Alternative rock band Royal Bliss have been making music since 1997 and just released their major label debut with Capitol Records in January. They’ve been touring non-stop and will be hitting Atlantic City on May 23 with Buckcherry. Campus Philly had the opportunity to speak with vocalist Neal Middleton via phone from his bus in a Walmart parking lot to get some more insight on Royal Bliss.

Campus Philly: I was doing some research on you guys and I read that you basically dropped out of college on a whim and formed Royal Bliss. Would you say it was worth it?

Neal Middleton: I would definitely say yes. Ya know, we’re struggling and it’s been a lot longer than I thought it’d be, but I went to a different kind of college. I would’ve been going at this point for a doctorate. But the experiences we’ve had on the road, the amazing people we’ve met, all the food I’ve gotten to eat and playing with some bands that I just idolize, love and respect… I wouldn’t take it away for anything. I mean, college just wasn’t fulfilling for me. It wasn’t making me happy too happy, then again it doesn’t make a lot of people happy, but it was always my dream to be in a band and when I met this group of guys I thought, ‘This is it, these are the guys I’m gonna do it with,’ and I wouldn’t take it away for anything. I don’t care if I would’ve had a $200,000 job directly out of college, I wouldn’t change a thing.

CP: Yea, I would imagine it’s pretty awesome to be in a band.

NM: Yea, it’s a lot harder than I thought it’d be. But all the bonuses, all the perks and the experiences… it’s totally worth it. Those few moments on stage are totally worth it and hanging out with the fans, and talking about what your songs mean to them, that’s the greatest feeling in the world. I don’t know, it’s hard to describe. But those other 21 hours when you’re in the motor home kinda suck. [laughs]

CP: I read that you guys formed in 1997—has anything changed as a band over the past 12 years?

NM: Oh yea. [laughs] Our luck, we gained a little bit of weight, Jake lost his hair… but he looks better without hair anyways. Our music style and focus on life, our purpose has changed. When we started we were in high school and our songs were about partying and girls. It’s evolved over the years from the almost reggae sound back in the day, reggae rock, to the more straight head rock and roll as things start happening to you in life… like getting older and having some pretty horrible experiences happen to me. It makes you view life a lot differently and I think that affected our music in a major way, it got more serious.

CP: You guys are about to finish up a tour with Candlebox and Jet Black Stare.

NM: Yea, Jet Black hasn’t been on it. I don’t know what happened to them.

CP: I was just wondering how your experience was on that tour.

NM: It’s been amazing. The guys in Candlebox are just so genuine and phenomenal musicians. We’ve learned so much from them onstage and offstage. They’re just amazing individuals, down to earth and they always offer help or food, share music, they’re just so awesome. It’s just been the best tour experience I could ever imagine having. And all the guys in the band are learning so much from every individual in that band. I can’t say enough good things about those guys. I would tour with them for the rest of my life.

CP: You guys have a couple shows coming up with Buckcherry and Chevelle, are you excited to play with any of those bands?

NM: Oh yea. We’ve played with Buckcherry a bunch of times and we like those guys. They’re a bunch of cool dudes. And Josh Todd, the singer, took some time to help me when I had problems with my vocal chords. I just asked him in an email and he responded and checked up. It was just really cool that he took the time to talk to a band he had only played with once or twice. I’m looking forward to watching him play. And Chevelle, we played with them the other day and they’re an amazing band. Their songwriting is just phenomenal so, I think the shows are gonna be awesome. Playing to 6,000 people every night? I could do that. That will be fun [laughs].

CP: For people who haven’t had the opportunity to see you guys live, how would you describe your stage performance?

NM: It’s a good time. We put it all out there every night and we pride ourselves on putting on the best live show that we can every night. Every time we play, we give it all. We’re real up there, you can tell that we’re having a good time and love what we do and we’re just having fun. We’re doing what we’ve always wanted to do our entire lives; it’s like we’re a bunch of kids up there playing rock and roll music. It’s not choreographed and I think people will be able to see that it’s a good all-American rock band and hopefully, you’re gonna have a good time.

CP: Is there anything else you think we should know about Royal Bliss?

NM: Just buy a CD. And if you buy ours, get it at an independent record store. Support the local mom and pop shops and not the big corporations. And just support local music; support the local bands that are up-and-coming, they need support. It’s harder than ever for these bands to make it and we need new, young bands that have a passion for music. So seek those guys out that aren’t using fake crap that are just real bands singing their hearts out.

Don’t miss Royal Bliss at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on May 23 with Buckcherry and Escape the Fate!