Jaguar (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | December 1, 1979 in Bristol, England |
| Founder | Jeff Cox, Garry Pepperd |
| Headquarters | Bristol , England |
| Products | Heavy metal music, albums, singles |
Jaguar is a heavy metal band originating from Bristol, England, established in December 1979. They gained modest popularity throughout Europe and Asia during the early 1980s, coinciding with the height of the new wave of British heavy metal era.
Formation and Early Period
Jaguar was created in December 1979 by Jeff Cox and Garry Pepperd after responding to a local advertisement. The initial lineup consisted of Pepperd on guitar, Cox handling bass and vocals, and Chris Lovell on drums. That same year, they produced their first demo at Sound Conception Studios, which included the tracks "Feel the Heat," "Battle Cry," and "Piledriver." In April 1980, Rob Reiss joined as the lead singer. By December, the band recorded three additional songs—"Stormchild," "Ain't No Fantasy," and "War Machine"—at Studio 34, culminating in a six-track demo.
This demo featured compositions such as "Stormchild" (written by Cox), "Ain't No Fantasy" (Pepperd), "War Machine" (Pepperd), "Battlecry" (Cox/Pepperd), "Feel The Heat" (Pepperd), and "Piledriver" (Cox/Pepperd). Starting February 1981, it was promoted through an advertisement in Sounds magazine, selling close to 540 copies.
The advertisement in Sounds connected Jaguar with Dutch promoter Frits Gijsbertse, leading to multiple performances in the Netherlands. The band also received regular coverage from the Dutch metal publication Aardschok, whose owner, known as 'Metal Mike,' took on their promotion in that region.
In 1980, Jaguar participated in a Battle of the Bands contest, progressing to the Bristol heats and ultimately securing fourth place in the final held on 2 May 1981. This exposure resulted in their track "Stormchild" being included on Heavy Metal Records' compilation album Heavy Metal Heroes. Subsequently, in November 1981, Heavy Metal Records issued their single "Back Street Woman," which sold out its initial pressing of 4,000 copies within two months.
Partnership with Neat Records
Early in 1982, after performing alongside Raven at a rock festival in the Netherlands, Jaguar attracted the attention of Raven’s manager and indie label owner Dave Wood from Neat Records. They signed with Neat Records and replaced vocalist Rob Reiss with Paul Merrell, formerly of Stormtrooper, prior to recording and releasing the single "Axe Crazy" that year. Following extensive touring activities, their debut album Power Games (1983) was released to acclaim for its straightforward and fast-paced metal sound.
Contract with Roadrunner Records
In 1984, Jaguar released their second album This Time through Roadrunner Records, showcasing a stylistic shift toward a more melodic and AOR-inspired approach. Although supported by Motörhead’s management during this period, the band disbanded by the end of the year after Roadrunner failed to meet contractual commitments.
Reunion of Jaguar
Renewed enthusiasm for the new wave of British heavy metal across Europe and Japan, coupled with a successful reissue of Power Games, led to Jaguar’s reformation in 1999. The revamped lineup featured Garry Pepperd, Jeff Cox, Nathan Cox on drums, and vocalist Jamie Manton. That year they performed at the Wacken Open Air Festival. Their album Wake Me followed in 2000; shortly afterward Jeff Cox left to pursue solo work and family commitments and was succeeded by Darren Furze.
The band’s 2003 release Run Ragged was succeeded by two live albums in 2007: a limited edition recording of a 1982 concert in the Netherlands and Archive Alive Vol.1, which compiled previously unreleased material from their peak NWOBHM period. Guitarist Garry Pepperd provided sleeve notes along with rare photographs for this latter release.
Current activities
In 2014, Jaguar unveiled Metal X, marking their first new release since the 2003 album Run Ragged. That same summer, they performed for the first time in Sweden at the Sweden Rock Festival. Vocalist Jamie Manton exited the band in September 2014. The album Metal X was subsequently launched in November through GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music, featuring mixing by Mike Exeter.
By August 2015, L-G Persson, known from The Storyteller and formerly of Steel Attack, joined Jaguar as the lead vocalist but departed by November. Meanwhile, Jeff Cox established the progressive metal ensemble This Raging Silence, which issued their album Isotopes and Endoscopes in 2015.
Musical style and legacy
Jaguar distinguished themselves during the early NWOBHM era by delivering music that was noticeably faster and more intense than many contemporaries. They are recognized as trailblazers in the development of the speed metal and thrash metal genres. Their sound left a lasting impact on numerous subsequent bands, notably American groups such as Metallica. Eduardo Rivadavia from AllMusic observed that Jaguar initially flourished due to their raw, self-driven ethos but gradually diminished as the NWOBHM movement's influence waned, unlike enduring acts like Iron Maiden and Def Leppard.
Garry Pepperd offered insights into Jaguar's distinctive musical approach:
Studio albums
- Power Games (1983) Neat Records
- This Time (1984) Roadrunner Records
- Wake Me (2000) Neat Metal Records
- Run Ragged (2003) Angel Air Records
- This Time Remaster (2009) Metal Mind Records
- Metal X (2014) GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music
- Metal X Limited Edition Vinyl LP (2015) GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music
Live recordings
- Holland '82 (2006) Majestic Records
Compilation albums
- "Stormchild" featured on Heavy Metal Heroes (1981)
- "Dirty Tricks" included in 60 Min. Plus (1982)
- The Anthology (2001) Sanctuary Records
- Power Games: The Anthology (2002) Sanctuary Records
- Archive Alive Volume I (2007) Majestic Rock
- Opening the Enclosure (2010) High Roller Records
- "Stormchild" (2014 Edition) on The Ultimate Oldschool Tracks
- Speed Metal (2014) GoldenCore Records/ZYX Music
- "Stormchild" featured on The Bristol Heavy Rock Explosion (2016)
Singles
- "Back Street Woman" (1981) Heavy Metal Records
- "Axe Crazy" (1982) Neat Records
Current lineup
- Garry Pepperd – guitar
- Simon Patel – bass guitar
- Nathan Cox – drums
- Tamás Csemez – vocals
Former members
- Jeff Cox – bass guitar (1979–1985, 1998–2000), vocals (1979–1980)
- Chris Lovell – drums (1979–1984)
- Rob Reiss – vocals (1980–1982)
- Paul Merrell – vocals (1982–1985)
- Gary Davies – drums (1984–1985)
- Les Foster – drums (1984)
- Darren Furze – bass guitar (1998–2005)
- William Sealey – drums (2009–2011)
- Jamie Manton – vocals (1998–2014)