Unappreciated: The Tiger Lillies

The Tiger Lillies

 

I got so excited over TV, movies and books ... I almost forgot my fourth love in life: music!

Where would I even begin? My eccelectic music tastes pretty much run the gamut from classical to punk so I was utterly stumped when it came to which band (or musician) should be the first to take the music throne on the blog. Then it hit me like an accordian drenched in clown makeup...
 

There are so few bands around that I could call myself a groupie of - but at the top of the list is The Tiger Lillies. So few people in the USA appreciate this amazing trio of British guys - but hopefully this little write-up will whet your appetite for a little more of their dark chanson brilliance.

 

If you try to compare The Tiger Lillies to any other musician - you'll fail miserably. This is one of the major contributing factors as to why they are so incredible. There simply is nothing else that sounds remotely like this. The fact that it's just three men makes it even more incredible. Let's break it on down now.

 

The Tiger Lillies were formed in 1989. Their unique sound has been called Brechtian punk, dark cabaret and chanson - but with lyrics focusing on the seedy underside of human life (most of the time focusing on rape, murder, incest, molestation, death and kicking babies), they came out like a roll of thunder. The falsetto, operatic voice of Martyn Jacques (who is operatically trained and a former resident of a real-live brothel) is a one of a kind experience. The Independent called The Tiger Lillies "a provocative and avant-garde three-piece band that combines cabaret, vaudeville, music-hall and street theater," while Tim Arthur from Time Out Magazine did a better job with, "Imagine Kurt WEill conjuring up images of prewar Berlin while a falsetto vocalist screams, squeaks and squawks his way through every number like some rambling madman, and you've got the picture." Are you in love yet? Meet the boys...

 

Martyn Jacques - lead singer, accordian, piano, ukelele

Adrian Stout - singer, double bass, musical saw, theramin










 

Adrian Huge - drums, whoopee cushion, cowbell, rubber duck












**Honorable Mention**

"SINDERELLA" (2009): Written and performed with the legendary Justin Vivian Bond, Sinderella is one of the most entertaining albums in the TL canon. A mock-up of the classic Cinderella tale, Martyn reworked this one into a much darker, filthier and utterly fabulous musical sensation. Not theatrical, while being totally theatrical - this double disc performance is something worthy of everyone's ear holes. Mx Bond's voice is a perfect compliment to the lilting, melodic anthems of the TL as they retell the classic fairy tale where Sinderella is the abused daughter of a cocaine addicted, pimp-mother (played elegantly by Martyn). Some of the best songs are included on this set. Unfortunately, my favorite - is not really the best song to go around singing to yourself in public. "Motherfucker" has one of the catchiest hooks on the entire CD - but you'll get stones thrown at you if you breathe a word of this out loud. Vulgar, biting, snippy, dark and downright filthy - this album is an amazing work of art. (Side note - if you guys could all get together one more time and perform this, I'll come - I don't even care where you do it...I'll be there).

"FREAKSHOW" (2009): This is the hallmark of what the TL are all about. Thematic, sensational, dirty, dark, funny, catchy - and if you were one of the few lucky ones to catch the stage show, you also realize there was a huge acrobatic, freak-festival, performance-art thing attached to it as well. Freakshow to most TL fans - is the creme de la creme of what they're all about. I'll agree - this is one significantly bad-ass record. Damn-near every song on this double CD is worth memorizing. I really admire how most of their albums are held together with a recurring theme. They tell a story. It reminds me of the old days when albums still did that sort of thing. The gist for Freakshow is pretty simple - come to the Freakshow, see the freaks! Each song on this album tells the story of one of the performers in this fantastical troupe - not one happy story in the bunch, this album should be dipped in gold. The best songs are: "Avarice," "Three-Legged Jake," "Together Forever," "Flipper Boy," "Rosa With Three Hearts," and (of course) "Together Forever." If you are remotely interested in this band, this would probably be the best place to start really digging into the bizarre world they inhabit. Not the ultimate album to me personally, it's still one flawless piece of musical goodness. Get your ears ready, the Freakshow ain't no damn joke.

5) "THE BROTHEL TO THE CEMETARY" (1996): To select my top five, I had to turn to my iPod and research which of their albums I tended to play the most. Thanks to Apple and they're nifty iTunes magic, that was simple as hell. The Brothel To The Cemetary did however; shock me to see that I played it more than say - Freakshow. The reason is fairly simple once I gave it some thought - this is one of the oldest TL albums, containing some of their earliest songs. I really really really really like some of their old stuff that vanished once the boys began their thematic, storytelling records. A classic example would be "Tiger Lilly Line," which might just possibly be their best song. I'm not sure. I shouldn't say that. Apparently I have listened to that song over 4,000 times. That's nothing compared to "Alone With The Moon," which has been played almost 7,500 times. Other classics to check out on this album are: "Slough," "Banging In The Nails," and "Gypsy Lament." This record is slightly unique in the catalog. I wouldn't suggest starting here unless you like doing things in chronological order. I would suggest giving some of the tracks a listen. The writing, the lyrics, the melodies ... are simply intoxicating. If you're a real hardcore fiend - check out the DVD which contains almost all of the songs on this album, documenting the TL's meager rise to fame in the early 1990's. It's just all so great. I'm happy I'm alive to experience this band.

