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Royal Bangs
Sometimes the press inadvertently does the marketing for a band. Metro Pulse called the Royal Bangs "nerd fantasia." Well, their stage gear includes amps for drum loops plus keyboards to control a laptop. Music by and for guys who spend too much time starring at a monitor.
The Royal Bangs were also once likened to "Radiohead vs. fifteen bottles of Southern Comfort." That has a stumbling, out of control sound to it; ominous even for Radiohead fans.
Ryan Schaefer and Chris Rusk put the Knoxville based group together in '02 and by '06 the line-up had solidified. Signed by Audio Eagle records the group issued their debut, "We Breed Champions," in '08. A set at that year's Bonnaroo Festival (in Manchester, TN) earned good notices and it looked as though Rusk might achieve his goal. "I want to save just enough souls to be able to buy an Escalade with a Jacuzzi in it!" Apparently he is a man of simple needs.
They have cars in Knoxville and that means they have garages too. Obviously, that's where the Royal Bangs' basic elements fell into place. Don't let all the electronics and loops distract, the Royal Bangs are a garage band at heart - and a very good one at that. "We Breed Champions" opens with "New Scissors" where they ride the riff with rough disregard. From there they power through "Cat Swallow." Latter day Radiohead influences show up in "Handcuff Killa" and "Japanese Cars." But they are much more potent channeling the "Creep" era Radiohead on the noisy "Brother." Royal Bangs show off their humorous side on "Broken Calculator," a telling slice of life.