Joel Bauman
early years
1999-2012
Royale was born out of love for big guitar riffs, an appreciation for the finer things, and a mutual obsession with science fiction.
Brothers Joel, Nate, and Zach Bauman grew up in the working-class town of Kalamazoo, MI, each with an immediate passion for music (passed down from their parents — their mother, a music teacher and their father, a school principal). At an early age, their shared obsessions with music, sports, and culture made the pursuit of playing in a band together an obvious choice. Once they moved to Chicago, they teamed up with Louisville, KY native Marc Najjar (also with a strong Music Education background and a love of heavy riffs and sports) to make the heaviest music they could that would inspire some serious baby-making.
The self dubbed Yacht Metal band is comprised of brothers and has been featured in SPIN, Consequence of Sound, AV Club, NYLON, Chicago Tribune, Modern Drummer, Bass Player Magazine & more. Since it’s release on New Years Day, …As Long As The Money Lasted has sold in over 50 countries worldwide.
Just five months after the release of their debut album, Chicago based band Royale is releasing a new body of music titled The Garden Tapes; a compilation album of remastered b-sides and outttakes.
Hailing from our fair city of Chicago, Royale specializes in ‘70s prog sautéed with indie sensibility and metal influences. Comprised of brothers Joel (guitar), Nate (drums) and Zach Bauman (guitars and keys) with Marc Najjar on bass duties, the band met when the members began their careers at the famous Chicago Music Exchange. Now into their third year together, Royale shows promise with their sleek new album …As Long as the Money Lasted, spacey Tron-inspired art direction and a social media presence complete with a hashtag promoting their self-coined genre known as #yachtmetal.