “Suzie Smiled” on August 8, 1980, backed with a non-album version of the 1975 ZZ Top classic “Tush.” A second single, “Euthanasia,” followed on October 3, backed with the exclusive B-side “Straight as a Die.”

B. “Tush” (2:15) – originated on Fandango!, the fourth album by ZZ Top, whose original attained US FM evergreen status. NWOBHM peers Girlschool covered the song on their 1981 second album Hit and Run.

On October 3, Tygers released “Euthanasia” as the second Wild Cat single backed with the exclusive “Straight as a Die.”

B. “Straight as a Die” (3:12)

Wild Cat reached No. 18 on the UK Albums Chart. On Sunday August 24, Tygers of Pan Tang played Day 3 of Reading Rock ’80, which featured sets by Broken Home, Budgie, Def Leppard, Fischer-Z, Gillan, Girl, Grand Prix, Iron Maiden, Pat Travers, Praying Mantis, Quartz, Samson, Slade, Trimmer & Jenkins, UFO, Whitesnake, and White Spirit.

1981

Hellbound

On February 13, 1981, Tygers of Pan Tang released Hellbound, a double 7″ with four unique songs. Guitarist John Sykes makes his recorded debut with the band on the A- and B-sides, locking into fast, assertive exchanges with Robb Weir as the two trade clipped lead breaks and harmonized figures that tighten the band’s attack. Sykes brings a more fluid, high-register lead style that contrasts with Weir’s compact phrasing, creating a sharper, more defined dual-guitar front.

John Sykes was born on July 29, 1959, in Reading, Berkshire, and spent part of his childhood in Ibiza before returning to England. He began playing guitar at fourteen after learning Eric Clapton licks from his uncle, then resumed playing seriously after moving to Blackpool. Prior to joining Tygers of Pan Tang, he recorded with Streetfighter, appearing on the 1980 New Electric Warriors compilation with the track “She’s No Angel.”

A. “Hellbound” (3:30)
B. “Don’t Give a Damn” (4:30)

C. “Bad Times” (2:39)
D. “Don’t Take Nothin'” (2:45)

Chris Tsangarides produced the first disc, documenting the band’s transition to a five-piece. The second record draws from the group’s MCA audition tape and preserves two otherwise unissued studio performances.

Spellbound

Tygers of Pan Tang released their second album, Spellbound, on April 10, 1981, on MCA.

It marks the debut of singer Jon Deverill and guitarist John Sykes, whose harmonized leads and counter-rhythms with Robb Weir drive the album’s twin-guitar attack. Sykes shares solos with Weir across both sides, trading ascending lines and accent fills around the vocal breaks.

Spellbound channels a heightened sense of control and precision into ten tightly coiled songs that trade rawness for clarity without dulling their force. “Gangland” opens at full tilt, driven by fast downstrokes and a clipped vocal cadence, with Robb Weir and John Sykes volleying slashing rhythms and sudden lead breaks. “Take It” keeps that tension taut with a blocky, percussive riff under Deverill’s clenched phrasing, then opens into three successive lead exchanges—Weir’s taut phrasing setting up Sykes’s fiery, spiraled response. “Hellbound” pivots between rapid double-time blasts and tension-building climbs, laced with harmonized lead overlays and a chorus chant that hammers the tempo to the ground.

“Mirror” dials down the pace with a shifting structure that moves from restrained chords to skyward bends—Sykes’s solo cutting through with crystalline tone, offset by Deverill’s elegiac phrasing. “Tyger Bay” surges with syncopated start-stop motion, locking the rhythm section to a galloping swing while the guitars trade barbed accents in tandem. “The Story So Far” pares the intensity back with a looser, mid-tempo feel—more swagger than menace—before “Blackjack” whips back into braced-up phrasing and quick-turn riffs. Closer “Don’t Stop By” stretches the album’s form with descending vocal lines and overlapping sustain in the guitars, each phrase pulling tension against the pulse. Even brief interludes like “Minotaur” reinforce the album’s pacing, linking high-pressure moments with sudden dropouts. Throughout, Sykes threads bursts of lyrical phrasing into otherwise clipped, muscular forms—expanding the dynamic scope without breaking the cohesion.

