80’s TNA returns to rock WhaBahs
Published 4:13 pm Friday, March 29, 2013
- TNA in 1990
One of BG’s favorite 80’s hard rock groups, TNA, will perform Saturday at WhaBahs. The Memphis based group fronted by Jeff Harr was a regular at local clubs like Picasso’s, The General Store, Yankee Doodles and Runway 5.
What began as a cover band in 1985 evolved into an a original group that landed a spec deal with Ardent Studios. According to Harr, “Ardent recorded us, set up showcases for labels and shopped our tapes, but the big deal never came, and ultimately, we split in 1992.”
Like many past groups, when social networking took off, a MySpace page was created for the group. The page lead to the creation of their first album.
Harr explains, “In 2010, I was contacted by a company called Eonian Records Worldwide, who distributes through Sony Red, specializes in signing 80’s and early 90’s hard rock and heavy metal bands that had never received a deal, back in the day. TNA had lots of demo recordings left over from the Ardent sessions and in May of 2011, Eonian released TNA – “Self-Titled”. Sadly, TNA’s longtime drummer, backup singer and co-songwriter, Eddie Matlock, died on April 25th, just one month before the CD’s release.”
A few reunions had followed the breakup, but none since 2001 until in 2011 they were asked to reunite for a show honoring a long-gone popular 90’s Memphis club called Rascals where they had played regularly. They enjoyed the experience so much they decided to do it again when they could.
March 30th, TNA performs at WhaBahs Family Steak House, with local drummer Fenner Castner filling Matlock’s shoes. “Fenner and Eddie were good friends and had tremendous respect for each other’s drum work” says Harr.
