Features

Though post-hardcore trio 84 Tigers seemed to appear out of nowhere with their 2022 debut Time in the Lighthouse, the band’s members already boast impressive musical résumés. Brothers Mike and Ben Reed (Small Brown Bike) joined forces with longtime friend Jono Diener (The Swellers) to craft a sound that blends post-hardcore intensity, ’90s alt-rock grit, and infectious melodic hooks.

Now, 84 Tigers return with their sophomore album Nothing Ends, set for release on October 17 via Spartan Records. Featuring collaborations with Rocky Votolato and Aaron Stauffer (Seaweed/Ghost Work), the album sees the band expanding and evolving their signature sound. We sat down with Mike to discuss the new record, Fest, and what lies ahead for the band.

PRT: Did you name the band after the ’84 Detroit Tigers? And if so, why?

Mike: Yes. It was on a long list of band name ideas and I have to give credit to Nathan and Jeff from The Casket Lottery/Able Baker Fox. I was rambling through the list and they were like, “That’s it.” Once I started messing around with logos, it really came to life. Plus, I was fortunate enough to see that team play, so it definitely has a lot of nostalgia for me.

PRT: Are there things you are hoping to do with 84 Tigers that you haven’t been able to achieve with your previous bands?

Mike: Well, I’ve never been to Europe and I think it would be really amazing to tour there at some point.

PRT: You manage to whip up an impressive wall of sound between just the three of you, yet Nothing Ends is a one-guitar album. How tempting is it to layer guitars in the studio?

Mike: Thanks. It’s definitely tempting to add all kinds of guitars and effects. On our first record, I used a bunch of pedals and added overdubs. But when it came it to write and record this one, I made a conscious decision to make it a one-guitar wall of sound, and keep it simple. It makes it easier to remember how to play the songs live too. Ha.

PRT: All of your songs blend heavy riffs and melodic hooks. Does one of those tend to come to you more naturally than the other?

Mike: Most of my ideas start on guitar with some chord progression or riff then I hum or whistle a vocal melody idea of the top of it. It’s hard to separate the two. I start to hear the whole song in my head pretty early in the process.

PRT: When writing, do you have a kind of formula that works for you? Do songs usually start with a riff, or with lyrics?

Mike: I have a ton of audio notes with ideas on my phone. Once I have something I like, I build a rough sketch of it in GarageBand with a drum machine sequence then guitars and bass on top of that. Then it becomes a process of trying to find a theme or something to write lyrics about. A few times, I hear a song when I’m driving or going to sleep, then I build it from that. That’s always fun and interesting because I’m trying to decipher some unconscious idea and bring it to life.

PRT: Lyrically, the songs deal with loss and grief, yet there’s always light and hope shining through. What was more challenging: writing about loss, or finding that light?

Mike: That’s a tough question because each one affects the other. Writing about loss is very challenging for me. It’s a deeply personal and vulnerable place. Every one has gone through a loss in some form, so I’m just trying to bring my personal experience to it and that it might connect with someone.

PRT: I already liked the first album, but this one feels even more cinematic in scope. Was the debut still you figuring out what 84 Tigers should be?

Mike: I think of each record as a process of discovery. The first record was created around being a new band and making songs with a lot of energy and probably closer to what our old band sounded like. For this record, I was hoping to push it into a direction where you could hear some of those elements but create some bigger melodies and create those “happy/sad” moments that I personally love in music.

PRT: The album features guest vocals from Rocky Votolato and Aaron Stauffer. How did those collaborations come about?

Mike: For Rocky‘s collaboration, the three of us independently had the idea and once it was mentioned, everyone was like, “I was thinking the exact same thing.” One of the songs we were working on was just called “River” at the time. So when Rocky sent me his new band Suzzallo’s song, “River,” we just knew it was meant to be.  We’ve known Rocky for over 20 years and to have him sing on this song means so much. He sent us an amazing bunch of ideas. I get choked up every time I hear it.

For Aaron, Seaweed is one of my all time favorite bands since the 90s. I was driving, listening to some mixes, and for whatever reason, the idea of having Aaron sing on “Regeneration Days” popped in my head. So I reached out to John from Spartan Records since he put out the Ghose Work records, and he made the introduction. Aaron was so great and easy to work with and was nice enough to do it. It’s still surreal to hear it. I love what he brought to it.

PRT: Votolato has his new project Suzzallo, Stauffer started Ghost Work, and plenty of bands from the late ’90s/early ’00s are either back or launching new projects. Or if you’re Walter Schreifels, doing both. You can’t speak for everyone, but what is it for you personally that keeps drawing you back to music?

Mike: That’s a great question. I have no idea. Ha ha. If you would’ve asked me 25 years ago, if I’d still be making music and bands, I would probably have said no. But I’ve always been one to lead with what feels right and follow my heart. Making music has always been one of those things that I just needed in my life. It’s an amazing outlet and a way to communicate things to the world. I feel really lucky to have had music in my life this whole time.

PRT: You’ll be playing The Fest next month, a festival you’ve already hit several times. What’s your best Fest memory?

Mike: Fest is always such a fun weekend. It’s like a big family reunion getting to see people who I’ve known or toured with over the years. It’s hard to pick just one memory. One moment I remember was watching and singing along to Jawbreaker with the Able Baker Fox guys and Gared from Plains Mistaken for Stars. It was all very surreal, and made me feel very thankful for the scene we stumbled into all those years ago.

PRT: What’s up next for 84 Tigers once the album is out?

Mike: We’re playing shows around the record release through the end of the year. We’d like to go to the West Coast and East Coast at some point early next year. And yes, it would be awesome to do overseas shows at some point. We’re just going with the flow and happy to be here.