Phantom Rider

The Zoo Crew, those groovy hippie DJs at THE ZOO radio station, are spinning the hard-hitting track "Phantom Rider" by Tora Tora from their debut album Surprise Attack, and the Zoo Freaks are loving it. This song, a standout from the 1989 release, carries a haunting vibe with its bluesy riffs and introspective lyrics about time and loss. One piece of trivia comes from the recording process at Ardent Studios in Memphis, where the band laid down the track in September 1987. The original version featured a piano section by Paul Ebersold, who later produced the album, adding a unique texture that didn’t make the final cut but gave the song its early character. Lead singer Anthony Corder shared in a 1989 Headbangers Ball interview that the song’s lyrics, co-written with friend Thomas Howard, were inspired by a reflective moment about life’s fleeting nature, making it one of the band’s more emotional pieces.

Another tidbit about "Phantom Rider" surfaced in a retrospective review by CGCM Rock Radio, which praised the song for blending southern rock with hard rock grit, calling it a highlight of Surprise Attack. The track’s music video, released in 1990, gained some traction on MTV, showcasing the band’s raw energy. Fans on the Tora Tora Fans Facebook group often mention how the song’s lyrics, like “Time is everlasting, but nothing out lasts time,” resonate as a timeless anthem for living in the moment. The band themselves posted on their Facebook page in 2020, reminiscing about filming the video in a desert setting, describing it as a grueling but memorable shoot under the scorching sun.

Tora Tora got their start in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1985 as a local garage band with big dreams. Formed by vocalist Anthony Corder, guitarist Keith Douglas, bassist Patrick Francis, and drummer John Patterson, the band’s name was inspired by Van Halen’s song “Tora! Tora!” from their 1980 album Women and Children First, though they playfully nodded to the Japanese term for “tiger” in interviews. Their big break came when they won a Battle of the Bands contest in 1987, earning studio time at Ardent Studios. This led to their independent EP To Rock to Roll, with tracks like “Phantom Rider” and “Love’s A Bitch” getting heavy airplay on Memphis’ Rock 98 station. The buzz caught the attention of A&M Records, who signed the band and released Surprise Attack in 1989, peaking at No. 47 on the Billboard 200.

The band’s early days were marked by their raw, blues-based sound, drawing from influences like Led Zeppelin and Memphis blues, as guitarist Keith Douglas noted in a 1989 interview. Their first music video, “Walkin’ Shoes,” made history as the first from a Memphis band to hit heavy rotation on MTV. Despite challenges, including label issues that shelved their third album Revolution Day until 2011, Tora Tora has kept rocking, with reunion shows and new music like their 2019 album Bastards of Beale. You can follow their latest updates on their official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. Fans also connect through the Tora Tora Fans Facebook group and sites like Sleaze Roxx for news and nostalgia.