Complete List Of Royal Blood Band Members

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Royal Blood is a band from Worthing, England. They exploded on the rock scene in 2011, quickly establishing themselves as one of the most formidable rock duos in the modern music landscape. What makes Royal Blood extraordinary is their unique sound, built around Mike Kerr’s innovative bass playing technique that makes his instrument sound like both a bass and electric guitar simultaneously, paired with Ben Thatcher’s powerful drumming. Since their formation, the band has released four studio albums, all of which topped the UK Albums Chart, Royal Blood (2014), How Did We Get So Dark? (2017), Typhoons (2021), and Back to the Water Below (2023). Their self-titled debut was particularly notable as it became the UK’s fastest-selling British rock debut album in three years.

The band’s rapid rise to prominence was aided by significant endorsements, including Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders wearing a Royal Blood t-shirt during Glastonbury 2013, bringing them wider attention before they’d even released their first album. Their accolades include winning Best British Group at the 2015 BRIT Awards (presented by Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page), Best New Band and Best Live Band at the 2015 NME Awards, and a nomination for the prestigious Mercury Prize for their debut album.

Although Royal Blood has maintained its core identity as a bass-and-drums duo, they’ve evolved their sound over time, incorporating more electronic and dance elements in their later albums, which has necessitated the addition of touring musicians to reproduce these elements in live performances. Despite lineup changes in their formative years and the addition of touring members for live shows, the band’s distinctive sound and high-energy performances have cemented their place as one of the most significant rock acts of the 2020s.

Mike Kerr

Mike Kerr, born on June 19, 1990, in Worthing, West Sussex, is the lead vocalist and bassist of Royal Blood. Kerr’s musical journey began before Royal Blood, playing in various bands including Flavour Country, where he served as keyboardist and keytarist alongside future bandmate Ben Thatcher. In 2011, Kerr formed Royal Blood with original drummer Matt Swan and guitarist Joe Dennis, initially as a three-piece band. When Dennis departed in 2012, Kerr was forced to innovate, developing what would become his signature sound—a bass guitar manipulated through effects pedals and amplifiers to sound like both bass and electric guitar simultaneously.

After a period in Australia where he worked with Swan, Kerr returned to England in 2013 where he reconnected with Ben Thatcher, reforming Royal Blood as the duo we know today. Kerr’s distinctive playing style became the band’s sonic cornerstone, allowing them to create a massive sound that belies their two-person lineup. His bass work can be heard across all four Royal Blood albums: their self-titled debut (2014), How Did We Get So Dark? (2017), Typhoons (2021), and Back to the Water Below (2023).

Beyond his bass playing, Kerr has expanded his instrumental repertoire on later albums, incorporating keyboards and piano from 2017 onward, and even guitar on some tracks from 2022. His vocal style, often described as powerful and gritty, complements the band’s heavy sound. Kerr has been open about overcoming personal challenges, including getting sober before the creation of Typhoons, which he credited with potentially saving the band. Outside of Royal Blood, Kerr collaborated with Josh Homme on the Desert Sessions in 2018, demonstrating his wider influence in the rock community. Throughout his career, Kerr has remained committed to creating authentic, powerful rock music that pushes the boundaries of what two musicians can accomplish.

Ben Thatcher

Ben Thatcher, born on February 12, 1988, in Rustington, West Sussex, is the powerhouse drummer behind Royal Blood’s thunderous sound. Thatcher’s journey with bandmate Mike Kerr began in their teenage years around 2005, when they were briefly part of a four-piece band called Flavour Country. While not part of the original Royal Blood lineup formed in 2011, Thatcher’s destiny with the band was cemented in 2013 when he picked up Kerr from the airport upon his return from Australia. At that pivotal moment, they decided to continue under the Royal Blood name with Thatcher replacing original drummer Matt Swan.

Thatcher’s dynamic drumming style is essential to Royal Blood’s massive sound, providing the perfect rhythmic foundation for Kerr’s bass innovations. He has been the band’s drummer on all four of their chart-topping studio albums: Royal Blood (2014), How Did We Get So Dark? (2017), Typhoons (2021), and Back to the Water Below (2023). Beyond drums, Thatcher has occasionally contributed piano to the band’s recordings between 2017 and 2018, showcasing his broader musical abilities.

Known for his energetic live performances, Thatcher has become renowned for his impressive drum solos and occasional crowd interactions during shows. In a touching tribute during their 2022 tour, he paid homage to the late Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters during his drum solo. Thatcher’s role in the band extends beyond performance—he’s been involved in the songwriting process throughout their career and has mentioned working on new material even while touring. In 2023, Thatcher returned a decade-old favor when he wore an Arctic Monkeys t-shirt during Royal Blood’s Glastonbury performance, reciprocating the publicity boost they received in 2013 when Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders wore a Royal Blood shirt during the same festival. His solid, powerful drumming remains a defining element of Royal Blood’s distinctive sound.

Matt Swan

Matt Swan was the original drummer for Royal Blood when the band first formed in Worthing in March 2011. Swan played a crucial role in the band’s early development, being part of the initial trio lineup alongside Mike Kerr (vocals/bass) and Joe Dennis (guitar). After Dennis left in early 2012, Swan remained with Kerr as they continued to develop their sound.

Swan, who was from Australia, brought an international dimension to the band when they relocated to his home country later in 2012. During this Australian period, Royal Blood recorded their first EP in Brisbane, with Swan and Kerr playing shows around the Brisbane and Gold Coast area. The first single from this early incarnation of Royal Blood, titled “Leaving,” premiered on Australian radio station Triple J in 2012. This track would later be re-recorded and renamed “Come On Over” by Kerr and Thatcher.

