Music With Bite
Interview With Regal Beagle
Long Beach
From Issue 1.1, September/October 2004
It’s funny, but declaring “I’m more punk than you,” in a crowded Long Beach smokehouse never sounded cooler than when Regal Beagle’s lead singer Bryan, made this declaration
Sure, “punk” is a tired subject. Some would say it has been done, overdone and is over.
However, the members of Regal Beagle make the conversation sound alive again. These are individuals who know their music history. They know where their music evolved from and show an appreciation for what is still to come.
“A good punk band, gets you into being a part of the scene,” said bass player Jaime. “The music gets people excited in the scene and the band gets into it with the crowd and that’s what being a punk band is as far as I’m concerned.”
It does not seem to matter if someone hears Regal Beagle’s music from a CD or from a live show, the end result is always the same: the music is induced with spontaneous pep. Their music is fun and light-hearted and does not require a lot of effort or labor to have to listen to it. Anyone will say that is what makes a band respectable.
“Now, it’s all about the image,” said lead singer and guitarist Bryan. “Everyone’s matching, and it wasn’t like that before. There was no fucking leather.”
Started in 1994, Regal Beagle gained its name from the old television sitcom, “Three’s Company.” Jaime joined the band in December of 1999.
This band is obviously not part of the just born pack of bands that emerge with each new generation of rockers. Their opinions and music style are the results of several years worth of playing and perfecting what they do rather than mass marketing themselves via some rebel image.
They come to shows wearing polo shirts.
“Our image is being fat and old,” Jaime said laughing.
“We’re not making it a business,” said Bryan. “Our main priority is to make music.”
“Kids nowadays have Chain Reactions to go to. They grew up with the music as more of a business, and it’s okay to make it a business-like the Warped Tour. The Warped Tour is still viable,” said Jaime.
Being themselves rather than money hungry has obviously gotten them far. Regal Beagle has shared the stage with bands such as Good Riddance and went to Las Vegas with the Angry Samoans. They also played a tribute show with the Dickies in June 2002 for Dee Dee Ramone.
Regal Beagle’s tribute obviously makes sense considering much of the band’s influences comes from integrating the Ramones with the Buzzcocks and Queers while adding their own flavor to the mix.
“The Ramones were the start of punk rock,” said Bryan.
“I like the simplicity. They [the Ramones] were able to change it up,” added Alben.
“They didn’t do anything spectacular. They were just a bunch of guys who just wanted to play guitars,” said Jaime.
“The Sex Pistols started the fashion,” said Bryan. “But any historian would tell you that Sid Vicious copied Dee Dee Ramone. It all leads up to nowadays and how bands need that image to sell.”
Instead of being cliche and saying the music of Regal Beagle is fresh and poppy, it should be said that their music is reminiscent of a more traditional sound.
Spearheaded by the idea of simple chords and lyrics, Regal Beagle is a dynamic and cohesive force that commands a lot of respect.
The backing vocals of rhythm guitarist Alan and drummer Alben, provide perfect harmony to the vocals of lead singer and guitarist Bryan. The music has the smoothness of a barber shop quartet without being ridiculously lame.
Despite their approach to the music with simple chords and love songs, listeners will find any Regal Beagle song to be the result of several layers of intricate work.
Jaime’s bass seems to function as part of each song’s rhythm, and still maintains the underlying beat of the song with Alben’s fast work on the drums. A lot of the quick chord changes on the guitar set the mood for the songs. All in all, it is obvious the band works well together by integrating their distinct musical backgrounds.
Jaime is into the early 80s punk like that of Social Distortion and Dynamite Boy. He picked up the bass around 1989 and had exposure to playing the accordion (five lessons worth). He also believes in musicians merging into the political spectrum.
“Punk voter is awesome,” said Jaime. “It rallies the people towards a cause. He [Fat Mike of NOFX] did it because it’s something he wanted to do. I don’t think he really has an argument. It’s more about getting the information out and giving people a forum to get it out.”
Alan added to the conversation and said, “Music is art. It’s up to the artist to decide what he wants to transcribe.”
“It’s just the era we’re in now. So, bands just jump on the bandwagon,” added Alben whose major musical influences come from 80s college rock. Alben’s dad wanted him to play the drums his sophomore year in high school.
Bryan, who writes most of the band’s lyrics, picked up his first guitar in 1988. With prior exposure to piano lessons, he gained a better ear for the music. Most of his influences come from the past.
“I go way back-like the 60s, the Beach Boys, the Beatles. The Ramones were really influenced by that type of music: three-chord songs and melodies that sounded like doo-wop,” said Bryan.
Alan comes from a blues background with his major influences being Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn. He also experiments with electronica similar to that of the Crystal Method and different British and German DJs.
Given these various backgrounds, the band has been on several compilations and is currently working on a record with San Diego band, the Burbs. They also have an album that is not officially out yet.
However, the band’s main intention is to continue playing shows and making new music. A major component of the band is the audience feedback.
“The best compliments we get, are when kids come up and say ‘hey, you influenced me.... You know, don’t give a kid a gun, give him a guitar,” said Alan as the rest of his bandmates laughed at his rather serious comment.
However, Alan’s statement comes at a time when appreciation for music is at an all-time low. Perhaps it is his statement with Regal Beagle’s anti-image mentality and appreciation for music’s past, that makes their music and the band itself a lot more credible and likable than all the generic New Found Glorys and Simple Plans put together.