By Geoffrey Rowland
Royal Blood’s self-titled debut album was hyped as one of the most hotly anticipated records of 2014. For once, this kind of publicity was fully justified. The album shot straight to pole position on the UK chart becoming the fastest-selling debut LP by a rock band since Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ eponymous release in October, 2011.
“We’re genuinely amazed by everything which has happened to us over the last year or so,” said singer and bassist Mike Kerr, 23. “Important people seem to enjoy our music and have given us tremendous support. This prompted so many other people to become interested in hearing our work.”
One of those important people was the legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. “He was waiting for us in our dressing room after we played a gig in New York,” revealed drummer Ben Thatcher, 26. “We couldn’t believe it. One of our music heroes had not only attended our gig but actually wanted to meet us.”
Having known each other since they were teenagers and played together or separately in numerous bands around Brighton, Mike and Ben joined forces as Royal Blood less than two years ago. “I’d been on a working holiday in Australia,” Mike explained. “I’d played some gigs with a drummer named Matt Swan and was interested in the possibility of developing musical ideas in a bass and drums combo. Ben picked me up at the airport and we talked about my plan on the drive home. We decided to start a band together and played our first gig two days later.”
“It was just in a local bar and most of the audience werea our friends,” Ben recalled. “But they obviously enjoyed the show just as much as we enjoyed performing. We realised we genuinely had something special so we took some time to rehearse properly and write songs before playing our first proper gigs last summer.”
Their debut single, Out of the Black, was released last November on the Black Mammoth label. It topped the UK rock chart and reached number two on the US mainstream rock listings. This success attracted the interest of Warner Bros Records.
“A few gigs, one single and we get a major label record deal,” Mike remarked. “We couldn’t believe our luck. But I think they recognised our work ethic and determination to become the best band we could be.”
Their next single, Little Monster, was Royal Blood’s first release on Warners. It became their second number one on the UK rock chart.
“We were obviously delighted,” Ben stated. “But we had to come up with an entire album of quality songs so we did some serious songwriting before playing the music festivals this summer. Doing these gigs was great for us because we could perform our new songs and judge the audience reaction.”
Does the limitation of a bass and drum set up create problems in developing new material? “We need to make my bass sound as big as possible,” Mike reflected. “The idea of adding a third band member did cross our minds but we’d written enough material to start playing proper gigs so we felt we could stay as we were.
“It is limiting though, particularly as we don’t want to record anything which we can’t reproduce in concert. This is important to us so that means no additional musicians or studio sound effects.”
Many critics have compared Royal Blood with The White Stripes. “We don’t mind the comparison because we really like The White Stripes,” Ben smiled. “But we are different. We’re bass and drums, not lead guitar and drums.
Jack and Meg White set the standard for two-piece rock bands but I don’t think they really proved how far a duo could go. We want to push the boundaries as far back as possible.”
Jeremy Spencer
Considering their excessive drug and alcohol intake, it’s amazing how many music stars manage to live beyond their 20s. Such is the case with Five Finger Death Punch drummer and co-founder Jeremy Spencer. Publisher HarperCollins has just released his autobiography, Death Punch’D, Surviving Five Finger Death Punch’s Metal Mayhem.” Described as a wry and rollicking tale of music, addiction and recovery, it chronicles Jeremy’s excesses in detail.
He freely admits to not being proud of many episodes covered in the book but says he is very different now to the person he was in days past. “I initially felt people would regard me as arrogant to think anyone would want to read about my life,” Jeremy stated. “But I realised if my story could help even one person then whatever criticism I might receive would pale in comparison.
“The person I was, under the influence is not who I choose to be. A heartbeat away from death, I chose life. I think my book reflects how far one can fall and still find a way back.”
Frankie Bailey
A new face is set to appear on Britain’s electronic dance music scene. Frankie Bailey issues her debut single, Amazing, on September 28. But this is more than a dream come true for the Glasgow-based singer /songwriter. She lost her voice for most of last year and feared she might never sing again.
“It was a worrying time,” Frankie recalled. “My one comfort was that I write songs so I wouldn’t have lost my career in music if my voice hadn’t returned. But I love singing and performing so being unable to do so would have been heartbreaking.”
A promotional song, Freedom, was released three months ago. It can be heard at (no www.) soundcloud.com/frankiebailey and downloaded for free in exchange for your email address at facebook.com/frankiebaileyuk/app_190322544333196.
A remix of Amazing by the Morlando production duo will be released as Frankie’s single. The official video can be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBP0ppxjMBA
Jada Cacchilli
“Crude, rude and pointless” was one of the kinder reviews of American reality TV show, The Bad Girls Club. But next month will see the programme return for season 13 on the Oxygen network.
Jada Cacchilli featured prominently in season 12. Her appearances helped the Florida-born but New York-based rapper and singer to land a record deal. The video for her first single, Breakdown, is available to view at www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9s2IEAhk1w.
An album will follow in due course but Jada has now posted two more songs at (no www.) soundcloud.com/jada-cacchilli. Work and Dopest can both be downloaded for free.
Obey the Brave
Canadian metalcore band Obey The Brave release their sophomore album, Salvation, on September 16.
Founded by Despised Icon singer Alex Erian after the deathcore sextet disbanded, Obey The Brave’s 2012 debut album, Young Blood, drew enormous critical acclaim. It can be heard in full at www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sUtgOJa134&list=PLcZMZxR9uxC9MWph2f81S6oymhEUhNMZt
Despite the positive response to their first album, Alex says Salvation is a more accurate representation of Obey The Brave lyrically, musically and as people.
“It’s got a more punk rock influence, a bit more hardcore. We grew up listening to hardcore and punk rock so it’s great to include these elements in our new songs.”
Three tracks from the new album have already been released as singles. The video for Full Circle is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un76jrW-Lc8 while “Raise Your Voice” can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LjopkhubzA. Latest single, Short Fuse, is posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=79d0g-nHd5o.