(Pic Right >) This is the only recorded picture of the original Tailz line-up.

It was taken in approximately April 1984 in Bedwas Workingmen's Club, South Wales.  The band had entered a 'Talent Contest' and finished runners-up only to lose in the final round of the competition a few weeks later.

Ironically, this original Tigertailz line-up also entered a 'Battle of the Bands' competition in Ely Cardiff only to lose out to another local band 'Rankelson'...  This turned out to be fate as Kim Hooker was the Bass player in Rankelson who got to know Jay & Pepsi and would some 4 years later become the new Tigertailz singer.

Enter Jim Dovey....

Jim Dovey joined Tigertailz in 1984 and played only a small number of gigs.  He also was the vocalist on the first 'official' Tigertailz Demo which the band recorded at 70's hippy band 'The Enid's' studios in Cambridge.

This Demo consisted of 3 songs, 'All Wrapped Up', 'Just 4 One Night' & 'High Tailin' and was packaged in a full colour sleeve.  Unfortunately, none of the original band members seem to have a copy of this so the exact song listing and pictures have faded into memory.

Quote from Pepsi Tate - "I remember being outside my house trying to get all our equipment into Jim Dovey's small Alpine car. We had a blazing row but managed to get it all in and got on our way to Cambridge with bits of stuff falling out on the motorway. The Enid people treated us very well but we did our usual and got pissed, smashed everything up and woke up in the morning wishing we hadn't done it..."

(Pic Right >) Tiertailz 1984

Another point to note about this Tailz line-up was that, for a short time, the band recruited a second Guitar player... His name was Keith (Tosh) and he played on a few Demo tracks and performed in a few live shows. No pictures seem to exist of this line-up.

The pinnacle of the Jim Dovey Tailz era came when the band played a support slot at the Hallifax Rock Festival.  As so often happened, the punters weren't expecting much when Tigertailz hit the stage but were soon in awe as the band played out their energetic live show.  By the end, the band stole the show and were given massive applause.

After the Halifax gig, Jay, Pepsi & Ian decided things weren't heading in the right direction both musically and image wise with Jim & Tosh.  The inevitable happened and both left the band within a short time of each other.  However, the band remained good friends with Tosh and he worked as the Tailz main Guitar Tech for many years.