By Ashley Ramírez
Royal Pirate Puerto Rico
Royal Pirate Puerto Rico
Chosen as a “Super Rookie” by Cho Yong Pil, Royal Pirates is the first global rock band to debut under the company Apple of the Eye, Co., Ltd. Royal Pirates is made up of three members: Moon (Vocalist/Guitarist), Sooyoon (Drummer/Sub-Vocalist), and James (Bassist/Sub-Vocalist). Unlike other bands in the Korean music scene, Royal Pirates was not formed, or put together, by an entertainment company. Instead, the band formed, in Los Angeles, California, just like any other traditional, or normal, band would form, which is something that sets them apart from other Korean bands. The 3-member band may have debuted last year, but they have been a part of the music scene for years and have been catching the attention of many for quite some time.
In 2004, Moon, Sooyoon, and Moon’s older brother, Richard, formed a band known as Fading From Dawn. Fading From Dawn played at Korean events and festivals in the state of California. After Richard passed away in April 2008, Moon and Sooyoon rarely played any live shows.
In September 2008, Moon and Sooyoon uploaded their first cover, Muse’s “Time is Running Out”, on YouTube. After uploading their first cover, they continued to upload more covers and began to gain fame. Their music covers consisted of hit songs, including K-Pop songs, such as “Nobody” by Wonder Girls and “Mirotic” by DBSK. After uploading their cover of Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry”, they were invited to appear as guests on Star King, but declined the invitation due to conflicts with school and them not wanting to be remembered as a “Cover Band”.
In 2009, Moon and Sooyoon announced that a new member would be joining the band. That person was none other than James Lee. Moon and Sooyoon met James through a mutual friend, who had recommended James due to his ability to play the bass guitar and for his good looks. James had previous experience in the music scene due to the fact that he had been a member of the bands Azusa and The Clear and Conscious. After James joined the band, they played live shows in California at various venues, including The Roxy and The Viper Room. They also released songs such as “Royal Villain” and “Disappear”.
Before their debut, Royal Pirates made an appearance at the 2012 Men’s Fashion Week in Singapore. They also performed at SuperSonic 2013 and made an appearance in the event’s music video. On August 25, 2013, Royal Pirates officially debuted on Inkigayo with their single “Shout Out”. They also released their first official music video with the single “Shout Out (Synth Rock Version)”. Also, “Shout Out” was released as a digital single.
On January 15, 2014, Royal Pirates released their first mini album titled “Drawing The Line”. Since then, Royal Pirates have made broadcasting appearances, have been booked to do variety show programs such as “Law of the Jungle” and “Law of the City”, have taken part in radio shows, have been offered commercial endorsement contracts by companies such as Sony and Lafuma, have been invited to participate in major rock festivals, and have held live concerts in Korea and overseas.
On March 24, 2014, Royal Pirates released their first mini album in Japan, titled “Shout Out”, which includes English versions of “Drawing The Line”, “Shout Out”, and “Fly To You”. Following this release, Royal Pirates held events for the fans in Japan, including a showcase.
In August 2014, prior to the release of their second mini album, Royal Pirates held various busking events around Seoul, which attracted large audiences. During their last busking event, Royal Pirates were able to celebrate their First Anniversary when fans gave them a cake as a gift to celebrate this special occasion. On August 27, 2014, Royal Pirates released their second mini album titled “Love Toxic”.
In September, it was announced that Royal Pirates would be touring with Lee Minho once again, but this time on the RE:MINHO Global Tour. Royal Pirates had previously toured with Lee Minho on two other occasions.
Without a doubt, Royal Pirates is a promising band with a bright future, who are on the road to success. The band has been considered to be underrated. Many have failed to see the talent and the potential that this band possesses. They are not only a band who sings and plays their own instruments skillfully, but they are also a band who composes their own music, who have continued to polish their skills with the help of various industry professionals, and who have so much passion for what they do. Royal Pirates is a band that everyone should continue to look forward to and should continue to anticipate because they truly are something special.
Have never heard of Royal Pirates before or have never listened to them? What are you waiting for? Go check them out. You won’t regret it.