The band resume of past musical projects reads like a New York Hardcore playbook (with a little West Coast thrown in there). Leeway, Murphy’s Law, Shift, Undertow. It runs the gamut of music styles within that genre. But High Tigers takes all of those elements and manages to make it something completely theirs. Upon first listen, the Foo Fighters may come to mind. Beck could also be a fair comparison. Add an immense level of sincerity, great chops, and superb songwriting and you’ve got High Tigers. (No The)

This brings me to their Monday night rehearsal in the middle of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Upon entering the room we go through the usual greetings and I get treated with two brand new songs, “Girl Like You” and “Days In The Sun.” Two songs that further verify that these guys can play the shit out of a song. High Tigers started more as an idea of what a rock band should sound like and has evolved into a rock-n-roll machine.

High Tigers are…Ben Shapiro-lead vocals, guitar; Pokey-drums; Mark Holcomb-guitar, vocals; David “Diaz” Sanderson-bass.

C…Rap: I’d like to get a brief history of the band…

Ben: It started a while ago. Mark was the first one on board. I had these songs that I was recording in my bedroom on my fake, shitty pro-tools. Vaugn (Strong Mgmt) first knew about Mark. He basically found Mark. He knew him from Shift. I met up with him and played and it worked out real cool. Pokey was the next one to come along. We were getting burnt from the stuff we were doing in the past. Pokey dropped me an e-mail and said we should play together. It was perfect timing.

Pokey: Ben and I used to play in a band together before this (Murphy’s Law). That’s why I dropped him an e-mail asking him what he was doing because I knew he was out of that band already.

C…Rap: I know that the music rocks. I’m definitely a fan. I’m here because I like you guys a lot. How has the writing style changed now that you have a full time line-up.

Ben: I definitely think it’s changed a lot.

C…Rap: Is everyone now participating in the writing process?

Ben: And not only the writing, arranging as well. Everything, it’s so much of a band effort now. Literally in the past, it was great and it was troublesome. We were trying to recreate this thing that I did in my bedroom that I played all the instruments on. It’s like a live animal. It’s night and day. Everything rocks harder. The longer we’ve been together the harder everything rocks. We’ve learned to play to each other well. We have “roles” and we are a lot more pro-active as a band.

C…Rap: I noticed also that you guys cross a lot of parameters. You just don’t hear one style happening. The vocals are very tight also. What direction do you see the band going?

Mark: I feel like everything comes naturally. We write what comes to us. Sometimes you get songs that don’t necessarily sound linear but to us, as long as it fits in the set, and we like it we’re going to do it. That lends itself to how it’s going to be pushed and who we’re going to play with. We have some songs that are going to mesh with a wide range of bands. We see ourselves being able to play with a band like Foo Fighters or Weezer. Pop bands like Ok Go. I think our appeal is unintentional but has a wide range. It just comes.

Pokey: Whatever we felt like playing, whatever we felt like writing, it just comes out. It’s hard to say how we’re trying to push it in any specific direction. Whatever comes to us naturally is what we’re going to write.

Ben: David has to talk because he’s the funniest guy in the band. (laughter)

C…Rap: For the record, David is the guy who has most of the onstage banter, and is definitely a talkative guy but has yet to say a word here (laughter). Here’s a question for Dave. You’re chosen to represent our current generation as the representative of music, at a culture convention in Vegas. What five records would you bring with you?

Ben: You can’t bring all Deadguy records.

David: We’re definitely going to bring a Deadguy record. Mark and I will argue about which Deadguy record. I’ll take Deadguy.

C…Rap: So the entire Deadguy catalog?

David: I would. I’m going to write a paper or a book on the history of heavy music starting off with Black Sabbath and into the eighties, then the nineties, and then get to Deadguy which was the pinnacle of music. And I think a lot of the shit is …

C…Rap: It all falls under the categories of Pre–Deadguy to Post Deadguy.

David: Exactly.

Mark: You don’t want anyone to steal your idea.

David: Well, I’ll bury them with my knowledge, so fuck them (Room erupts with laughter).

C…Rap: Deadguy set the standard for music?

David: They killed everybody.

C…Rap: I hear that (well, not really Dave, but I’ll let it slide)

To Mark: So what five records would you bring along?

Mark: The records I’ve been listening to lately are that new Flaming Lips, the verve, shit what else.

David: I’d bring that Aghan Whigs, “Gentleman”

C…Rap: I just like the suits. Suits are a nice touch.

Pokey: Only if somebody knows a good haberdasher.

C…Rap: It’s all about the tailoring.

Ben: We’re only bringing 2 records to the island. We’re going to have nothing to listen to.

Note to Reader: It was initially a culture convention in Vegas that has become an island, that subsequently becomes the tour van. But anyway.

Things are definitely turning a bit silly. I ask Ben a question about one of his idols, his mentors. Drumroll please…NEIL FUCKING DIAMOND. I was initially not going type out his entire tirade but, after some consideration I reconsidered my initial decision. So here we go…

Ben: Alright, I’m not making up am answer for the sake of the interview. I never had a thing with Neil Diamond when I was younger, I didn’t grow up with Neil Diamond, my parents didn’t play Neil Diamond. I must have been around twenty and there was a late Night with David Letterman and Neil Diamond was the guest star. They did “America.” I don’t care what anybody says, I don’t fucking care, Neil Diamond rocked that shit. Anton Fig hit the snare, it was on. I was like Holy Shit! I would bring it up at parties. From then on it stuck.

