Before I can talk to you about Mad Tiger, I must first get you up to speed on what/who Peelander-Z is. That is if I can pull you away from Pokemon go for a few minutes. I assure you, it is totally worth it.
Peelander-Z is a Japanese punk band from the planet Peelander. They formed in the late 90’s in New York City. Peelander-Z is known for their on (and sometimes offstage) antics including human bowling and limbo in between songs. Professional wrestling is often a theme during their live shows with simulated chair shots and other wrestling maneuvers performed on stage. Punk music and wrestling, what could be better? NOTHING! The band also dawns costumes with each one being unique to their persona/character. Peelander-Z has produced 9 full length albums, their latest being ‘Metalander-Z’ which dropped in 2013. Big singles worth checking out are “Mad Tiger”, “Ninja High School” and “So Many Mike.” According to Peelander-Yellow, “Music is kind of 10 percent, and 90 percent of it is kind of theater style.”
The band’s current lineup consists of Ringmaster/Guitarist/Lead Singer Yellow. Yellow’s wife and backing vocals Pink. Bass guitar/backing vocals Purple and several fill-in drummers upon the departure of Green. Before I go any further I need to tell you about Peelander-Red. He was one of the founding members of Peelander-Z, and quite possible one of the most outgoing bass players in existence today (aside from maybe Les Claypool that is). Peelander-Red can be soon walking on the crowd, and even hanging upside down for the ceiling while also playing his bass. He played an integral part of the band, and is a key component of the Peelander-Z documentary, Mad Tiger.
Mad Tiger is a documentary that was filmed during the course of 2012-2015. It is directed by Jonathan Yi and Michael Haertlein. It features the inner strife between Yellow and his best friend Red after Red decides he no longer can be part of Peelander-Z. As a result of having a long history of 12 years together, a great divide is created soon after their final show together. A final show in which Yellow declares that Red failed his Peelander exam. Emotions are high as Yellow deals with losing his best friend, and becomes a battle of self discovery.
I loved this film. Its incredibly easy going, and very user friendly. The way it is filmed you truly know who each member of the band is, and what they bring to Peelander-Z even if you’ve never heard of the band. With a running time of less than 90 minutes, it is perfectly edited so you are hooked the entire time without any lulls. It’s funny, it’s smart and it really pulls on the heartstrings. Without giving away too much, I encourage you to watch this film. It will really make you think about yourself, your decisions, and your friends.
Mad Tiger is currently sold out on Amazon (again). Fear not! You can order the 2-Disc edition of Mad Tiger directly by clicking here! Please, please, please do yourself a favor and buy Mad Tiger and will not regret it! Don’t believe me? Just watch the trailer below!