Royal Bliss

Royal Bliss is an American rock band from Salt Lake City, Utah. Their most recent album Blood, Wood & Steel was released in 2024. Royal Bliss was formed in 1997 in Salt Lake City, Utah when guitarist Chris Harding met singer Neal Middleton at one of the latter's local solo performances. They were both high school students at the time. The two then recruited additional guitarist Taylor Richards, drummer Jake Smith, and bassist Tommy Gunn. After releasing two EPs, the band released their first full-length album King Size in 2001. The band has attracted media attention for its bad luck. Smith was in a serious car accident in 2003. In 2004, Middleton was severely injured in a fall from a balcony and was temporarily paralyzed, needing a lengthy rehabilitation period. The album After the Chaos was released in 2005, and repackaged with additional tracks as After the Chaos II the following year. That album attracted the attention of Capitol Records, which signed Royal Bliss to the Caroline Records subsidiary. The band's first album with the label, Life In-Between, reached the U.S. rock chart in 2009. Middleton competed on The Voice in 2012 but was eliminated by the judges. The band self-released the albums Waiting Out the Storm in 2012 and Chasing the Sun in 2014. The latter was funded by a Kickstarter campaign. Their 2016 album The Truth reached some American country music charts. Harding and Gunn departed during this period, and the band used some temporary bassists and additional musicians, with the fourth position in the band stabilizing with bassist Brian Hennesy in 2017. This lineup released the album Survival in 2023, followed by the all-acoustic album Blood, Wood & Steel in 2024. Neal Middleton — lead vocals, guitar (1999–present) Taylor Richards — guitar, backing vocals (1998–present) Jake Smith — drums, backing vocals (1998–present) Brian Hennesy - bass, backing vocals (2017–present) King Size (2001) After the Chaos (2005) After the Chaos II (2006) Life In-Between (2009) Waiting Out the Storm (2012) Chasing The Sun (2014) The Truth (2016) Royal Bliss (2019) Survival (2023) Blood, Wood & Steel (2024) 2009: Live and Acoustic in Studio A (2009) 2009: I Just Want You (For Christmas) (2009) Free Again (1998) Gimmie a Little Bliss (1999) Old’s Cool (2001) 15 Years: 1997-2012 (2012) Frost, Bill (June 7, 2007). "Pride & Bliss". Salt Lake City Weekly. Archived from the original on June 25, 2007. Retrieved August 4, 2007. Reavy, Pat (May 17, 2018). "Royal Bliss celebrates 20 years as 'Utah's band'". Deseret News. Retrieved April 30, 2026. Leggett, Steve. "Royal Bliss Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 30, 2026. Nailen, Dan (March 4, 2006). "Despite all the chaos, Royal Bliss plays on". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved August 1, 2007. Sharon, Sommer (November 27, 2012). "ROYAL BLISS - Earning the Title "The Unluckiest Band in Rock"". Screamer Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2026. Frost, Bill (June 23, 2003). "Royal Pain: SLC's Royal Bliss hits the comeback trail after Behind the Music-worthy tribulations". Salt Lake City Weekly. Archived from the original on August 10, 2003. Retrieved August 4, 2007. Iwasaki, Scott (May 5, 2006). "Royal Bliss CD lives up to band's name". Deseret Morning News. Retrieved August 4, 2007. Interview with Neal Middleton, by Grande-Rock.com retrieved on April 13th, 2014. Bjorke, Matt (June 13, 2016). "Country Album Sales Chart: June 13, 2016". Roughstock. Zimmerman, Lee (April 12, 2023). "Utah band Royal Bliss celebrates 25-year anniversary". City Weekly. Retrieved April 30, 2026. Clement, Keith (April 2, 2023). "ROYAL BLISS TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM SURVIVAL ON APRIL 7th". Metalheads Forever Magazine. Retrieved April 30, 2026. "Royal Bliss Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard. Retrieved January 22, 2020.[dead link] "Paranoid": "Mainstream Rock: March 28, 2020". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2020. "Rock Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 27, 2014. Royal Bliss official web site