Tijuana Panthers

Dishing out a witty, lo-fi fusion of surf, garage rock, and punk, the Tijuana Panthers are a trio from Long Beach, California featuring Chad Wachtel on guitar, Daniel Michicoff on bass, and Phil Shaheen on drums. The members of Tijuana Panthers first met when they attended the same church camp during their days in junior high; they shared an interest in surfing and skateboarding, and grew to be close friends. Sharing a passion for rock & roll, Wachtel and Shaheen played in a two-man band called the Pencils for a while, and Shaheen and Michicoff were bandmates in a group called the Fancy Lads before the three teamed up for Tijuana Panthers. The band made its recorded debut in 2009 with a 7" single, "Girls Gone Wild" b/w "Creature," and both songs would later appear on the band's debut album, 2010's Max Baker (named for one of Shaheen's neighbors, whose exploits in Mexico also inspired the band's moniker). In the fall of 2012, Innovative Leisure Records released another Tijuana Panthers 7", "Tony's Song" b/w "One Way Ticket" (the latter a cover of a track by power pop icons the Nerves), which was a preview of the band's second album, Semi-Sweet, which arrived in stores in November 2012. The band toured extensively in support of Semi-Sweet, sharing stages with Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segal, the Reverend Horton Heat, and Jello Biafra, while also appearing at the annual Coachella Festival. In June 2014, the Tijuana Panthers dropped album number three, Wayne Interest, via Innovative Leisure.