Royal Headache

Volatile and explosively melodic, Australian band Royal Headache infused its garage punk core with a hearty dose of '60s-inspired AM radio soul-pop. They existed in fits and starts between 2008 and 2017, producing two full-length albums (their 2011 self-titled debut and 2015 swan song High), and wreaking a glorious havoc as an incredible live band touring across Europe and the United States. Characterized by vocalist Shogun's soulful screams and the band's ramped-up but tuneful songwriting style, Royal Headache burned brightly and left behind a revered legacy, with evidence of their brilliant chaos still surfacing years after their disbandment on the 2024 live album Live in America.

Royal Headache rose out of the bleak underground punk scene of Western Sydney, Australia in 2008. In part as a response to the gloomy post-punk bands happening at the time of their genus, the group expanded their stylistic range by including ample amounts of melody and unlikely <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Motown%22">Motown</a> influences. Going by foreshortened nicknames, Royal Headache first consisted of Shogun on vocals, Joe on bass, Shortty on drums, and Law on guitar. The quartet quickly made a name for itself on the strength of a self-produced 7" and began playing locally. In 2011 the band released its self-titled debut LP on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22R.I.P.+Society%22">R.I.P. Society</a> in Australia. The record was produced by <a href="spotify:artist:2oeu1S18kSQkVZC7lqCl3M">Mikey Young</a>, influential godfather of the Aussie punk scene and full-time member of <a href="spotify:artist:6EBtwTGHBGlCKqIvjUwLkW">Eddy Current Suppression Ring</a>. This collection of incredibly catchy, punk-tinged power soul was met with a positive response almost across the board from the underground press, and gained the band much wider recognition. Tours of Europe and the United States followed, and in early 2012 the group's first record was re-released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22What%27s+Your+Rupture%3F%22">What's Your Rupture?</a> in America. Further success followed for the band as critical plaudits piled up and a tour of Australia with <a href="spotify:artist:7mnBLXK823vNxN3UWB7Gfz">the Black Keys</a> followed. The touring and lifestyle took a toll and in 2013 Shogun left the band. During their time apart Joe played in the band Bed Wetting Bad Boys and Shogun took on guitar duties for the group <a href="spotify:artist:6X9PsFQH8aPoK1vH5SwUIh">Low Life</a>. The band reconvened to play some shows, including a tumultuous night at Sydney's Royal Opera House, and began working on its second album. Made up of songs that were begun around the time the first record was released, Royal Headache added some keyboards from friend Gabrielle De Giorgio, and worked to expand their sound. High was released in late August of 2015, again on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22What%27s+Your+Rupture%3F%22">What's Your Rupture?</a> The album was adored by fans and critics, and the band returned to touring for about another year before splintering again. They tried to carry on with a new lineup, but by 2017 Royal Headache had disbanded permanently. Members went on to different projects as the years went on, and the influence of the music they left behind grew in their absence. In 2024, <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22What%27s+Yr+Rupture%22">What's Yr Rupture</a> released Live in America, an archival live album made up of concert recordings from a stop at New Jersey radio institution WFMU in 2012 and a concert at Chicago venue the Empty Bottle in 2015. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi