Tragedy's Mo Royce Peterson - The Ironic Genesis of Disco Metal! | Video Ep 003

Get ready to crank up the volume and break out the sequined spandex! This week on Tribute Band Sessions, we dive into the glitter-soaked world of Mo Royce Peterson, frontman of Tragedy — the all-metal tribute to the Bee Gees (and beyond). Mo shares the hilarious origin story of how disco classics became thunderous metal anthems. From being a childhood violin prodigy in the local paper to the moment a promoter asked, “Ever think about a tribute band?”, Mo walks us through how Tragedy was born and how the concept exploded. We talk stage personas (“the rockstars we wish we were”), their absolutely wild European tours, why the UK spiritually gets disco-metal, their collaborative songwriting process, and their upcoming original music — including a possible connection to a member of the Gibb family. Tragedy isn’t just a band; it’s a full-blown spectacle. Confetti cannons, cowbells, bubble guns, costume chaos, and pure, unfiltered fun. If you love musicianship, comedy, or rock theater, this episode is your all-access pass. 🎸 Listen & Follow Tribute Band Sessions: 🌐 ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 ⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠ 🍎 ⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠ 📘 ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ 📸 ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ 🎵 ⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠ 🐦 ⁠⁠⁠X (Twitter)⁠⁠⁠ 💬 ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠ 👉 ⁠⁠Watch Tribute Band Sessions on YouTube ⏱️ Clickable Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Mo Royce Peterson01:09 – Meet Mo & Tragedy02:04 – Edinburgh: Current Tour02:22 – European Tour Adventures02:54 – Tragedy’s NYC Origins03:13 – Mo’s Musical Journey: Violin to Guitar03:47 – Musical “Peak” at Age 503:53 – Switching from Piano to Guitar04:48 – The Joy of Guitar & Songwriting05:47 – The Real Origin of Tragedy06:29 – The Promoter Call That Sparked It06:50 – Tribute Bands in 200707:16 – Making Metal Out of Non-Metal Music07:26 – The Bee Gees Lightbulb Moment07:48 – The Comedy of Disco Meets Metal08:00 – The Cowbellist Joins Tragedy08:49 – Stage Personas & The Cowbellist09:19 – Festivals vs. Club Shows09:41 – Making Every Show Count09:55 – Big Metal Festivals11:02 – Engaging Seated Crowds Theatrically11:46 – Tiny Edinburgh Rooms12:48 – Metallica’s Small-Show Energy13:40 – Mo’s Early Music Influences14:09 – Love for 50s Rock & Bobby Darin14:39 – Sister’s Influence: Bee Gees & Journey15:08 – First Jam Sessions & Mashups15:23 – MySpace Era Beginnings15:51 – The Work Behind Music & Videos16:33 – Collaborative Songwriting17:20 – Influences & Originality18:48 – Becoming the “Rockstars We Wished We Were”19:57 – First Show at BB Kings20:29 – First Song: Night Fever20:46 – Parallels to Early Steel Panther21:49 – Reimagining Songs Creatively22:13 – Disco Balls to the Wall Album23:44 – Video Production (Directed by Mo’s Wife)24:00 – Weirdest Gigs: East Germany24:55 – Playing a 30-Person Room25:22 – Terry Bozzio’s Drum Set Issue26:01 – Small-Club Chaos26:33 – A Typical Tour Day27:06 – Van Life & Blurred Days27:36 – Merch & Meeting Fans28:22 – Touring with a Small Crew29:10 – Their Technical Rider29:50 – Confetti Cannons & Bubble Guns30:21 – UK vs. US Fans30:28 – Why the UK Instantly Connects31:28 – US Touring Challenges32:56 – How Many Shows Per Year?33:52 – Balancing Multiple Projects34:25 – Future Vision: Original Album35:35 – Perfect Timing for New Music36:08 – Meeting the Bee Gees’ Children36:40 – Stephen Gibb (Barry’s Metalhead Son)37:13 – Their Recording Studio37:51 – Future Collabs & Tour Partners38:43 – Bruce Dickinson’s Shoutout39:12 – Advice for New Tribute Bands42:36 – Thank You & Where to Find Tragedy 🌐 letsmaketragedyhappen.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices