By Lynn Norusis
A lot has happened for Reston’s indie-go-go band RDGLDGRN (that’s RedGoldGreen for those who need vowels) since last we spoke with them. First, they’ve changed their name (formerly “The Five One”). They’ve released a self-titled album that dropped this past September. And received quite the endorsement with their “Doing the Most” video premiering on Pharrell William’s I Am Other blog.
Let’s start with, yes, that was Dave Grohl. Did we forget to mention he played drums on the new album? (Williams also made a cameo.) They met while recording at Sound City Studios when Grohl was making his documentary on the famed studio.
RDGLDGRN got it’s start much like Grohl, in a home basement. “The most random things in life, will just change everything for you,” says Gold*. “Someone I played basketball with introduced me to these guys. Since the day I met these guys, we’ve written music [together]. We’ve never stopped writing music.” (Names have been changed to colors the trio has taken on that they feel express themselves the best. No legal names are known.)
Green was making music since he was 12. After high school Red joined in playing guitar. “I wanted a different type of vocalist,” says Green. “Basically a man with a white voice.”
“Let’s be honest. You wanted a Caucasian, noticeably Caucasian,” Gold chimes in.
“Yeah,” chuckles Green. But it works.
The trio, who met through different connections they had while at South Lakes High School, formed in 2011 as RDGLDGRN but has played together for more than 10 years. And just like their name, the music is changing, though the influences of D.C.’s Chuck Brown and slang of the Metro-D.C. area are constant. “Music was always changing anyway,” says Green of the change in group name. “From playing so much in D.C. that is something that seeped in. We love the music from here and around the world. Put that together, and that is what you get.”
The current album sticks with the indie go-go, though the sounds of rock is heard. “Last album, if you want to generalize, is more a rock album,” says Red. “This time, if going to generalize, [it’s] going to be more hip-hop album. But it will always be eclectic. It’s going to be music, and you’ll probably like it.”
This year they are focusing on their upcoming album, which they are hoping will drop this summer, and still making a name for themselves.
The success of a nod on Williams’ blog was not their first appearance on the main stage. Four times they’ve played SXSW, and hit the stage at The Van’s Warped Tour and D.C. 101’s Chili Cook-Off. They want more.
“We have a lot of successes and strives, but it’s still, we’re nowhere to an extent,” says Gold. “There’s a lot of people who don’t know who we are. In the industry we’re nobody. We kind of have a problem with that, actually. We want everyone to know who we are and what we do.”