4) "SHOCKHEADED PETER" (1998): This is so great. Based on the old German children's book (which I highly recommend) Der Struwwelpeter (1845) by Heinrich Hoffmann, I have a hard time knowing where to begin to describe just how awesome this album is. Lemme start with a description of the book - which is an illustrated, rhyming children's book - just like we all have seen a thousand times. There's a catch, however; apparently in 1845 it was considered a smart idea to terrify the shit out of your children, so each of the little rhymes in the book (meant to teach children things like - avoid fire, be careful on stairs, etc.) ends with the child dying in some horrible, graphic way. Not just dead but decapitated, set on fire, embalmed, disemboweled. It's really something to behold - while at the same time, oddly endearing? Years later, there was a musical attempted and then the Tiger Lillies stepped in and rocked it to the ground. If there was ever a more perfect melding of a musician and their source material - this is it. You almost feel like Hoffmann knew the Tiger Lillies were coming and gave them this gift. Each song on this CD is perfection. Commissioned by the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, this stage show eventually went onto a world tour. Establishing the Tiger Lillies as a major force of theatrical wonderment. Nominated seven times and winner of four major awards, Shockheaded Peter is less an album but a piece of performance art recorded for your aural enjoyment. If you only get the opportunity to hear one album - pick this one and listen from beginning to end. You'll be grossed out, you'll laugh until you crack a rib, and you'll end up humming the hell out of some of these tunes.

3) "THE GOREY END" (2003): This was the first Tiger Lillies album that I actually went out and bought. It's such a perfect piece of music. Teamed up with the Kronos Quartet (who can blow your mind all by themselves) this album is thematic, haunting, lyrically flawless and as dark as Grandma's basement. The songs were penned by Martyn with inspiration from the author Edward Gorey, who was such a fan - he sent a collection of unpublished short stories which were then turned into the songs on this album. It's extremely hard to pick "best" songs on this CD because all of them are great. It's like trying to select your favorite chapters from your favorite book. How do you even do such a thing? So I turn back to my iPod stats to find the most played tracks to be: "Learned Pig," "Trampled Lily," and "Jesus On The Windshield." This album is slightly different from the others in that the band is backed by such an incredible string quartet. The insane accordian playing and Adrian's downright stupid saw-work are downplayed and orchestrated beautifully in this amazing thematic album. Highly, highly recommended. Buy this. Hear this. Fall in love.

2) "URINE PALACE" (2007): Okay, honestly ... it's not gonna get much better than this. When I try to describe how great this album is, I start shaking and pee comes out. Eleven of the most delicious pieces of ear candy ever recorded, Urine Palace is the Tiger Lilles and the Symphony Orchestra of Norrlandsoperan. This was recorded as a one time event, and thank GOD it was! This record contains four tracks that I've played over 8,000 times each. The cover of My Funny Valentine ... has replaced the original for me. The orchestration is absolutely salacious. This is one of my most super-duper, all-time, best-loved albums of the century. Each of the songs contained will send chills down your spine, make you laugh until you gag or leave you humming like a fool. This is a landmark recording for the Tiger Lillies. They were made to make this. What's that? The four songs I obsessively play, you wonder? Oh, sorry - of course, "Drowning," "YELLOW ANGEL," "She's A Whore," and "ETERNITY." The caps are reflective of me getting so excited, I just scream the titles at you and quiver. They're that good. I would love "Eternity" played at my funeral. Not to sound morbid, which I am, but ... has there ever been a more beautiful song about rotting in hell?

1) "CIRCUS SONGS" (2000): So yeah - this is it. Placing Circus Songs higher than Urine Palace upset me, but there's a valid reason for doing so - this is simply the quintessential Tiger Lillies album. The incorporation of their stage personas, the performance art, the incredible writing, the orchestrations, the melodies, the darkness, the humor - it's all 128%, full-throttle, in-your-face on this album. To me, Circus Songs represents everything there is to love about this band. This is an imperative recording for any living human being. They don't even break you in gently - they begin the CD with "Souveniers," one of their best songs...ever. "Danced All Night," will surprise people - but not nearly as much as Martyn's version of "Send In The Clowns." As a Sondheim fan, I cannot tell you how much I adore this recording. His voice reaches angelic heights. I don't even know how he hits those notes - but wow, does he ever. "Pretty Lisa," is one of the most glorious songs about domestic violence. "Over You," is like sailing alone on a sea of hopelessness. "Cheapest Show," will make you tap your foot so hard you'll break a toe ... you just really deserve to treat your ear holes to these eleven songs. Sad clowns. Diseased jugglers. Kinked out gigolos and "scabrous" circus freaks, this is one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

I could continue going on and on about this band. I've left out about 200 fantastic songs. There's just no end to it really - so I'll just quit while I'm on the brink of a seizure, with their music blasting out my windows. The Tiger Lillies do not tour in America very often. They're constantly on tour, however; but you have to be overseas to catch them live. If you do happen to get the chance to attend one of their performances (whether at home or abroad), you simply must.
In the off-chance that you don't fall in love with them solely based on their music - their live performances will solve that for you. The tickets are usually very reasonable, they play in beautifully atmospheric venues and the small crowds lead to an intimate experience with these three delicious maniacs of sound.
They have recently lost Adrian Huge (drums) due to some health issues, he's taken a leave of absense for the time being. This is sad as hell, but my fingers, toes and teeth are crossed in the hopes that he feels better soon and gets back on stage where he belongs - with his snare drum and rubber chicken.

God Bless The Tiger Lillies for making music so wonderful you just want to pack up and live your life inside one of their albums.
 



Yours Truly & The Tiger Lillies @ St. Anne's Warehouse, Brooklyn 2011