Tiger Claw: the beginnings

 

Tiger Claw debuted in June of 2006. He is the character created out of thin "air", for a genre called "air guitar". Tiger Claw has been air guitaring since high school (1979), long before his official debut as Tiger Claw. 

 

When US Air Guitar added San Francisco to its official Regional Competition schedule in 2006, all potential air guitarists were asked, on the spot, to come up with a stage name. It only took Claw a few seconds, with, not one, but three references to his name. Claw thought of how a guitar is held, by the neck, in the shape of a claw. Claw remembered he is born in the Year of the Tiger, according to the Eastern Zodiac. Claw knew about one of thousands of kung fu styles, one of several he studied (hung gar, choy lay fut, and tiger claw, called Fu Jow Pai. Hence, Tiger Claw was born. Tiger Claw also chose to mask his identity, with obviously, a mask, represented by his love for professional wrestling, with the third mask installment by WWE pro wrestler Kane.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, this mask, used the next year performing at 12 Galaxies, was stolen from backstage. A new mask was purchased, actually three, and painted three different schemes, including the current tiger orange with black stripes. These masks were also that of a WWE pro wrestler (Hurrican Helms). Claw has gone on to evolve and transcend the air guitar reference, to be simply known as "claw", all the while maintaining the roots to "air guitar".

 

- competed in every SF Regional Air Guitar Competition since 2006, with the exception of 2013, when he was incapacitated due to a medical emergency (ICU for 6 days).

- Only air guitarist to go to the second round (2006) and opt out of competing, due to a conflict of interest.

- Only air guitarist to begin creating personal trading cards.

- Performed an air guitar demonstration during the half-time of Pop Rocks, a cover band that are local legends in the Bay Area, the week after. And on two other separate occasions.

- Performed for the Dr. Hal Show at the famous 12 Galaxies nightclub, in 2007.

- Performed an air guitar exhibition for a national belly-dancing festival, held in Belmont, CA, 2008.

- Competed in the 2009 SF Air Guitar Regional Competition, five weeks after surviving a mild stroke.

- 2010 recipient of the Profile of Excellence Award for Excellence in the Field of Magnificence. To date, only three air guitarists hold this distinction, and all three are from San Francisco.

- inducted into the US Air Guitar Hall-of-Fame, with a personal USAG trading card, as part of the first class of 2010, on Memorial Day, 2011. 

- selected to participate in an air guitar reality series (yet to be produced).

- Selected as judge for the 2013 Qualifying Air Guitar Competition, as well as performing a half-time air guitar demonstration.

-2013 - Honored with two awards. One - the Freebird Award. and two, a namesake award called the Tiger Claw Award, given to those who have repeatedly proven their dedication and passion to the world of air guitar.