Jimmy Regal And The Royals Announce New Single ‘Snap Back’
Jimmy Regal And The Royals Announce New Single ‘Snap Back’
The release of the third single follows on from several enthusiastic album reviews for ‘Snap Back’ with Andy Snipper of Music News writing: “Whoosh! This comes tearing out of the speakers like a strong breeze on a hot and humid day… From the kick off with ‘Don’t Know Diddley,’ they take the old Blues and R&B styles and invoke something primal and hard edged but still keeping a sense of loving the music… Their last album was an album of the year nominee and this one – if there is any justice – will go one better.”
European press from Bert van Kessel of Bluestown Music NL (Netherlands) commented: “They say they are a Blues Band; but they are much more than that as they fluidly incorporate rhythms from Mississippi and West Africa into their dynamic sound, which is also firmly rooted in the British R&B of the seventies with Dr. Feelgood and Nine Below Zero.”
Following an electrifying performance on the Hokum Stage at Ealing Blues Festival in Walpole Park on Sunday 2nd August 2026, Jimmy Regal and The Royals are also very excited to announce the following UK and European live dates for 2026/2027:
5 Sep: Groundhog Blues Club acoustic festival, Shropshire
15 Sep: Tuesday Night Music Club, Coulsdon
16 Sep: The Malt Shovel Blues Club, Northampton
26 Sep: Kafou Music Vienna, Vienna
27 Sep: Snakepit Cellar, Vienna
3 Oct: Basingstoke Blues Club, Basingstoke
9 Oct: Beer Blues Festival, Mariner’s Hall, Devon
*16 Oct: SNAP BACK ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY, London*
23 Oct: Bear Club, Luton
25 Oct: Hallelujah Festival, The Steelies, Hartlepool
28 Nov: Ram Jam, Kingston
1 Dec: Ain’t Nothin’ But, London
15 Dec: Bletchley Blues Club, Bletchley
2027
16 Jan: What’s Cookin’, Leytonstone
17 Jan: The Oval Tavern, Croydon
29 Jan: The Temperance, Leamington Spa
1-4 Jul: Alfold Rock and Blues Festival, Surrey
9 Oct: Calstock Arts Centre, Cornwall
The album’s first single ‘Don’t Know Diddley’ was included on WDNF Philly’s Hot 50 List in the US. It also secured airplay on Resonance FM and KTCR FM amongst others.
Jimmy Regal and the Royals is a driving, dynamic band that takes the roots of blues to new places. They are inspired from music cultures around the world, such as North Mississippi, New Orleans, Senegal, and Mali – but remain unashamedly South London.
The core set up of harmonica, guitar and drums is the basis of a unique and inventive sound which is many-layered – it is often described as ‘huge.’ The band explores diverse influences while keeping a grounding in no-nonsense rhythm and blues.
They tour both as a three-piece and with a horn section and have recorded with some of West Africa’s best musicians, London’s top horn players, and many others.
After their debut album hit the UK charts in 2017, they scored four top-10 UK blues albums. Their last studio album, First and Last Stop, went to #1 in the UK charts, was #1 most played UK act in the International Roots Music Report charts for three straight weeks and was a US top 10 placing in the Contemporary Blues charts. They received nominations from the UK Blues Federation for best album and best band in 2024 and 2026.
They have toured the UK extensively, including stages at the biggest blues festivals, and built a reputation as an electrifying live act. They have supported major US blues acts such as Cedric Burnside and GA-20. In 2026, they played the Kafou Music Festival in Dakar, Senegal, as a guest of griot musician and genius kora player Diabel Cissokho – who has also recorded with the band.
[For fans of: Junior Kimbrough, Cedric Burnside, Ali Farka Toure, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, North Mississippi Allstars, GA-20]
Purchase/Download the single ‘Snap Back’ from Bandcamp here: https://jimmyregalandtheroyals.bandcamp.com/track/snap-back
The song was officially released on Friday 4th September 2026 which is one of the dates for ‘Bandcamp Friday’. Bandcamp waives its usual revenue share (which is normally 10–15%) so that about 80–85% of your money goes directly to the artists and labels, minus standard payment processor fees.
The album will also be released digitally on ‘Bandcamp Friday’ (Friday 2nd October 2026) following the physical release on Friday 25th September 2026.
Pre-order the album here: https://www.jimmyregalandtheroyals.com/product-page/snap-back
These are all original songs, continuing our exploration of the past and future roots of blues, the myriad rhythms that flow in and out across and around the globe, from Africa to America to the UK to everywhere and back again.
The importance of song – lyricism, themes ranging from the grit and joy of everyday life to poets, characters, fights in pubs, the fight inside you, bad cars. These songs are all true.
It’s always been the mission of the band to expand what we do rhythmically, there’s so much diversity and richness to be inspired by.
This is why we collaborate with musicians from West Africa, to share and learn about a rich musical culture.
‘Snap Back’ (Single):
“This riff started out as a variation on Junior Kimbrough’s ‘All Night Long,’ which we recorded for the Late Night Chicken album. It’s evolved into something completely new.
It’s about getting up after being hit, standing tall and going at it again. The line ‘one more once, one more twice’ is a nod to Count Basie.”
