L.A.'s The Reigning Monarchs have released their new single "Murder Your Summer" from their new album Black Sweater Massacre, out today, September 24, 2013. Listen to the track HERE.
The Reigning Monarchs are a surf punk band from North Hollywood, California, formed by guitarists Greg Behrendt (author, comedian) and Mike Eisenstein (Letters to Cleo).
They are steadily gaining steam, packing shows, and recently raised almost 30K on fan funding site Indie Go Go. They only asked for 10K. The goal? To not only make their new studio record -- Black Sweater
Massacre -- but to tour and make a feature length documentary about the whole process...and wear black sweaters while doing all of it.
In 2007, standup comic and bestselling author
Greg Behrendt (He's Just Not That Into You) asked his friend, music producer-guitarist Michael Eisenstein (of Boston favorites Letters To Cleo) to produce a song he wrote as a musical intro for his upcoming standup comedy tour.
Combining surf guitar, rockabilly twang and brass like Quadrophenia with the rhythms and energy of The Clash, that particular song ended up being the launch pad for The Reigning Monarchs, and it was also the first track on 2008's self-titled debut LP. In 2012, after gigging regularly, the LA-based band released the 3-song digital EP "All Summer Single," further combining influences as diverse as Dick Dale, Ennio Morricone, The Skatellites and John Scofield.
The Reigning Monarchs weren't happy enough with "All Summer Single" living only in the aural atmosphere, so they created a companion T-Shirt which soon found its way onto the torsos of
Monarch fans like
Dave Grohl and Ben Stiller.
While their music and live shows stand on their own the band has made a habit of to featuring guest vocalists at shows. The Monarchs' versatility and musicality has seen them backing the likes of Norah Jones, Aimee Mann, alternative country heartthrob
Rhett Miller as well as comedians and actors like Ben Stiller, Marc Maron,
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jason Segel.
As Greg and Mike prep the new album, their story of two dads in their 40s attempting to juggle families, careers, and the perhaps foolish dream of being the world's greatest (and best dressed) instrumental rock band is being documented for an upcoming film tentatively titled, Eat Pray Ska!
Their music has been featured on MTV's
Fantasy Factory and The Ridiculousness, as well as the nationally syndicated punk rock radio Show "Complete Control."
For more about the band, visit thereigningmonarchs.com.
