Royal Crown Revue
Encyclopedia
The Royal Crown Revue (RCR) is a band formed in 1989 in Los Angeles
, California
. They are often credited with starting the Swing Revival
movement. Live, RCR has been extremely successful: They participated in 1998's Vans Warped Tour, opened for the B-52s and The Pretenders and played at major US Jazz Festivals. The band also filmed an episode of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels
", which aired in March 2010.
The band was founded by Mark Stern, Eddie Nichols and Mando Dorame out of their love of Rockabilly, Punk, Jazz, Blues, Soul and other styles of roots music
. Two of Stern's siblings, Jamie and Adam rounded out the group (Mark, Adam and another brother Shawn were members of the punk
band Youth Brigade
).
After releasing their first album on BYO Records
, the band signed with Warner Bros. and parted ways with the Stern brothers. Currently, RCR's lineup consists of singer Eddie Nichols, tenor saxophonist/arranger/writer Mando Dorame, trumpeter Scott Steen and drummer Daniel Glass. The band continues to play to capacity crowds in Australia, Europe and the US.
After filming The Mask
, RCR began a residency at the landmark Los Angeles club, The Derby, which gained worldwide recognition due, in large part, to the location's inclusion in the hit film Swingers. Although the band's music was an instrumental part of The Derby's swing scene, a conflict in their Warner Brothers contract prevented Royal Crown Revue from appearing in the movie.
The RCR Horn section backed Bette Midler
on her top-grossing 2003-2004 Kiss My Brass
tour. Trumpeter Scott Steen was Bette's featured soloist.
RCR made numerous film, television, radio and print appearances, including The Mask
, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, Viva Variety
, The Today Show and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 1998 the group appeared at the Playboy Jazz Festival
, recorded and performed live with Bette Midler at the Billboard Music Awards and composed the original theme for the WB Network's 1999 television season.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They are often credited with starting the Swing Revival
Swing Revival
The Swing Revival was a late 1990s and early 2000s period of renewed popular interest in swing and jump blues music and dance from the 1930s and 1940s as exemplified by Louis Prima, often mixed with a more contemporary rock, rockabilly or ska sound, known also as neo-swing or retro...
movement. Live, RCR has been extremely successful: They participated in 1998's Vans Warped Tour, opened for the B-52s and The Pretenders and played at major US Jazz Festivals. The band also filmed an episode of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels
Gene Simmons Family Jewels
Gene Simmons Family Jewels is an American reality television series that premiered on A&E on August 7, 2006. The show follows the life of KISS bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons, his longtime partner Shannon Tweed, and their two children, Nick and Sophie....
", which aired in March 2010.
The band was founded by Mark Stern, Eddie Nichols and Mando Dorame out of their love of Rockabilly, Punk, Jazz, Blues, Soul and other styles of roots music
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
. Two of Stern's siblings, Jamie and Adam rounded out the group (Mark, Adam and another brother Shawn were members of the punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Youth Brigade
Youth Brigade (band)
Youth Brigade is a Southern California punk music trio formed in 1980 by brothers Mark Stern, Adam Stern, and Shawn Stern. The band subsequently founded BYO , which served both as their record label and as a statement of their attitude toward the young people involved in the punk subculture, which...
).
After releasing their first album on BYO Records
BYO Records
BYO Records is a Los Angeles, California based independent punk rock record label created by Shawn and Mark Stern, two of the three brothers of the seminal California punk rock band Youth Brigade . BYO stands for Better Youth Organization and aims to promote punk and other alternative youth...
, the band signed with Warner Bros. and parted ways with the Stern brothers. Currently, RCR's lineup consists of singer Eddie Nichols, tenor saxophonist/arranger/writer Mando Dorame, trumpeter Scott Steen and drummer Daniel Glass. The band continues to play to capacity crowds in Australia, Europe and the US.
After filming The Mask
The Mask
The Mask is a Dark Horse comic book series created by writer John Arcudi and artist Doug Mahnke, and based on a concept by publisher Mike Richardson. The series follows a magical mask which imbues the wearer with reality-bending powers and physical imperviousness, as well as bypassing the wearer's...
, RCR began a residency at the landmark Los Angeles club, The Derby, which gained worldwide recognition due, in large part, to the location's inclusion in the hit film Swingers. Although the band's music was an instrumental part of The Derby's swing scene, a conflict in their Warner Brothers contract prevented Royal Crown Revue from appearing in the movie.
The RCR Horn section backed Bette Midler
Bette Midler
Bette Midler is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys...
on her top-grossing 2003-2004 Kiss My Brass
Kiss My Brass
Bette Midler hit the road for the first time in four years with her 2003–2004 Kiss My Brass concert tour. The first leg of the tour kicked off on December 10 in Chicago, Illinois and went through the middle of February. The tour hit the top 40 cities across the U.S. with one stop in Toronto, Ontario...
tour. Trumpeter Scott Steen was Bette's featured soloist.
RCR made numerous film, television, radio and print appearances, including The Mask
The Mask (film)
The Mask is a 1994 American superhero comedy film based on a series of comic books published by Dark Horse Comics. This film was directed by Chuck Russell, and produced by Dark Horse Entertainment and New Line Cinema, and originally released to movie theatres on July 29, 1994 through New Line...
, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, Viva Variety
Viva Variety
Viva Variety is an American sketch comedy series that aired on Comedy Central from April 1997 to December 1999. The series satirizes European variety shows.-Overview:...
, The Today Show and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In 1998 the group appeared at the Playboy Jazz Festival
Playboy Jazz Festival
The Playboy Jazz Festival is an annual event sponsored by Playboy Enterprises to celebrate jazz as well as feature both established and up and coming musicians of the genre. It was founded by Hugh Hefner and was first held in Chicago, Illinois at the Chicago Stadium in 1959. However, the second...
, recorded and performed live with Bette Midler at the Billboard Music Awards and composed the original theme for the WB Network's 1999 television season.
Current band members
- Eddie Nichols - Vocals
- Jennifer Keith - Vocals
- Mando Dorame - Tenor sax
- Daniel Glass - Drums
- Mark Cally - Guitar
- Jim Jedeikin - Baritone/Alto sax
- Dave Miller - Bass
- Lee Thornburg - Trumpet (alternate)
- Mark Pinder - Trumpet (alternate)
- (Jim Honeyman is credited as the Baritone/Alto Sax on the Live at The Corner Hotel Album)
Former band members
- James Achor - Guitar
- Enrico CrivellaroEnrico CrivellaroEnrico Crivellaro is an Italian blues musician, who current lives in Los Angeles.Several record stores in the United States have moved his CD’s from the “Blues” shelves to the “Guitar Hero” section, and have put them next to those by Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, and so forth...
- Guitar - Greg Erba - Guitar
- Veikko Lepisto - Bass
- Adam Stern - Bass
- Mark Stern - Drums
- Jamie Stern - Alto Saxophone
- Bill Ungerman - Alto/baritone saxophone
- Scott Steen - Trumpet
Discography
- Kings of Gangster Bop (BYO Records 1991)
- Mugzy's Move (Warner Bros. Records 1996). Re-released in 1998 adding "Barflies At The Beach"
- Caught In The Act (Live) (Surfdog Records 1997)
- The Contender (Warner Bros. Records 1998)
- Walk On Fire (RCR Records 1999)
- Passport To Australia (Live) (RCR Records 2000)
- Greetings From Hollywood (2004)
- El Toro (2007)
- Live at The Corner Hotel, Melbourne Australia (Live) (2007)