The Royal We

The Scottish indie pop outfit The Royal We originated in 2005 after singer Jihae Simmons and lead guitarist Roxanne Clifford settled on the group’s name and then assembled musicians around the concept. Their lineup expanded to include second guitarist Patrick Doyle, violinist Joan Sweeney, multi-instrumentalist Graeme Ronald—also a part-time touring member of post-rock icons Mogwai—and drummer Colin Kearney, likewise one-third of the sprightly indie outfit Bricolage. Local performances soon followed in Glasgow, yet the ensemble first drew broad attention through its MySpace page, which introduced the glam-influenced dance-rocker “All the Rage.” In 2006 the band secured a deal with Scottish indie Geographic Records and commenced work on a debut album slated for the next year. By the time the self-titled LP appeared in late 2007, however, the members had already resolved to disband. Simmons returned to America, while the remaining musicians pursued separate, consistently notable projects.