A1. “Gangland” (3:43)
A2. “Take It” (4:27)
A3. “Minotaur” (0:22)
A4. “Hellbound” (3:30)
A5. “Mirror” (4:34)

B1. “Silver and Gold” (3:35)
B2. “Blackjack” (3:15)
B3. “The Story So Far” (3:29)
B4. “Tyger Bay” (3:28)
B5. “Don’t Stop By” (4:04)

Tygers recorded Spellbound in January 1981 at Morgan Studios, London, with returning producer–engineer Chris Tsangarides and assistant engineer Andrew Warwick. The album sessions introduced Sykes as a full member following his brief tenure on the road.

On March 10, MCA issued a maxi-single containing “The Story So Far” and “Silver and Gold,” backed with a non-album version of the Small Faces song “All or Nothing,” followed on June 12 with “Don’t Stop By,” paired with a live take of “Slave to Freedom” from their 1980 debut. Spellbound reached No. 33 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 44 in Sweden.

B2. “All Or Nothing” (2:46) – was a 1966 No 1 hit for the Small Faces, written by Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriott.

Crazy Nights

Tygers of Pan Tang released their third album, Crazy Nights, on November 3, 1981, on MCA.

Robb Weir and John Sykes share dual lead guitar duties across all nine tracks, alternating sharp, doubled themes with distinct lead passages and harmony breaks. Their coordinated interplay sharpens the band’s riff-centric framework while Jon Deverill reinforces the top line with layered backing from Richard Laws.

Crazy Nights presents a direct, stripped-down framework built around compressed riffs, tight vocal phrasing, and locked-in rhythmic pacing. “Do It Good” opens with a rigid stop-start rhythm, alternating clipped power chords and emphatic vocals, while its chorus cycles through repeated phrases. “Never Satisfied” moves between staggered verses and fluid transitions, with loose shifts that stretch the tempo without fully resolving. “Running Out of Time” leans into a more defined shape as Sykes places ascending phrases between chorus accents over a steady, forward-moving pulse. “Love Don’t Stay” uses a more contoured vocal line and open guitar voicing, allowing the arrangement to shift in color without breaking tempo.

“Crazy Nights” pushes through with double-time drive and brief, rising fills that snap back into the chorus. Deverill sustains projection across both sides, while “Down and Out” and “Raised on Rock” circle around mid-tempo patterns with recurring figures. The second half narrows the contrast, but Sykes maintains variation through clipped leads and arpeggiated detail, heard clearly on the outro sequence of “Don’t Stop By.” The non-album B-side “The Stormlands” adds contrast with a clean-toned intro that builds into sustained bends and phrased cadences. The album sustains its cohesion through consistent pacing and recurring structural motifs.

A1. “Do It Good” (4:23)
A2. “Love Don’t Stay” (4:15)
A3. “Never Satisfied” (3:46)
A4. “Running Out of Time” (4:35)

B1. “Crazy Nights” (4:34)
B2. “Down and Out” (3:52)
B3. “Lonely Man” (4:17)
B4. “Make a Stand” (4:25)
B5. “Raised on Rock” (3:23)

Tygers tracked Crazy Nights during September and October 1981 at Trident Studios in London and Rock City Studios in Shepperton. Dennis MacKay produced and engineered the sessions. Artist Rodney Matthews supplied the album’s fantasy-themed cover painting.

On November 27, Tygers issued “Love Don’t Stay” as the album’s lead single, backed with the non-album B-side “Paradise Drive.” A second single, “Do It Good,” followed on January 29, 1982, backed with the exclusive “Slip Away.”

B. “Paradise Drive” (3:43)

B. “Slip Away” (3:11)

1982

On March 19, 1982, Tygers of Pan Tang released their tenth single: a cover of the Leiber–Stoller standard “Love Potion No. 9” backed with “The Stormlands,” a group original.

Guitarists Robb Weir and John Sykes thread twin leads through both sides, trading call-and-response licks on the A-side while layering harmonized motifs across the instrumental passages of the B-side.

