BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
The Amazing Crowns
Website: Amazing Royal Crowns at VH1.com
The Amazing Crowns (formerly Amazing Royal Crowns) are a rockabilly band that began in Providence, Rhode Island in 1993. It was composed of vocalist Jason “King” Kendall, bassist Jack “the Swinger” Hanlon, guitarist J.D. Burgess, and drummer Judd Williams.
In 1999, two years after gaining notoriety by winning the WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble in Boston, the band was forced to change their name mid-tour in response to pressure from lawyers representing Royal Crown Revue.
During the quartet’s heyday, they won Boston’s WBCN Rumble, were nominated for seven Kahlua Boston Music Awards, toured extensively with the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Cramps, The Reverend Horton Heat and others, signed with Velvel Records and released a 1998 album entitled The Amazing Royal Crowns.
The band’s song, “Mr. Fix-it” is featured as a playable track in the hit video game Guitar Hero II.
In November 2012, the Amazing Royal Crowns announced that hell has frozen over and they will be opening for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones on New Year’s Eve in Boston, MA at the House of Blues. There they announced they would consider playing another show and for people to watch out for them.
According to an Allmusic reviewer:
If you can’t get enough of retro sounds and styles, the self-titled debut by Rhode Island’s Amazing Royal Crowns is for you. Equal parts punk (a la X), rockabilly (Reverend Horton Heat), and swing (Brian Setzer Orchestra), the Crowns successfully capture the excitement of their live act on their debut, undoubtedly due to the fact that it was recorded in only two days. And impressively, not one overdub was used during the debut’s recording. The only criticism is that the songs tend to sound similar after a while, but it doesn’t spell disaster for the group, since their energetic, party-hearty performances save the day. Highlights include the guitar-fest instrumental “Gretschy” (named after Johnny Maguire’s Gretsch guitar), the “dedicated to Johnny Cash” “Rollercoaster,” and the opening rocker “Shiverin’ In the Corner.” Horns are used to great effect on “Do the Devil,” while the music included in “Scene of the Crime” is pure Duane Eddy. The Amazing Royal Crowns should have no problem breaking through in the retro-heavy ’90s.
Discography
Studio Albums
Amazing Royal Crowns (1997)
Track List
1.Shiverin in the Corner 2:25
2.Do the Devil 2:44
3.Fireball Stomp 1:53
4.Scene of the Crime 2:15
5.Minute With the Maker 2:13
6.Gretschy 2:19
7.Mr. Lucky 1:44
8.Rollercoaster 2:07
9.1965 G.T.O. 3:22
10.King of the Joint 2:18
11.Wreckin Machine 1:59
12.If He Can’t 2:32
13.Harem Caravan 2:31
14.Swimming in Drinks 1:42
Royal (2000)
Track List
1.Still Royal 2:51
2.Mr. Fix It 2:33
3.Perfect Sin 2:50
4.The Ride 2:20
5.Halos & Horns 2:54
6.Flipping Coins 3:19
7.Hat Size 2:18
8.Invitation to Alienation 2:30
9.Out the Door 3:25
10.Greasy 2:00
11.Losing Streak 2:31
12.Bitter Life 1:54
13.Blue Light 3:17
14.Chop Shop 2:34
Live Albums[edit]
“Payback Live!” (2000)
LINKS:
- Velvel Signs Amazing Royal Crowns
- Jump up ^ Game Chronicle
- Jump up ^ Rolling Stone July 9, 1999
- Jump up ^ [1] Review by Greg Prato for Allmusic
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