# Differentiated Flower Boy Band
▼ To release some nerves, let’s start with self introductions.
M: Always playing the guitar with the jack plugged in, I’m vocal Moon.
S: No matter how you look at it, in charge of visuals, I’m drummer Sooyoon.
J: I’m James, who likes girl groups.
▼Which girl groups do you like?
J: Sistar, SNSD.
M: As long as it’s a girl group, everything is okay. It’s the springtime of youth, after all.
▼ Royal Pirates’ superior height and highlighted appearance cannot be denied. What do you think about being so naturally defined as a “flower boy band”?
M: Since the term “flower boy” is clearly meant to be a good thing, it’s not bad. However, gradually we want to be known more for our music.
▼ Comparing yourselves to existing flower boy bands, there are merits…
M: Our greatest merit is that we are one of these bands. We aren’t any different from bands that are formed from a Korean agency.
S: After living in Korea and America for about 10 years each, what you acquire as a result is the two different countries cultures appropriately combining, and being able to quickly absorb new things.
▼ What are some differences between Korean and American culture?
S: Social etiquette is important in Korea. In America expression and way of life are relatively more free.
M: Also in America people are more independent, and in contrast Koreans tend to stick together. Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to each.
J: How you speak is also very different. Korean is a great language to express love. If you use the same words in English, there are instances where you can get mixed up. In these terms, I think ballads in Korean have a good representation of emotions.
▼ You knew each other from before? Were you neighborhood friends?
S: When Moon and I were in middle school, we met at church. After that we played music together and later met James in 2009, when we formed the Royal Pirates.
M: Thinking about it, we and James ran in the same crowds. After all, James was a friend of a friend.
▼ What type of music training did you receive in America?
M: We played at the Viper Room, and various famous clubs on Sunset. That experience itself became practical training.
▼ If you played in clubs at first, then you must have been very close to the audience (close enough to share the same breathing space). How is it when you stand on stage for Korean music broadcasts?
S: Since it was a stage where I didn’t have any experience, I was shaking and nervous. Since at first we weren’t a band aiming to be celebrities, seeing other celebrities at the broadcast station was exceptionally interesting.
M: When performing (not at the broadcast station) there are various songs you can play but since it was a broadcast it was always our title song “Shout Out”, so I felt like it was a little wistful. And in contrast when you compare it to a longer, heightened performance, you have to show everything in the broadcast’s three minutes. Other groups have varied and unconventional performances but ours doesn’t have choreography so I felt a little limited. Next time I think we’ll prepare something a little more fun. For example, to have some installation art to decorate the stage.
#Promising “Stage Presence” Before Debut
▼ Before debut you showed an unusual pace. You were selected as Super Sonic Cho Yongpil’s Super Rookie.
M: Cho Yongpil started the SuperSonic festival and were chosen as one of two groups to be Super Rookie. We had wanted to see him and it was an opportunity to stand on a festival stage and he supported us without hesitation. We are really thankful to be chosen from 100 teams.
S: While performing and recording as part of the “Let’s Go On A Trip” music video, we were able to meet Cho Yongpil directly. He gave off a rock-star aura and was also warm and caring.
M: Yes, I had a guitar solo in the MV, and though it was short I was thrilled.
▼ On August 25th you debuted on Inkigayo. Any comments about your first stage?
M: Anyone would be like this, but I’m left with the foolish thought that “We could have done better”. In the future we have to do better.
S: At the location listening and understanding the atmosphere I realized there are many bars. (?)
▼ Your debut was recent but I heard you have more than 50,000 fans. How is this so?
S: We go through Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
M: We had been working hard to upload Youtube videos, but we’re taking a rest now. We should do it quickly.
J: I’m always thankful to the fans and always welcome the new ones.
▼ Among those performances you have, Usher’s DJ Got Us Fallin’ In love, Bruno Mars’ Just the Way You Are; they have a specific feel and rhythmical arrangement. How do you choose which songs to cover?
M: We want the viewers to go “I know this song” the moment they hear it, so we choose songs that have a higher awareness. After that we can give a more exciting performance; I also sing songs that fit my voice.
▼ How do you coordinate within the team?
M: We naturally give feedback here and there. “Should we try this?” “Ey~ That’s not good.” These types of phrases are repeated but eventually “This is it!” comes up.
#Official Declaration of War “Shout Out”
▼ “Shout Out” comes in original and synth rock versions, but you only promote with the synth rock version. Is there a reason for this?
S: These days dance music is the trend. We wanted to resurrect the 80’s traditional rock trend so we made “Shout Out” original version. However the preparation period was prolonged so we attempted to make a lighter version for the public. That was the synth rock version.
▼ While mixing what was the sound you paid most care towards?
M: We were focused on the drum and vocals. The drum is powerful and the vocals stand out to make the overall groove. We hoped people listening would move along with it.
StarAZ Interview; Royal Pirates fb
—-
UPDATE
▼ To whoever is listening, vocal Moon’s falsetto and integration (?) is a method of singing using screaming.The tone you are talking about now seems much better for when you sing. Do you like your own voice?M: They all say that. Right now I’m trying to show off the spectrum of my voice. In “Shout Out” there is much usage of high tones, but my voice can be suited to the pop and R&B styles. But even when James and I are not singing, and just speaking in Korean or English, our voices do change.
J: I suddenly feel burdened, it’s supposed to add to our charm. ::laughs::
▼ Now the Royal Pirates makes use of drums and guitar. If you were to add another component, it would be…?J: I want to add a DJ. If we had a DJ wouldn’t we be able to more freely show off a more varied performance?
#The Goal is “Public-friendly Rock”
▼ In Korea the rock genre is met with likes and dislikes, will you keep your identity as a rock band?
M: This time we matched our sound with that of the 80’s but the songs we will reveal in the future is light band music that will easily incorporate melody tinged with R&B elements. Either way the one thing that will not change is its roots in rock.
S: While doing music, we’ve tried alternative rock, hard rock, etc. James even tried death metal.
J: In the rock genre there is an ongoing variety of things you can attempt. We have to make results that have our thoughts and (musical) features in it.
▼ Your personal music role model?
M: The Beatles were a rock band but they’re also a band that encompassed both artistry and popularity. Like the Beatles, I also want to do music freely. Personally I like the vocals of Muse, Maroon 5, and Sting.
S:Like the Rolling Stones of Korea, 들국화 (A Wild Camomile), I want to be long-lived and become a role model for juniors.
J: Rise Against the Machine and Daft Punk! Their music and sound detail are cool and they also have a story. More than anything it’s amazing to be able to unite people of the world while they wait for an album to launch.
▼ In your last moments of life, the topic of the song you’d make is…?
M: Bumjoo’s “Love”. I see that that the thing people always crave is love. So I want to leave a song called “Let’s all Love Together, I’m Leaving Now.”
S: I’ll have to go with “Hope.” Right now we’re living the life of music, which is not easy. Of course there were a lot of moments where I wanted to give up. I think it was not letting go of hope that allowed me to get from America to Korea.
J: First, if I were to die today, I want to be thankful for all the days I’ve lived; and since I’ll miss my mom, I’ll also choose “Love.”
▼ What type of band do the Royal Pirates want to be remembered as?
J: A band that moves the heart. Isn’t music the medium through which we can communicate with the most effect? Through it I want people to feel our truthful experiences and emotions. Before that, I suppose I’ve got to learn more, starting with Korean.
S: It’d be nice if we can be remembered as a band that made moving music.
M: Along with and in addition to James and Sooyoon’s wishes, I want to be remembered as a band that plays well on stage. (plays in the fun sense, not musical sense, although he probably wants that, too.)