A. “Love Potion No. 9” (2:04) – was a 1959 Billboard Top 25 hit for the DC doo-wop quinter The Clovers, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. In 1964, The Searchers scored a Top 3 British Invasion hit with their Mersey-style rendition.
B. “The Stormlands” (4:15)

John Sykes left Tygers of Pan Tang on the eve of their spring 1982 French tour. He auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne and briefly joined Badlands with Lone Star singer John Sloman, but the project collapsed despite an EMI deal. Still under contract to MCA, Tsangarides connected Sykes with Phil Lynott. They co-wrote and recorded “Please Don’t Leave Me” in Dublin with Brian Downey and Darren Wharton, and the session led to Lynott inviting Sykes to join Thin Lizzy.

Sykes joined Thin Lizzy for their 1983 album Thunder and Lightning and toured Europe through their final shows. Plans to continue with Lynott in Grand Slam fell through when Whitesnake recruited him for their 1984 album Slide It In.

Tygers hired Fred Purser, who emerged four years earlier as the guitarist of Penetration. He played on that band’s debut, Moving Targets, and 1979 followup Coming Up for Air.

On July 9, Tygers returned with “Rendezvous,” written by Robert A. Johnson, Mark Stephens, and Brent Maher for the US act RPM. The band paired their rendition with a new original titled “Life of Crime.” Both tracks previewed a stylistic shift in advance of the group’s fourth album.

B. “Life of Crime” (3:33)

The Cage

Tygers of Pan Tang released their fourth album, The Cage, in August 1982 on MCA.

Guitarist Fred Purser, newly arrived from Penetration, joins Robb Weir in shaping the album’s layered arrangements, weaving melodic leads with keyboard accents and syncopated rhythmic phrasing. Purser also supplies full compositions and co-writes, while former member John Sykes appears on the earlier single “Love Potion No. 9” and the John Parr composition “Danger in Paradise.”

The Cage shifts from the tension-driven style of Spellbound, centering on clipped structures and refined textures in place of extended interplay. “Rendezvous” and “Lonely at the Top” follow mid-tempo pacing with layered choruses and clean-cut guitar lines, while “Letter from L.A.” and “You Always See What You Want” set vocals over synthesizer pads and syncopated rhythm figures. “Paris by Air” adopts a restrained dynamic, shaped by sustained keyboard tones and compact vocal delivery.

“The Actor” begins with sparse piano before shifting into a broader instrumental arrangement. “Tides” unfolds in gradually modulating chord progressions, stretching across broader phrasing. “Making Tracks” uses a percussive pulse with punctuated vocal lines, contrasting the smoother sequencing elsewhere. “Love Potion No. 9” closes with tighter coordination and includes a lead guitar passage by John Sykes recorded prior to his departure. Throughout the album, the band emphasizes concise form and cohesion across varying textures and tempos.

A1. “Rendezvous” (3:20)
A2. “Lonely at the Top” (3:29) – Steve Thompson
A3. “Letter from L.A.” (3:12) – Jon Deverill, Steve Thompson
A4. “Paris by Air” (2:56) – Steve Thompson
A5. “Tides” (4:13) – Purser

B1. “Making Tracks” (3:38) – Richard Laws, Jon Deverill, Fred Purser
B2. “The Cage” (1:13) – Weir, Purser
B3. “Love Potion No. 9” (2:04)
B4. “You Always See What You Want” (3:12) – Purser, Jon Deverill
B5. “Danger in Paradise” (3:29) – John Parr
B6. “The Actor” (4:15) – Purser

Tygers recorded The Cage with producer Peter Collins and engineer Phil Harding. Sessions took place after Sykes’ departure, with Purser contributing guitar and keyboards across the album, including a solo piano piece.

On September 10, they lifted “Paris by Air” as the album’s third single, backed with the exclusive B-side “Love’s a Lie.” A fourth single, “Making Tracks,” appeared on October 29 with the non-album track “What You Saying.” The Cage peaked at No. 12 on the UK Albums Chart.

