02:01 pm - Pyrates Royale Announce Changes.
The popular folk music group the Pyrates Royale are making two changes to the public face of the organization.
First the band name, which has been used since 1992 will now be spelled as Pirates Royal. This change reflects the fact that fans and media outlets have consistently had difficulty using the "y" and the "e". The older spelling may be still seen for a time as the head office still has a fair amount of pre-printed letterhead to go through. The use of the band's popular logo character "Crusty" will not be affected by the change.
The group has decided to augment their performances with the addition of two baton twirllers. This decision was made to try to appeal to a younger audience. The sequined outfits will also add a bit of flash.
The new members, Cindy Merkler and Bob Trample, have extensive experience with combining the beauty of baton and the shanty milieu. The duo did baton work for The Boarding Party during the last five years of their existence. They also performed a 15 minute routine on Good Morning America in 1989, to commemorate the death of Stan Hugill.( Hugill did not actually die until May of 1992, but he sent a personal note thanking them.) We are very pleased to add them to our lineup.
The band will be referred to as Pirates Royal Plus Two in all future performances that include our new twirlers.

All media inquiries should be directed to:
L.J. Skivee
Pirates Royal Press Relations Office
Office of Public Affairs
1522 Radcliffe Highway
Portsmouth, Shropshire A13B5N England.
Phone: 11-442-555-1212