Seven Purple Tigers are Germany’s indie glam act for the ages. Formed in 2015 by American singer Austin Horn and German lead guitarist Philip Dyszy in Krakow, Poland, the band has garnered a reputation for their own brand of high-energy, pop-infused indie rock music. Combining a unique sound with an exciting stage show, Seven Purple Tigers bring their A-game to both the stage and the studio.
Horn and Dyszy met while both studying in Krakow. Initially meeting through a cover band for international students, their studies soon gave way to long hours of writing music when after the first practice, Phil suggested the two work together outside of the cover band to form their own project. By December, 2015, a band called The P.A. System had been formed. While still gracing the stage with the cover band, the pair began writing original songs at an alarming rate in Phil’s riverside apartment in the shadow of the Wawel Castle.
Fast friends from the start, the duo began to craft a unique musical style combining their diverse set of influences, some shared and others novel. By the end of July, 2016, The P.A. System had written over 30 songs, and Horn and Dyszy, now bonded as siblings, had long since decided that the band ought to continue past the end of their year abroad. The only obstacle standing in their way was an inevitable year apart.
After Krakow ended, Phil returned to Germany and Austin to the states to finish out the last year of university studies. Albeit with difficulty, the two continued writing songs together, exchanging ideas and keeping the band alive despite being an ocean apart. Throughout this time, both honed their musical skills so as to be better once reunited.
In August, 2017, Austin made her return to Europe and the pair immediately picked up right where they left off, playing open mics and beginning their search for bandmates to complete their original vision of a full-on indie rock outfit. By November, they’d found Felix Schwer and Sebastian Heieck. The combination of Horn’s massive vocal range, Dyszy’s high-flying, unconventional guitar playing, Schwer’s thunderous drumming and Heieck’s melodic basslines was exactly the concoction Horn and Dyszy had been dreaming of for two years. They began rehearsing as a four-piece, packing out their long-awaited first concert at the now-defunct Freigeist Bierbar in April of 2018.
The band continued performing throughout the summer as The P.A. System, even landing a gig at Zelt Musik Festival in Freiburg. In August, the band came to a jarring discovery: someone had already released music under the name “The P.A. System.” Rather than fighting this, Horn and Dyszy decided it was a golden opportunity to change their name before heading into the studio in November.
After months of work and careful planning, Seven Purple Tigers was born. After playing their first concert under the new moniker in October, the Tigers geared up to record their debut album at Sport Studio in Freiburg. In November of 2018, Seven Purple Tigers recorded their 11 song album in just ten days, and released it on July 7th, 2019.
2019 was a massive year for the Tigers. After a trip back to Krakow in January to reconnect with the band’s roots, the Tigers filled a great many live commitments around southern Germany. Spring saw things really taking off, with the band landing numerous gigs and festival slots for the summer, with the Tigers again making an appearance at ZMF. Autumn saw the band soldiering onward with gigs in Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Frankfurt. By the end of the year, Seven Purple Tigers found themselves a Neil Armstrong-sized leap further in their career.
The band had set out to have another big year in 2020, with an early high of winning the “Rampe” competition at Freiburg`s hallowed Jazzhaus, but we all know what was to come thereafter…
For Seven Purple Tigers, the world slowing its pace proved to be a blessing in disguise. Free from the pressures of constantly rehearsing and performing their old set, Horn and Dyszy finally had time to tie up loose songwriting ends, lock themselves in the Hotel Drei Linden, and set about writing and demoing new music.
With time losing all meaning and the sunlight never reaching through the sound-proofed walls of the studio, the Tigers descended into total vampirism, working late into the night and beginning each day in the late afternoon. As the sessions progressed, a creative wind took hold and led to the creation of a swath of new music, informed by well over a year of studying various modern influences and production techniques. By year’s end, the Tigers would be armed with some 18 new tracks, soon to be unleashed on the world. The summer of 2020, though not full of the gigs the band had hoped for, saw Seven Purple Tigers join in on the new wave of streaming concerts.
2021 was a big year for Seven Purple Tigers, releasing four new singles, two new music videos and being featured in a laundry list of excellent publications worldwide, including Relix Magazine, BN1 Magazine, Music News, Vents Mag, and receiving airplay on Byte FM and many other stations in the UK and worldwide.
2022 saw the Tigers release their new EP, Daydream Echo Chamber, after a successful summer of festival dates and an incredible journey to Los Angeles to film videos for lead singles “Clarity” and “Smoke Communiqué” with director Brandon Bernath.
In August of 2024, Horn and Dyszy arrived at the next major chapter in the Seven Purple Tigers story: moving to Berlin. And now, from the streets of that mythic, sleepless capital, the pair are working to release their next projects. 2024 has also brought a new band member: Kathariina “Katsu” Rinne, a long-time collaborator with the band at live shows has now been officially inducted as a touring member on keyboards and luscious vocal harmonies.
Seven Purple Tigers seek to reinvigorate the indie rock world with driving force, powerful melodies, and a high-octane stage performance. The band is influenced by music of all varieties, and lists The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, The Smiths, Tame Impala and The Rolling Stones as some of their primary influences, along with such artists as David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Devendra Banhart, Jeff Buckley, and softer acts like Kings of Convenience provide well-rounded inspiration. The result is a diverse catalogue of original music that keeps audiences on their toes throughout the night.
With such a wide range of influences and with their dedication to leaving it all on the stage, Seven Purple Tigers guarantee an exciting concert experience that has something for everyone to remember.
- Seven Purple Tigers 2025