March 2009, 11 p.m.: On my television, which I still turn on regularly at the time, a music video of twenty-somethings in leather jackets and skinny jeans, musicians shaking out melodies from their sleeves and spinning records, flickers on the go-tv channel. The best activity as a 00s child or teenager: zapping between MTV and go-tv on the television. But at this one Song, bei this Band changing is impossible.

Festive guitars

You can hear slightly out of tune guitars where everything is right – because they are moody and partying. just like roundregardings with no exits / my lethargy gains momentum / got the rush and the stuff on the backseat / chasing party is RANDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM,” booms the chorus. My head is already tired, but what is this song I hear? Unique. It flashes. Of something unique and rare. A diamond in the rough. I drift away sleepy.

get out of bed at 8.a.m. / out my head at half past ten, sing the specials as the alarm clock rings on my orange and black SonyEricsson W880i Walkman phone on Monday morning. But I forgot the name of the band that I saw on go-tv the day before. After three weeks of looking at the olive-green school board through glasses, I remember him. A friend asks: “Do you know the new Viennese band “One Two Three Cheers and a Tiger?” Aja. This name. I’ve read and heard somewhere.

“One Two Three Cheers and a Tiger.” A long name. “What? “Something this good comes from Vienna?” is the first thought of many people at this time. It’s the year 2009 – five years before the new Austropop wave. And Vienna seems to have really good bands, I think to myself – and more and more music listeners think so too.

So on Saturday I go to “Saturn”, as the electronics store was called back then, and immerse myself in the music universe. The universe with its many CDs that spin almost as beautifully as the rings of Saturn, but not as beautifully as the records. The record department no longer existed back then, or didn’t exist yet, because the resurrection of the vinyl record – the second spring of the medium that had been shelved – was only in its early stages. “Less Than the Half Price,” says the CD cover. But I’m happy to pay full price. At home I put the CD in my portable, silver Sony stereo system. Inside is the Tigers’ coat of arms, which is regarding to start circling. I close the lid and press PLAY.

Die Songs auf Less Than the Half Price

Bleeding Toes, dThe opener crashes out of the speakers like an attack. You don’t understand every word and yet you understand every word. The guitars sound rough and impetuous – like the very early Arctic Monkeys. Nothing is ironed out here – on the contrary! The whole thing was recorded live in the rehearsal room near the Belt and released on the renowned Viennese indie label Livingroom.

Then random, the hit I knew from go-tv. And the second single release Boy. You can have it if you want it. You can make it if you try to will be in the song Boy chanted. Motivating and inspiring – especially for young music listeners.

This quality continues song following song. The favorites vary over time. But all the songs have one thing in common: 123 cheers and a tiger live British music culture with passion, as if every song were regarding their life. These songs are urgent and essential.

There is Drink Your Heart which might still be heard on myspace back then. Haunting octaves alternate with dueling guitars and culminate in a sing-along conclusion: I know it’s not right, but my heart says yeah! Or even the common backing vocals Come Over and Night Out in Kiew. The wild band of predators on second guitar, bass and drums and also often backing vocals provided the restless support for singer and guitarist Andreas Augustin.

Songwriting and the magical song Your Behavior

Mastermind Andreas Augustin had those melodies and songs – some of which were written in 2007. The vocal melodies and their hooks were catchy and self-confident each of the fourteen songs. The Tigers drew on their full cups of inspiration for this debut album. And with the yield of written songs came the pack of listeners – who followed the band on their journey through the Austrian and German indie circus.

We fifteen-year-old Viennese indie kids from the 00s suddenly knew what music was regarding. Your Behavior was the name of the song. On the day of Pete Doherty’s performance at Flex in 2010, we played and sang him on the guitar at home before heading towards Flex.

In the album version, drummer Martin’s drum riff shines. But this song in particular is much more than the sum of its parts. The interaction of the individual instrument parts creates the verse. And then the refrain gives life, the universe and everything else: You know that life is forgiving more / you know you’re time is up when you start/stop. You don’t quite understand the words, but you still understand everything regarding them.

Some of us 15 year olds have lost sight of each other over the years, but we didn’t lose sight of each other. With this album we had everything we wanted musically. In Boy there are some sparks of truth: We know that we are still friends / as soon as we talk regarding bands. One Two Three Cheers and a Tiger were and will always be one of these sung bands.

living room records

Guitar music and concert sketches