I got a chance to chat with rock n roll bringer backers, TAB the Band, out of Massachusetts. Rock to the bones, these four gents let me in on some band history and news, and what it’s like to hang with Slash. Comprised of Adrian Perry – Vocals, Bass, Tony Perry – Guitar, Ben Tileston – Drums, Vocals, and Lou Jannetty – Guitar, Vocals, the group’s shows are never short of droll humor and raucous guitar solos. Currently, TAB is in the process of releasing a brand new record, but their album, Zoo Noises is a great way to introduce yourselves to a fusion or wit and wailing.
Rocker Stalker: I’m sure you get this ALL the time, but what does TAB mean or stand for? Or, are you guys just huge fans of the soda?
TAB: T stands for Tony. A stands for Adrian. B stands for Ben. And the Band stands for Louie. So there ya go. Tony and I used to have a project called “TnA” so naturally, by adding Ben and Lou, the name had to be augmented in some way.
RS: How did you all meet? What connected you all musically that drove you to form a band?
TAB: Tony and I are brothers, so I’ve known him since he was a baby. Ben and Lou went to high school with Tony so they’ve all been buddies awhile, and I’ve known Ben and Lou coz they hung around the house and what not. The initial drive to form the band was a mutual hatred of what we were hearing at the time out of the indie scene and a desire to create a band that played music we liked. Also, everyone lived close by.
RS: You’ve been playing some of your new material live, and it sounds awesome! What sets your new album apart from Zoo Noises? When can we expect it?
TAB: The new album is done and we hope to have it out later this year. The record is definitely our most “mature” album; tightest arrangements, some of the best hooks we’ve come up with, and a nice variety of dynamics and sounds. It has a real power pop feel at times, and other times it’s a bit darker. It’s like a Kinks record on steroids I guess.
RS: You’ve played with some incredible artists, Slash, Cage the Elephant, Stone Temple Pilots, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, etc. What did you learn from these veterans? Who would you like to play alongside in the future?
TAB: You learn about professionalism. You learn what it takes to bring it every night, the work that goes into meeting people’s expectations on a nightly basis. We’ve been very lucky to open for some great bands. Some of the bands we’d love to play with in the future are the Black Keys, Jack White, the Kills and Beck, to name some favorites.
RS: Where do you see the band going in five years? What has been the best memory since your band’s conception?
TAB: I’d say the hope is that we are still making good records in 5 years and that we have expanded our audience between then and now. It’s a long way to the top, as Bon says. My favorite memory so far is stepping out on stage for our set at Lollapalooza last year. It was a great feeling to have so many people psyched to see our set. We are used to being an opening act, so for that moment it felt like we were a headliner. ‘Twas a good time.
RS: Lastly, I just have to ask. What is Slash like?
TAB: Slash is an awesome dude. One of the nicest, most mellow guys you’ll ever meet.
Rocker Stalker 