Drummer Ace Finchum comments on his current relations with his past Tigertailz bandmates
Drummer Ace Finchum comments on his current relations with his past Tigertailz bandmates
Former Tigertailz drummer Ace Finchum was recently interviewed by Metal Mike for the 80’s Glam Metalcast podcast. As per Wikipedia, Finchum was in Tigertailz from 1984 to 1991 and again from 2011 to 2013. Finchum played the drums on Tigertailz‘s album Young And Crazy (1987), which also featured Steevi Jaimz on lead vocals, Jay Pepper on guitar and Pepsi Tate on bass / keyboards. Jaimz ended up leaving the band in 1988 and he was replaced by Kim Hooker.
In terms of Jaimz‘s exit from Tigertailz, Finchum noted (as provided by the 80’s Glam Metalcast podcast with slight edits): “Steevi did have his fights with the press and stuff like that, but it really came down to Jay and Pepsi just wanted to get rid of him. Steevi is my best friend. I’ve known him since 1980. I didn’t want to go along with it. We had a meeting where they sat me down and they had me listen to Kim Hooker singing “Living Without You.” I thought it was great. I really did. That’s what they wanted to do. They wanted to go with Kim. Steevi was my mate though. I couldn’t imagine being in a band without him. Once Jay decides on something, that’s how it goes. They got rid of him that day and I refused to go. I went home and let them do it. I didn’t want to get rid of him. Initially, me and Steevi were going to do another band, but I was getting a paycheck at that time. I didn’t have to work a regular job anymore. Ultimately, I had to tell Steevi I couldn’t leave Tigertailz because of the money.”
On being kicked out of the band in 1991, and returning /leaving in the 2010’s, Finchum stated: “I got a call from Jay in 1991 saying they wanted to get rid of me. To this day, I have no idea why they fired me. I’ve asked Kim countless times and he said he didn’t know. He said Jay and Pepsi just wanted to get someone else in. We were getting ready to break in America at the time. I think when you lose a band member, people lose interest. So they kicked me out of the band and I still don’t know, understand it. I did go back in 2011. After awhile, I knew the game was up. People just weren’t showing up. It was kinda embarrassing. We’d play Europe to a bunch a fat bald guys….I was like ‘Where’s the girls?’. Also, me and Jay just weren’t clicking at all. We would butt heads. I just had to go. I left the band after the last show in Britain.”
With respect to his relations with his past bandmates today, Finchum noted: ” I’m really good friends with Kim. I speak to him quite often. Jay and I don’t talk at all. I tried to reach out when I heard he [had] tinnitus because I have suffered with it too, but he never messaged me back. Steevi and I don’t talk anymore either. I put out a book and Steevi didn’t like some things I put in there. So he doesn’t talk to me anymore. The only time I heard from him briefly was when my mom died in December. It showed that he cared. I would love to be in contact with him, but he won’t stay in contact with me.”
You can listen to the interview with Ace Finchum on the 80’s Glam Metalcast podcast below: