Tiger Bomb
All Girl Glittery Garage Pop Group Rocks Maine!
INTERVIEW BY ALISHA GOSLIN
Tiger Bomb is one kick-ass band. With their funky fun style and killer beats, they bring a certain energy to their music that just can’t be compared. How did this all girl band get started and where can you see them perform for yourself? Their lead guitarist and vocalist, Chris Horne, and rhythm guitarist and vocalist, Lynda Mandolyn, tell MW more.
How did your band form? How long ago?
CHRIS & LYNDA: A mutual friend of both of us knew we were looking to form an all-girl band. We had both previously been in all-girl groups. Chris was in The Brood here in Portland and Lynda was in Fabulous Disaster in San Francisco and had moved to Portland in late 2012. Chris was on Lynda’s rock and roll radar having known of The Brood due to a few cool EP’s from Germany a fan had sent. We didn’t know each other, but the mutual friend put us in touch and we hit it off. So, it’s been about 9 years now.
Who are the members and what instruments do they play?
Chris Horne on lead guitar & vocals, Lynda Mandolyn, rhythm guitar & vocals, Amanda Ayotte, bass guitar, and Jessica Smith on drums.
What genre would you call your music?
Glittery Garage-Pop with catchy hooks & harmonies!
What have been some of your favorite performances or times together?
Our recent trip to Mallorca, Spain to play the Wild Weekend Festival was a dream come true. We played with great bands from all over the world, including The Jackets and the Stompin’ Riff Raffs. We’ve done lots of super fun shows, like when we opened for the Flamin’ Groovies in Boston or recently did a show with the Fleshtones. We also really enjoy it when we’re in the studio being creative and getting the magic to happen.
What is the band’s creative process?
CHRIS & LYNDA: We both write songs on our own then bring them to the band. Sometimes we collaborate, but most of the time we create on our own, keeping our standards high, because it’s all about the songs. We all usually work out the arrangements as a group. We’ve come out with some really nice gems! It’s exciting to play new stuff and release it to the world for all to hear.
Who are some of your musical influences?
CHRIS: Most anything that’s energetic and has a good beat has influenced me in some way. 50’s rock n roll like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Little Richard. 60’s garage & pop like The Remains, The Kinks, and Easybeats. 70’s junkshop glam like the Sweet, Mud, and Hector. I listen to lots of records from lots of time periods, from the standards to the great yé-yé singers to punk and new wave. I also dig surf like Dick Dale, soul like Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, British mod like the Who and Creation, power pop like The Flamin’ Groovies, and The Beat with Paul Collins.
LYNDA: Sweet, The Beatles, Bubblegum Pop, Buddah Records groups like The Lemon Pipers, who are a favorite right now. I also like The Go Go’s, French Pop, Wire, The Damned, 60’s-70’s California Sunshine pop & Power pop.
What’s your favorite song to perform? Any favorite venues?
CHRIS: Hard to pick one fave song, because they’re all a lot of fun to play. Right now one of my faves to play live is “All Nite”, which appears on our latest full-length LP “Sugar Buzz.” Favorite venue is a tough one. The pandemic changed a lot of things—closed a lot of fave places, but The Middle East in Cambridge and Geno’s in Portland are still going strong. As long as the club has a good sound system with a competent sound guy, I’m happy. Oh, and good lighting. Oh, and a good bar with good drinks. Especially if they are tiki drinks!
LYNDA: I like all our songs, but to pick a few, I like “Astro Girl”, “He’ll Steal Your Love”, “Rave On Again” and “Don’t Forget The Girl”. Favorite venues would be Sun Tiki, Empire, and The Jungle in Somerville.
Who is a group you would love to open for?
The Animal Five, The Who, Ringo Starr’s All Star Band, Cheap Trick, The Woggles, The Courettes, Barrence Whitfield (again), The Fleshtones (again), The Flamin’ Groovies (again), plus any cool 60s-70s groups that have reformed.
What are your upcoming shows and how to purchase tickets?
‘Like’ our Tiger Bomb Facebook page or Bandcamp page and follow our upcoming events. Ticket information will be on the event page. We are playing 3-sets live at Marshall Wharf in Belfast on Saturday July 29, but there are no tickets. It’s a free show! Come and dance! On August 29 we have a show with Sit & Spin and The 5.6.7.8’s from Japan at The Empire in Portland, Maine. That show will have advance tickets and the link will be on the event page which you can find on our Facebook & Bandcamp pages.
What does the future hold for Tiger Bomb?
CHRIS: More gigs, more recording, and more world domination! We want to keep writing great songs, play bigger venues, make some more videos, play festivals, and return to Europe! Our first two albums did very well on over a hundred indie radio charts, with a couple of songs hitting #1 in several markets. With our upcoming releases we hope to expand on that and reach some national charts, like Billboard.
Check out Tiger Bomb’s music on Bandcamp.
