The Tits are a Pan Pacific (Japanese, American & Australian) punk rock group comprising Jared F Swanson III (vocals), Sako Tikanawa (bass), Yoshi Inamoto (guitar) and Jimmy Po (drums). Billy Phantom (aka William Spectre) long-time friend of the band and formerly of leather punk group Motorcyclespeedticket has been working recently with The Tits as a collaborator, vocalist and guitarist. They typically release material on a boutique label making past work difficult to find and adding to their mystique. Usually they manufacture only a couple of thousand copies of each release, often on vinyl and distribute only in a limited area at any one time. They have enjoyed a cult underground status in the vibrant Californian and Japanese punk scenes for many years and disappeared, rumoured to have broken up in the early 2000s. Far from the truth, they had relocated to Europe (allegedly for tax and family reasons) taken a well-earned break and reassessed their musical direction. They are currently working with producer Oscar Van Heldenburg on an album expected to be released later in 2006. Their style is experimental yet directly drawn from classic and hardcore punk and is self described as "Puppy" although it could also be classified as dance punk, hardcore and even garage punk. It is believed that the "puppy" term originated as a simple combination of the words Punk and Yuppy, itself a sarcastic overture to the alleged affluent background of the bands members. Other sources indicate that the term was invented by the band's producer, Oscar Van Heldenburg when joking that their sound was not unlike that of a deformed newborn mongrel. The Tits material owes much to the influence in music and style of Japanese bands Guitar Wolf, Electric Eel Shock, Melt Banana and Teengenerate and American bands like The Ramones, Fugazi, Dead Kennedys,Pixies and Beastie Boys. Gang of Four, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Henry Rollins and Butthole Surfers are other obvious influences. The Tits claim to name themselves after a breed of bird, the Japanese Tit (parus minor), but obviously chose their name for typical punk reactionary value with the obvious sexual slang overtones similar to bands like The Slits,The Spunks or Swallow (another band employing a similar trend of bird / double intendre nomenclature who also happen to have Yoshi's brother, Onuki as guitarsit).