Palaye Royale singer Remington Leith tells Anna Rose his younger self is freaking out about getting to tour with his childhood heroes.
With a flair for the dramatic and swagger that would make even Mick Jagger jealous, Palaye Royale have made quick work of conquering stages and hearts the world over with their dirty glam-rock.
They have two studio albums under their belts, the second cracking the Top 10 in both the US Alternative and Independent charts, YouTube views well into the millions, and legions of fans – it’s no wonder vocalist Remington Leith says playing in the band has "been a fucking dream come true”.
When The Music speaks to Leith, Palaye Royale are out on the road supporting Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. “Obviously when I was a kid I idolised Manson and Zombie," he says. "[I] watched all [Zombie's] movies, played Marilyn Manson all the time.
“I’m freaking out, always! Even being on the same tour as them, it’s crazy – I never thought it would happen.”
It’s natural that the three brothers, real last name Kropp, would feel an element of pride given their achievements – they're basically living every millennial's teenage daydream – but it’s remarkable just how down-to-earth they remain in spite of it all. “All I think to myself is, like, I’m this nerdy guy from Las Vegas [and] we’re getting more success each day,” says Leith. "It doesn’t seem real.
"It’s like the ten-year-old kid in me is smiling and freaking out. I’d never thought I’d be here."
“This was the dream since I was a kid, getting to play arenas and stuff. Every time I walk into a stadium we’re playing, that feeling never goes away. It’s like the ten-year-old kid in me is smiling and freaking out. I’d never thought I’d be here.
“The most important thing for us is not just becoming a household name, but creating the music we truly love for as long as we can.”
Leith radiates humility when he talks about Palaye Royale's mission to stay true to themselves and stay grounded, and how grateful they feel to have this career. “It gets a little crazy sometimes,” Leith muses. “You kind of look back sometimes and go, ‘Holy shit, how the hell did we get here?’ It’s a mind-blowing experience, and I’m just so happy I get to play music with my brothers every day.
“I’m so fucking happy in life and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Last year Palaye Royale played their first ever Australian shows as part of the inaugural Good Things Festival tour. “That was unbelievable,” says Leith. “We’d never been to Australia before – it was one of the hottest shows I have ever played in my fucking life though, hands down.
“I chugged at least 15 bottles of water and I was still about to pass out. It was crazy hot, but so much fun. It will always be one of my favourite experiences.”
Aussie fans responded so positively to Palaye Royale's charismatic brand of rock'n'roll that the band return for an east coast headline tour less than a year after their debut. “Good Things Festival is going to be hard to top, but it’s going to be cool to play our own shows. It’ll be awesome.
“The fans were amazing over there, which was something we didn’t expect never having played Australia before. I am so excited to go back."
Leith also shares the band have “got new material coming out": "Fucking With My Head and Nervous Breakdown, we’ll be playing those for the fans over there, some new music as well, and I just can’t wait!"