Tora Tora

Story of Tora Tora



Tora Tora is a superb rock band that originated in Memphis. Their first recordings were released as an E.P. called "To Rock to Roll", which included the first song that the band ever wrote, "Wasted Love" and what was the most requested song on the radio for two months, "Phantom Rider". They only made 1000 copies and they sold out of them the first day.

Their first album is called "Surprise Attack" and it came out in 1989. The band tried some new styles of rock as well as several conventional rock songs. "Hard Times" uses a sort of bluesy hard rock song. "Guilty" is an excellent hard rock song to appear on a debut album because as soon as you hear it you immediately want to turn it up to full and rock to it. The album features two ballads, the first of which is "Phantom Rider" which is arguably the best track on the album. It is a brilliant song with an acoustic guitar base, but electric guitars enter half way through the song building it up to the solo which is fantastic. You just have to listen to it to hear how good it is!



The band's second album came out in 1992 and is even better than the first. It is called "Wild America" and starts off with a classic song which brings out the best of Tora Tora. As soon as you hear it you want to jump up and kick-ass! All the tracks on this album are different. Again the band uses a bluesy/jazzy style in "Dead Man's Hand" as with "Hard Times" in their debut album. "Nowhere To Go But Down" is a knew type of rock song than any others I've heard, and it is excellent. It's hard to tell if it's a ballad or a rocker. The band finishes the album with a heavy metal style song which has a typical rock song ending but finishes the album brilliantly.



TORA TORA did record a third album, in 1994, entitled "Revolution Day", but before its scheduled release their record company was bought out and Tora Tora were lost in the muddle. The third album reached it's final stages in the recording process but was never released.



Blues-based, Led Zeppelin inspired metal that should have made Tora Tora a household name, but sadly didn't. One of the best-unknown bands in the hard rock genre, but lack of label support killed any chance the band had for massive success.



Formed in Memphis, Tennessee, by Anthony Corder (vocals), Keith Douglas (guitar), Patrick Francis (bass) and John Patterson (drums). They quickly beat out sixty other groups in a Battle of the Bands contest and received some free studio time. They cut one track in Memphis before using the prize money they had won to record an entire independent EP called To Rock, To Roll. The studio was so impressed with the recordings that they offered to help shop the demo and gave them even more free recording time. Tora Tora eventually singed with A&M and the debut album made the Billboard Top 100, and hovered on the brink of breaking wide open. Later that same year "Dancing With A Gypsy" would appear on the soundtrack for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. The follow-up, while being another classic, sold even less copies then the debut. A third album was recorded but never released due to label restructuring. Realizing that their due date had expired, the band folded.



VIDEOS



"Walking Shoes" Live From Rocklahoma 2008



"Revolution Day"--Rocklahoma 2008



Here's a video of "Phantom Rider" live from Newby's on June 28, 2008 at the 20th Anniversary Show!



"Love's a Bitch" live from Newby's.



"Guilty" Live From Newby's



This is a special YouTube Video player that our amazing fan/friend Drew put together. You can use this one player to view ALL of the Tora Tora videos, plus some kickass live songs. Thank you so much EvilDikk!



Late night TV interview July 8th, 1989 Headbangers Ball with Anthony Corder & Patrick Francis.



Links



Keith Douglas' Custom Guitars