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Artist
Tora Tora
12+ albums
hard rockhair metalGlam Metal80sheavy metal
about
Tora Tora is an American hard rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1985. The band's name is derived from the Japanese word for tiger and references the code name used by the Japanese Imperial Navy during the attack on Pearl Harbor, though it may also have been influenced by the Van Halen song "Tora, Tora, Tora" from their 1980 album "Women and Children First." The original band name had been "Free Beer." In a 1989 interview, members Anthony Corder and Patrick Francis stated that the name Tora Tora was chosen from a list of 60 to 70 potential names because it stood out to them. Tora Tora began as a local garage band and gained studio experience after winning a Battle of the Bands contest. They independently released the EP "To Rock to Roll," with the songs "Phantom Rider" and "Love's A Bitch" receiving airplay on local radio station Rock 98. After signing with A&M Records, they released their debut album "Surprise! Attack" in 1989, which reached number 47 on the Billboard Top 200. The album included the singles "Walkin' Shoes" and "Guilty," and the song "Dancing With a Gypsy" was featured on the soundtrack for the film "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure." Tora Tora was the first band from Memphis to have a music video, "Walkin' Shoes," aired on MTV. Their second album, "Wild America," was released in 1992 and reached number 134 on the Billboard charts. A third album, "Revolution Day," was recorded in 1994 but was not released at the time due to label restructuring, and
