History Royal Teens

The Royal Teens were a New Jersey rock and roll band formed in 1957, best known for their single "Short Shorts", which was a #3 hit in the U.S. in 1958. The follow-up single, 1959's "Believe me", hit #26.

Member Bob Gaudio later became a member of The Four Seasons. 14 year-old member Al Kooper sometimes appeared with them on the road in 1959, and later founded the group Blood Sweat & Tears. Vocalist Joe Francovilla (aka Joey Villa) joined them in late 1958. He previously sang with The Three Friends who had a minor hit with "Blanche". With several briefly-tenured members of the Royal Teens, he went on to form Joey and the Twisters which released a few minor hits ("Do You Want to Dance," "Bony Maronie") in 1961-1962 and frequently played the Peppermint Lounge in NYC as contemporaries of Joey Dee and the Starlighters.

The song "Short Shorts" was used in commercials for Nair in the 1980s and 1990s, sparking interest in the group, and is now used in Japan for the opening tune of "Tamori Club" on TV Asahi Corporation.

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