B. “Love’s a Lie” (2:49)

B. “What You Saying” (3:33)

“Lonely at the Top”

In October 1983, Tygers of Pan Tang released the standalone single “Lonely at the Top” backed with “You Always See What You Want to See.”

A. “Lonely at the Top” ()
B. “You Always See What You Want to See” ()

The Wreck-Age

Tygers of Pan Tang released their fifth album, The Wreck-Age, in June 1985 on Music for Nations. The record marked a stylistic pivot with outside songwriting contributions and broader instrumentation.

The Wreck-Age centers on midtempo pacing, sequenced synth layers, and tightly structured vocal arrangements. “Waiting” sets the tone with processed drums and sustained keyboard pads beneath clipped guitar phrases. “Desert of No Love” and the title track build on slow-rising figures with broad vocal refrains and ambient textures. Faster tracks like “All Change Faces” tighten around four-beat drive and coordinated vocal hits, while “Women in Cages” and “Victim” layer sharper guitar accents over rhythmically locked choruses.

Guitarists Steve Lamb and Neil Shepherd split rhythm and lead duties across the album, alternating thematic breaks and call-response figures underpinned by layered keyboard textures from Steve Thompson and Ian Curnow. Lamb reinforces choruses with backing vocals while Thompson contributes bass and keys on select tracks.

A1. “Waiting” (5:29) – Jon Deverill, Steve Thompson
A2. “Protection” (3:08) – Martin Broad, Trevor Steel, Jon Deverill
A3. “Innocent Eyes” (3:02) – Lorna Wright
A4. “Desert of No Love” (4:09) – Steve Thompson
A5. “The Wreck-Age” (3:27) – Jon Deverill, Steve Thompson

B1. “Women in Cages” (3:05) – Lorna Wright
B2. “Victim” (3:41) – Steve Thompson, Jon Deverill
B3. “Ready to Run” (4:54) – Steve Thompson, Jon Deverill
B4. “All Change Faces” (2:56) – Steve Thompson, Jon Deverill
B5. “Forgive and Forget” (5:54) – Steve Thompson, Jon Deverill

Tygers recorded The Wreck-Age at Berlin Studios in Blackpool with producer and engineer Phil Harding. Programming and additional keyboards were handled by Ian Curnow, while Graham Lee supplied backing vocals. Thompson, though uncredited, played keys and overdubbed bass guitar on multiple tracks.

Burning in the Shade

Tygers of Pan Tang released their sixth album, Burning in the Shade, in May 1987 on Zebra.

The album leans into tightly arranged midtempo tracks shaped by synth layers, processed drums, and contour-driven vocal phrasing. “The Memory Fades” stretches across seven minutes with sustained chords and gradual vocal climbs, while “Dream Ticket” balances soft verse patterns against louder refrains. “Hideaway” and “Are You There?” move with faster pacing, layering guitar accents over rigid backbeats, while “Hit It” adds sharper edges through denser arrangement and foregrounded rhythm.

Guitarist Steve Lamb alternates between rhythm and lead patterns across the album, with melodic support and counter-lines from keyboardist Steve Thompson, who also supplies bass parts and programming throughout. Their instrumental layering emphasizes tight interaction, with Thompson anchoring harmonic transitions while Lamb handles chordal weight and accent leads.

Jon Deverill and Thompson wrote “The First (The Only One)” and “The Circle of the Dance” as a duo, while the rest of the album was co-written with Lamb.

A1. “The First (The Only One)” (3:32)
A2. “Hit It” (3:22)
A3. “Dream Ticket” (3:53)
A4. “Sweet Lies” (3:45)
A5. “Maria” (4:00)

B1. “Hideaway” (3:45)
B2. “Open to Seduction” (3:25)
B3. “The Circle of the Dance” (3:49)
B4. “Are You There?” (2:47)
B5. “The Memory Fades” (7:23)

Tygers recorded Burning in the Shade at Lynx Studios in Newcastle upon Tyne with producer and engineer Gerry Barter. Stuart Brown and Nigel Broad assisted during tracking. Steve Thompson handled all bass and keyboard parts in addition to arranging and programming. Phil Caffrey contributed backing vocals.

Discography: