Royal Headache
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Defunct | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Punk rock and garage rock music, albums, live performances |
Royal Headache was a Sydney-based Australian band known for their punk rock and garage sound, established in 2008. The group consisted of Tim "Shogun" Wall on vocals, Lawrence "Law" Hall on guitar, Joseph "Joe" Sukit handling bass, Chris "Shortty" Shortt on drums, and Gabrielle de Giorgio contributing keyboards, organ, percussion, and backing vocals.
They produced two well-received albums: their self-titled debut Royal Headache (2011) and the follow-up High (2015). The band toured extensively across Europe and the United States before announcing their breakup in June 2018.
History
Royal Headache began in 2008 within a boat shed located in Putney, Sydney, where Shortty and Law started collaborating with an emphasis on raw rock and roll. In search of a frontman, they connected with Shogun through Sydney’s punk circles. Their inaugural live gig took place in January 2009 at the Maggotville warehouse.
Their first single, "Eloise" (2010), attracted notice from Pitchfork for its lively Buzzcocks-inspired vibe. The debut album Royal Headache (2011) gained considerable acclaim through grassroots support despite lacking major label promotion. Critics praised Shogun’s soulful vocal delivery paired with the band’s punk-infused Motown style. In 2012, they embarked on a US tour, selling out venues in Chicago and New York City. That same year at the AIR Awards, they secured Best Independent Album and also opened for the Black Keys during their Australian arena shows.
In 2013, the release of the single "Stand and Stare" preceded Shogun’s exit from the band, which led to an unexpected hiatus. He later attributed this disruption to personal challenges impacting group cohesion but mentioned intentions to finalize their second album.
By late 2014, Royal Headache reunited with keyboardist Gabrielle de Giorgio joining the lineup and resumed performing live at sold-out concerts. Their shows were known for unpredictability; notably, a 2015 performance at Sydney Opera House saw fans storming the stage, prompting police involvement.
The band’s sophomore album High (2015) received widespread critical praise. Vice Magazine highlighted its emotional contrasts of happiness and melancholy, with Shogun emphasizing the heartfelt nature of their songwriting. To support the album, they toured extensively throughout Europe and the US, including an appearance at Barcelona’s Primavera Sound festival.
Despite High's acclaim, Sukit and Shortt departed by late 2016. The remaining members continued using session musicians for rhythm sections and maintained sold-out Australian shows as well as a North American tour in 2017 featuring new material influenced by Motown that garnered positive reviews.
Their concluding live appearance occurred at Los Angeles’ FYF Festival on July 21, 2017. Royal Headache officially disbanded in June 2018. Shogun described this phase as an "emotional holocaust" and has since formed a new project called Shogun & The Sheets. Other former members have either left the music scene or pursued different ventures.
After several years without activity, Royal Headache released a live album titled Live in America in June 2024. This record includes performances from 2012 and 2015 along with previously unreleased tracks. Shogun confirmed via Instagram that there are no plans for a reunion.
Discography
Studio and live albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Royal Headache |
|
| High |
|
| Live in America |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Royal Headache |
|
| Launch Show Tape |
|
| 2010 Winter Tour |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Eloise" | Royal Headache (EP) |
| 2011 | "Surprise" | Royal Headache |
| 2013 | "Stand and Stare"/"Give it All to Me" | non album single |
| 2015 | "Carolina" | High |
Awards and nominations
AIR Awards
The Australian Independent Record Awards (AIR Awards) annually celebrate achievements within Australia’s independent music industry.
| 2012 | Royal Headache | Best Independent Artist | Template:Nom |
| Breakthrough Independent Artist | Template:Nom | ||
| Royal Headache | Best Independent Album | Template:Won |
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (AMP) is a yearly $30,000 award honoring an outstanding Australian album released during that year since its inception in 2005. Template:Awards table |- | 2015 | High | Australian Music Prize | Template:Nom |-
|}
EG Awards / Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards, formerly known as EG Awards until renamed in 2013, have recognized Victorian musical talent annually since 2006.
|- | 2011 | Royal Headache | Best New Talent | |-