Echo Times

Issue date: 9/28/04 Section: A&E

Media Credit: Shani Combs Devin Riley, Cody Grives, Blaine Patrick and Zed Bercherman

Zed Bercherman wears a hot pink tee shirt. He has floppy brown hair and wears Buddy Holly glasses. Like many students at the College of Marin, Bercherman is learning how to balance college and extracurricular responsibilities, but unlike most students, his responsibility is being the front man for the hardcore punk band Tiger Uppercut.
Putting it all together, admits Bercherman, takes effort. Two of the band members work and the others go to school. Bercherman, who is 20, is at COM full-time to fulfill his general education requirements. "It's a matter of prioritizing instead of sitting around doing nothing, and it may be difficult, but it makes me feel accomplished," Bercherman said.
He writes the lyrics he sings, but "it's not really singing," Bercherman said chuckling. "It's more like screaming with some guitar power chords and fast drum beats." Powerfully lyrical bands like Nirvana, Rage Against the Machine and Weezer have greatly influenced him. "When I was younger and didn't have access to their shows, but seeing them on MTV, those are the bands that got me going," Bercherman said.
The name Tiger Uppercut comes from the video game "Street Fighter II," where the most powerful move that can be made is called a tiger uppercut. The members- Devin Riley, 20, Cody Grives, 17, and Blaine Patrick, 18- met as students at Tamalpais High School. "We were in different grades, not in classes together," Bercherman said, but "we shared a lot of the same interests. It was easy to be friends." After discovering that most of them could play instruments, they decided to start a band. Bercherman, who does not play an instrument, naturally became the singer. "I don't really know a lot about singing so I'm still learning," Bercherman said, "and I like to write lyrics."
Tiger Uppercut has been playing together a little over a month and have already begun to plan for success. They have several completed songs, including an anthem, and will make costumes to wear at their upcoming shows. "We want to give the audience music they can listen to, keep the sets short and give them as much fun as we can," Bercherman said, but they don't necessarily want to do the arena rock thing. "Ideally we'll play small clubs. It's more personal. Bigger shows are fun but it's like watching TV," Bercherman said. On Sept 3 Tiger Uppercut played in the lobby of the very popular venue, The Phoenix, in Petaluma. After recording a demo, Tiger Uppercut will schedule a West Coast tour. "We'll see how things go, start in Southern California and go up to Canada," Bercherman said.
While the process of getting recognition as a band takes a lot of hard work, Bercherman and his band mates have had the benefit of learning from other bands. Bercherman admits that sometimes he must stay up all night to get homework and everything done, and sometimes he writes lyrics in class. "I can listen and write at the same time," Bercherman said, "and I'm sitting down for like five hours a day, ideas are constantly coming to me. But I'm still listening." Juggling band responsibilities and school work doesn't bother Bercherman. "It's a lot of fun but I take it seriously," said Bercherman, "sometimes I'm not so good with my time, but when timed right, I can get it all done."

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