"We started out meeting over reading that text
And you had that full-length mirror at the foot of your bed
So every time I lifted your shirt over your head
you said,"Oh, are you watching my back?"
And you had that full-length mirror at the foot of your bed
So every time I lifted your shirt over your head
you said,"Oh, are you watching my back?"
Royal Haunts is the moniker for Pittsburgh indie songwriter Anthony Resch who is offering up his latest synthpop single "Full-Length Mirror" as a free download. Expect some cool things from Tony in the near future as I thank him for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.
The first album you ever bought?
First one I spent my own real money on was “Millennium” by Backstreet Boys. I must have been six or seven. It was absolutely the cassette. My family stopped at a huge record store on a road trip from Pittsburgh to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Spun that shit for twenty hours straight in my mom’s Saturn.
Your last album bought?
Isaac Hayes, “For The Sake of Love”. I snagged this one at Dave’s in the South Side for like 4 bucks. He does this super weird spoken word thing with the lyrics as he sings them real softly in the background. It’s odd. But the arrangements are so tight. He had a part in the photography on the cover too, which is sweet because it’s great.
Isaac Hayes, “For The Sake of Love”. I snagged this one at Dave’s in the South Side for like 4 bucks. He does this super weird spoken word thing with the lyrics as he sings them real softly in the background. It’s odd. But the arrangements are so tight. He had a part in the photography on the cover too, which is sweet because it’s great.
Favorite album of all time?
I’d be lying if I said “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” or “The Suburbs” or “Transference” by Spoon haven’t constantly been in my car since the tenth grade and changed my life in all the best ways, but there’s one that’s just so much more essential then them. When I was 12, my dad was playing a 4th of July gig all the way out in Latrobe, which is like a 40 minute drive from the city. So making that long drive back home with him I was craving some of the “Spiderman 2 Soundtrack”. But as soon as I pop it in, he pops it straight back out. “Not this shit again!” He says. So he sticks his hand in the glove box and pulls out this old scratched up, gray CD. It was David Gray’s “A Century Ends”. We listened to the whole thing on the way home. I had him leave the keys in the car when we pulled into the driveway, and I just sat in the passenger’s seat and listened for hours. I’d never heard someone sing so passionately or lyrics that really touched me like that. That night I picked up the guitar and haven’t set it down since. Seriously, it’s a great record.
I’d be lying if I said “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” or “The Suburbs” or “Transference” by Spoon haven’t constantly been in my car since the tenth grade and changed my life in all the best ways, but there’s one that’s just so much more essential then them. When I was 12, my dad was playing a 4th of July gig all the way out in Latrobe, which is like a 40 minute drive from the city. So making that long drive back home with him I was craving some of the “Spiderman 2 Soundtrack”. But as soon as I pop it in, he pops it straight back out. “Not this shit again!” He says. So he sticks his hand in the glove box and pulls out this old scratched up, gray CD. It was David Gray’s “A Century Ends”. We listened to the whole thing on the way home. I had him leave the keys in the car when we pulled into the driveway, and I just sat in the passenger’s seat and listened for hours. I’d never heard someone sing so passionately or lyrics that really touched me like that. That night I picked up the guitar and haven’t set it down since. Seriously, it’s a great record.
“Here watching the night open like a
flower
The days start to rust
Time pound a silent hammer on this
empire of dust
And I’m thinking about the TV screen
The in the clenched fist
And if we’re searching for peace
How come we still believe in hatred as
the catalyst”
That’s my favorite Lyric on the whole
damn thing.
Least favorite/most disappointing
album?
I typically don’t not like albums. There’s usually something redeeming in anything. I will tell you though, I was bummed when Kings of Leon’s new one turned out lame. They’re a great band, forever in like the deepest part of my heart, but “Mechanical Bull” is weak as all hell.
I typically don’t not like albums. There’s usually something redeeming in anything. I will tell you though, I was bummed when Kings of Leon’s new one turned out lame. They’re a great band, forever in like the deepest part of my heart, but “Mechanical Bull” is weak as all hell.
First concert attended?
My dad has been a serious reggae guitar player and songwriter his whole live. He toured nationally through the 80’s and 90’s and opened for people like The Clash and the Wailers. I know for a fact that I attended crazy Reggae shows in utero. Probably before I even had ears.
My dad has been a serious reggae guitar player and songwriter his whole live. He toured nationally through the 80’s and 90’s and opened for people like The Clash and the Wailers. I know for a fact that I attended crazy Reggae shows in utero. Probably before I even had ears.
Last concert?
I saw Tame Impala earlier this month. I was not sober. It was nuts.
I saw Tame Impala earlier this month. I was not sober. It was nuts.
Favorite concert ever?
I was living in New York my freshman year, and my friend Jess and I were on our way home from a Frightened Rabbit show at like 2 in the morning. There’s not service in the Subway, obviously, so I was just flicking a stale Facebook feed out of boredom. But it was stuck on a post by Phoenix that said they were playing a secret show in Brooklyn the next night. They were going to announce the location at 7am and give 100 tickets out at said location at 10am. Naturally I told Jess and we proceed to flip shit. We didn’t sleep, we just sat up in her room until 6 and hauled ass down to Brooklyn with time to spare. We got tickets and saw Phoenix with 100 people in this tiny club. We met them after. The guitar players and I talked parts for like 20 minutes. It might have been the best day of my life.
I was living in New York my freshman year, and my friend Jess and I were on our way home from a Frightened Rabbit show at like 2 in the morning. There’s not service in the Subway, obviously, so I was just flicking a stale Facebook feed out of boredom. But it was stuck on a post by Phoenix that said they were playing a secret show in Brooklyn the next night. They were going to announce the location at 7am and give 100 tickets out at said location at 10am. Naturally I told Jess and we proceed to flip shit. We didn’t sleep, we just sat up in her room until 6 and hauled ass down to Brooklyn with time to spare. We got tickets and saw Phoenix with 100 people in this tiny club. We met them after. The guitar players and I talked parts for like 20 minutes. It might have been the best day of my life.
Least favorite concert?
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd at Starlake with my friend and his dad. This was in like 2010. Brett Michaels opened. It sucked.
I saw Lynyrd Skynyrd at Starlake with my friend and his dad. This was in like 2010. Brett Michaels opened. It sucked.
Favorite thoughts,
experiences about Pittsburgh?
I’ve lived here most of my life. I grew up in North Side by the Observatory, so the amazing experiences I’ve had here are pretty limitless. I will say though that Pittsburgh is a cultural, academic, rugged, artistic, traditional, innovative city and growing up my parents made sure I saw it all. (Hint: They’re good) So I might not be able to pin one experience down, but if I could go back in time I’d be 4 and looking at the Dinosaurs in the Carnegie with my mom on a Friday afternoon.
I’ve lived here most of my life. I grew up in North Side by the Observatory, so the amazing experiences I’ve had here are pretty limitless. I will say though that Pittsburgh is a cultural, academic, rugged, artistic, traditional, innovative city and growing up my parents made sure I saw it all. (Hint: They’re good) So I might not be able to pin one experience down, but if I could go back in time I’d be 4 and looking at the Dinosaurs in the Carnegie with my mom on a Friday afternoon.
Thanks, Tony. That's an awesome Pheonix 'secret show' story. Something you never forget.
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