He may be a shaikh in real life, but he's well on his way to becoming a prince in the world of music – rock music to be precise.
And he has attitude.
Meet Shaikh Hassan Bin Rashid Al Khalifa, 32, a US-educated Bahraini royal who may not yet be in the league of legends such as Tommy Lee of Motley Crew and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin.
But he aims to get there some day. The first step is a gig with Tommy Lee in Dubai.
Shaikh Hassan and his band, UK rock group Brothermandude, will share the stage with Lee when they headline the Annual Dubai Bikeweek Festival on April 5 next year.
Maverick Shake
The "Shake", as he prefers to be known, has always been something of a maverick.
"There was initial resistance from family and friends. Since childhood I have always been a bit of a rebel. But when I told them about my intention of being a rock artist, they were very supportive."
And does the fact that he is the only non-Briton in the four-member band bother him?
"It has no bearing on the way I write or what I listen to. I like rock 'n' roll music and the fact I am an Arab doesn't affect my bandmates. Music is a universal language. We work as a team."
His bandmates – Ian Markin (drums), Russell Milton (bass), Mark Greenwood (guitar) – nod vigorously in agreement.
Shaikh Hassan's artistic interest was spiked at the Bahrain School where he took part in stage acts and wrote plays.
"I learnt how to make plays, write scripts and saw what it takes to pull it off. This, in turn, introduced me to music. When I joined university in Tampa, Florida, it all snowballed to where I am today," he said.
First composition
Hassan remembers his first composition – a rock ballad – with a hint of shyness.
"A friend in college pushed me to write a song and sing it after singing covers for a while.
"I started looking for bands and joined the hottest band in Tampa – Beanstalk – as a roadie," he said.
After a year of touring, while still studying, Shaikh Hassan got his break when the band offered him a spot with them.
"Shake" is also quick to dismiss suggestions that he was "breaking the mould" and "defying convention". Instead, he sees himself as a global citizen.
"It's not a serious weight. I know my background, I know where I come from and I'm comfortable in my own skin. I don't think I have broken away from convention. It's more like being part of the global environment."
