Latest Tiles News
January 22, 2018
Since our record company’s diligent publicist is always one step ahead..., you may already know our excellent vocalist, friend, and all-around-nice-guy Mr. Paul Rarick has decided to
retire from singing and tendered his resignation from Tiles. We were just as surprised as you (likely) are upon hearing Paul’s announcement. There were no discussions or clues that
foreshadowed his decision. In fact..., the mood of the band has been upbeat. Pretending 2 Run received an overwhelmingly positive response from fans
and critics – due in no small part to Paul’s contributions. We enjoyed a successful tour in 2016 as guests of District 97 and once
again lately found ourselves as the Detroit-band-of-choice when the likes of King’s X, Fates Warning, Yngwie Malmsteen, Jane
Getter, and others passed through town. We also enjoyed spring 2017 shows with the remarkable Cosmosquad and a
summer trek with Chicago’s Fire Garden. However, the weather did not cooperate for our mid-August outdoor show in Gladwin, MI.
With a forecast of scattered clouds and only a slight possibility of intermittent rain it seemed logical to keep the show outside. Inevitably, with blue sky all around us, the few
clouds that did pass directly overhead delivered enough rain to interrupt our performance several times and cause problems with the guitar amps.
So after a busy year, and with Chris playing shows with Discipline in September and October, we decided to relax a bit and
reconvene in November to figure out what to do next. It was during this meeting Paul announced his surprise (and at that point) immediate retirement from singing. Simply put, he felt
he had been struggling with his vocals and it was time to bow out gracefully. We assured him there was little evidence to our ears this was the case and diplomatically tried to
convince him to reconsider. This is a delicate conversation to have – striking a balance between respecting what we could tell was a tough decision for Paul and letting him know we
hoped he would stay. We were careful not to pile on additional pressure, but each of us needed to offer our perspectives.
If indeed his mind was made up, then maybe a planned ramp down of the band over the next few years would be feasible? We aren’t getting any younger (except Jeff) and – after all –
we’ve got more promotion to do for P2R. An album of that scope and investment necessitates an extended cycle of promotion! And if a ramp down isn’t possible, how about at least a
final show since none of us could feel good about the weather-ruined Gladwin performance representing our swan song.
Much to Paul’s surprise, each of us brought up the possibility it might be time to simply retire the band. Always humble, he had minimized the significance of his departure –
expecting us to quite naturally keep plugging away with someone else. But replacing any member after 25 years together, especially the voice of the band, is a daunting task. It’s not
just the music, but also the friendship, musical chemistry, and group dynamics. After several weeks of letting reality sink in we finally decided to search for a new vocalist – and
Paul agreed playing a final show is the right thing to do for the fans, and provides closure.
Over the Holidays we applied no additional pressure but continued to hold out hope he would have a change of heart; although knowing Paul, we knew the chances were slim and none. Once
he makes up his mind..., that’s it! We set a date for the Farewell Show and prepared our
official announcement for release mid-January. The irony is it was 25 years ago, almost to the exact month, we invited Paul into the studio to sing on an early (and so far
unreleased) version of “Modification” and “Opportunity” (which would later appear as a bonus track on the Fence the Clear Special Edition
reissue. He passed the audition and we immediately started working on the songs Mark and Chris already had in-progress for the first Tiles album.
It is with much relief we can offer one final appearance with Paul Saturday,
April 28th in Ferndale, MI before we begin our next chapter. It’s a celebration of 25 years of camaraderie, friendship, and music. We hope to see you there!
July 29, 2017
We'll venture to the mid-Michigan area Saturday, August 12th for a 3pm outdoor show at the Gladwin City Park
Amphitheater. After a series of (very cool) opening spots and shared billings it will be nice to expand our set to a full 90-minutes and play some extra tunes...
If it rains the show will be held inside at the Gladwin High School Auditorium – so don’t let gloomy skies keep you away!
Visit our Tour Dates page for all the details and check out the flyer here.
June 25, 2017
It's been quite a while, but finally we return to the Buffalo, NY area Saturday, July 15th for Sonic Buffalo –
An Evening of Progressive Rock presented by Gazing Rabbit Productions at the Evening Star Concert Hall.
Hosted by Turning Virtue (as they promote their excellent new album A Temporary Human Experience), we will also be joined by our friends Fire
Garden from Chicago (who are also supporting their excellent latest release Far and Near). Get
all the info here...
June 18, 2017
We're heading to Ohio Friday, July 14th for a "friends & family" show at Howard's Club H in Bowling Green with our
buddies Monstrosadus, Fire Garden, and extra special guest the
remarkable Mark Mikel Band. It’s practically free so you can’t beat the price! Get all the info here....
June 13, 2017
Our most-generous German expatriate friend Al Grabenstein has kindly translated a few more reviews into English for us. Follow these links for the insightful commentary from:
· Thoralf Koss @ MusikReviews.de
· Frank @ Polyprisma.de
· Steve Berdelak @ Crossfire Metal Webzine
June 10, 2017
It's time to get our upcoming shows on everyone's radar – and we've got some fun stuff on the horizon!
Friday, June 23rd join us at the Token Lounge in Westland, MI for a stellar evening progressive metal featuring the legendary
Fates Warning. Joining them on tour are our fellow Laser's Edge label
mates Infinite Spectrum plus our buds Imminent Sonic
Destruction. Doors open at 6pm so arrive early to stake your claim.
On Friday, July 7th, join us at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, MI for the welcome return of the renowned King's X. We've had the good fortune to open for KX on several occasions and they always deliver great deep-cut set lists and expend every last
bit of energy. Do not miss this show at one of the coolest theaters in metro-Detroit! Doors open at 8pm so arrive early to stake your claim. (T I L E S) is the only opening act).
Visit our Tour Dates for more details...
May 3, 2017
We are pleased to announce the release of our first major conceptual video for the song The Disappearing Floor. Several months in the making, the team at Chromatin Productions (along with band liaison Jeff Whittle) worked long hours to render the storyline and coordinate the
logistics of multiple on-location shoots. One of our favorite tracks on Pretending 2 Run, The Disappearing Floor finds our central
character delivering a soliloquy on his post-traumatic struggle to cope with and make something of his new normal. The music is jagged and off-kilter, the vocals angry and distorted,
and Mike Stern’s remarkable guitar solo a wordless narrative of catharsis – all suitably captured in the dark and unsettling
imagery.
The video was primarily shot in a historic industrial park in downtown Detroit and features a cameo appearance by legendary six-time-Grammy-nominated fusion guitarist Mike Stern as he recorded his incendiary solo at the renowned United Sound
Studio where so many musical icons, including his former boss Miles Davis, recorded. Chris Herin states on collaborating with
Stern, "What a remarkable experience! Mike was so easygoing and dedicated to delivering his best. It was very late and he had just flown in from Montana, but he was totally up for the
session. We already had a great solo completed, but Mike said, "Do you mind if I do one more pass, just for fun?" And he nailed what you hear (and see). It's hard to believe he
surpassed what we already had! It was such a thrill to experience that level of musicianship and artistry up close."
April 29, 2017