C…Rap: Yo, he was hard.

At this point Pokey chimes in with some love for The Diamond.

Pokey: The music was semi dark. It wasn’t all about love and shit like that. He has some dark elements.

Ben: Remember Neil Diamond is songwriter, a great songwriter. You try to fucking write “Love on the Rocks” and then get back to me. (Laughter)

Hey guys, I don’t get it but whatever floats your boat.

C…Rap: If you guys had a choice to become this huge, paid band out the box…

Ben: Yes.

C…Rap: Ok that answers that question…But you get that one hit. Or be that band that makes their mark in the music world and have songs that people will be listening to for years to come. What would you choose?

Pokey: I guess we’d much rather write songs that would last for the rest our lives than one good song.

Mark: I don’t think any one of us wants to go to work another fucking day. If I’m 56 and still playing music and that’s my living then so be it.

Ben: If they pay us to play fucking Skaterboy all day I’m down. I don’t give a crap. Wait, that’s not true. I’m not the one in the band with an Avril Lavigne obsession. I leave that one up to Dave. I remember when she was just blowing up they only had that one publicity photo of her. What was up with that. Billie Joe called and he wants his tie back.

C…Rap: Speaking of style, where do you see the band going by way of clothing and style?

Mark: I get up in the morning and I smell it.

Ben: Mark is definitely the smelliest guy in the band. Sitting right here I can recall the smell perfectly.

C…Rap: That’s no good for the van.

Mark: That just means I’m working hard.

David: I walked into my room last night and Mark was sleepin in there and it smelled like a dirty vegan.

C…Rap: Vegan farts are the worst. You can eat a cow a day and not smell like a guy who eats no meat.

C…Rap: This one’s for Pokey. How does it feel to have played one of the best breakdowns ever in the history of hardcore (Rise and Fall/Mark of the Squeeler)?

Pokey: Long time ago, and I don’t know.

C…Rap: Metallica or Megadeth

Pokey: Megadeth!

C…Rap: The lone Megadeth. Why them?

Pokey: Because Dave Mustaine wrote all of the songs on the first two records.

Ben: But James Hetfield looked so much better in a mullet.

C…Rap: So what was the first show to blow you away?

David: Ministry w/ KFDM. It floored me.

Mark: Mine was Love & Rockets and Janes Addiction opening. My first punk show was Accused and the Brotherhood. I’ve never looked back since. It was bad ass.

Pokey: First show I ever saw was The Cars and XTC. My first hardcore show I don’t even remember. I think it was Prong and Agnostic Front at CB’s. Anthrax, Metallica, Raven at Roseland.

Ben: The first show I saw was Howard Jones and The Eurythmics.

C…Rap: You are a pussy!

Ben: The first show that gripped me was the Fleshtones and the Dragsters. They pulled me up to sing “Hey Disco.” I was 15 and loaded. I remember seeing Murphy’s Law and 25 Ta Life.

C…Rap: I’m sure you were pretty gripped by 25 Ta Life?

Ben: Yeah, I was gripped.

C…Rap: They do keep it real.

C…Rap: Bongs or Bowls:

It was Bongs all around though we did agree that those honey blunts are quite special.

C…Rap: Big Ass/Small tits or Small ass/Big Tits?

Pokey: Yes please.

Mark: It depends on the personality.

David: I guess I’ll go with personality on this one.

C…Rap: Quicksand or Shift?

Quicksand wins all around. Funny considering that one of the members was in Shift. But, whatever, you get it, I hope.

C…Rap: Murphy’s Law or first record Beastie Boys:

Pokey: Beastie Boys! Sorry.

C…Rap: Leeway or Biohazard?

Band: Leeway!!!

David: Quicksand or Shift…Wicked burn!

C…Rap: I had to go there.

C…Rap: How did it feel to be in Shift and have a major label deal, to then watching your drummer go on to play with Motley Crue?

Mark: I loved Shift. I was in a band that was already going and I was the fourth wheel but I just rode it out. It was fun. I had a fucking blast.

C…Rap: So what happened?

Mark: We were just young. We had the label pulling us one way. It’s hard to sum it up. It was just overwhelming. I definitely still have a lot of affection for all of them.

Ben: When I was in Murphy’s Law it was crazy. We would have so many people in the hotel rooms. Liquid everywhere. Jimmy would hit Steve Poss (Road Manager) in the head with a futon. It was crazy.

C…Rap: Murphy’s Law Stop! You guys are never known for that type of behavior.

Ben: I know, imagine that. People always associate Murphy’s Law with drinking beer, panties, the smoking weed band. But in reality, being in Murphy’s Law gave me the opportunity to play with great musicians. You got to play with great players and get rocked on top of that. Jimmy always managed to get musicians that could play their asses off. People would then realize that it isn’t just a gimmick but we’re a real good band. I want people to realize that.

C…Rap: And you’re a part of history.

Ben: Yeah Man! A part of New York history.

Pokey: With about 70 other people(laughter).

C…Rap: That door is definitely swinging.

C…Rap: Shoutouts?

David: Grip It!

C…Rap: Thanks guys! Peace.