The Swan-era Royal Blood came to an end when Kerr decided to return to Worthing, England in 2013. Upon his return, Kerr formed the now-famous duo with Ben Thatcher, who replaced Swan as the band’s drummer. While Swan’s time with Royal Blood was relatively brief (2011-2013), his contribution to the band’s early development and their Australian chapter remains an important part of their history. Swan’s work can be heard on their early Australian recordings, though most of this material was later re-recorded with Thatcher for their official releases.

Joe Dennis

Joe Dennis served as the original guitarist for Royal Blood when the band first formed in Worthing in March 2011. As part of the initial trio lineup alongside Mike Kerr (vocals/bass) and Matt Swan (drums), Dennis contributed to the band’s earliest sound before their transformation into the bass-and-drums duo that would later become their signature format.

Dennis’s tenure with Royal Blood was brief but significant, spanning from the band’s formation in 2011 until his departure in early 2012. His exit from the group proved to be a pivotal moment in Royal Blood’s evolution, as it led Kerr to develop his revolutionary bass playing style that would define the band’s sound. Without a guitarist, Kerr began experimenting with various effects pedals and amplifiers to make his bass guitar sound like both a bass and electric guitar simultaneously, creating the massive sound that became Royal Blood’s trademark.

Although Dennis’s time with the band was short-lived and predated their commercial success, his departure inadvertently helped shape their unique sonic identity. After leaving Royal Blood, Dennis has maintained a relatively low profile in the music industry, with limited public information available about his subsequent musical endeavors. Nevertheless, his brief role in the band’s formation remains an interesting footnote in Royal Blood’s history, representing the band’s evolution from a conventional trio to the innovative duo that would go on to achieve international acclaim.

Jodie Scantlebury

Jodie Scantlebury joined Royal Blood as a touring musician, providing backing vocals and playing electronic drums during their live performances from 2017 to 2018, and then again from 2020 to 2022. Her addition to the touring lineup came following the release of the band’s second album, “How Did We Get So Dark?” (2017), which featured additional sounds beyond the core bass and drums that required supplementary musicians for live renditions.

As a backing vocalist, Scantlebury helped reproduce the more layered vocal arrangements featured on the band’s studio recordings, adding depth and dimension to their live sound. Her electronic drum contributions complemented Ben Thatcher’s acoustic drumming, allowing the band to recreate the expanded sonic palette of their later albums in a concert setting. Scantlebury performed with Royal Blood during significant tours supporting their second album, appearing at major venues and festivals across the UK, Europe, and beyond.

While not a permanent member of Royal Blood, Scantlebury’s contributions were valuable to the band’s live presentations during a period of sonic evolution, helping bridge the gap between their studio recordings and live performances. Following the release of “Typhoons” and the band’s shift toward more electronic and dance-influenced sounds, Scantlebury and fellow touring member Zarif Davidson were replaced by keyboardist Darren James for the band’s subsequent tours. Although her time with Royal Blood has concluded, Scantlebury’s role in helping the band bring their expanded sound to live audiences remains a notable part of their performance history.

Zarif Davidson

Zarif Davidson served as a touring musician for Royal Blood from 2017 to 2018 and again from 2020 to 2022, providing backing vocals and electronic drums during the band’s live performances. Davidson joined the touring lineup alongside Jodie Scantlebury following the release of Royal Blood’s second album, “How Did We Get So Dark?” in 2017, which featured a broader sonic palette that required additional musicians to reproduce in concert settings.

As a backing vocalist, Davidson helped add depth and dimension to Royal Blood’s live sound, supporting Mike Kerr’s lead vocals and creating the fuller vocal arrangements heard on the band’s studio recordings. Her electronic drum contributions complemented Ben Thatcher’s powerful acoustic drumming, enabling the band to faithfully recreate their increasingly complex studio productions on stage. Davidson performed with Royal Blood during major tours supporting both their second album and the early promotion for “Typhoons,” appearing at significant venues and festivals throughout Europe and North America.

While not an official member of the core Royal Blood duo, Davidson played an important role in the band’s live evolution during a period when their sound was expanding beyond the limitations of a two-piece setup. Following the release of “Typhoons” and its more pronounced dance and electronic influences, Davidson and Scantlebury were replaced by keyboardist Darren James for subsequent tours. Though her tenure with Royal Blood has concluded, Davidson’s contributions helped the band successfully translate their evolving studio sound to the live environment during a pivotal phase in their career.

Darren James

Darren James joined Royal Blood as a touring musician in 2021 and continues to perform with the band to the present day. As their current touring keyboardist, James handles a variety of instruments and vocal duties, including keyboards, synthesizers, piano, vocoder, tambourine, and backing vocals. His addition to the live lineup coincided with Royal Blood’s shift toward a more electronic and dance-oriented sound, beginning with their third album “Typhoons” (2021) and continuing with “Back to the Water Below” (2023).

James replaced previous touring members Jodie Scantlebury and Zarif Davidson, who had supported the band from 2017-2018 and 2020-2022. His more comprehensive keyboard skills were particularly suited to the dance-influenced direction of “Typhoons” and the varied sonic palette of subsequent releases. In live performances, James helps fill out Royal Blood’s sound, enabling the duo to faithfully reproduce their increasingly complex studio arrangements without relying on backing tracks.

Though positioned somewhat discreetly on stage compared to core members Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher, James has become an integral part of Royal Blood’s live presentation. His contributions are particularly evident during songs from their later albums, where synthesizers and electronic elements feature prominently. As Royal Blood has continued to evolve their sound while maintaining their core identity as a rock duo, James has proven to be a valuable addition to their touring setup, enhancing their live performances while allowing Kerr and Thatcher to remain the visual and sonic focus of the band. His ongoing role with Royal Blood demonstrates the band’s commitment to authentic live performance even as their studio sound has incorporated more electronic elements.

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