Trading the wheat fields of the Midwest for the concrete of Los Angeles, one of the hardest working indie-bands around has packed up stakes and relocated.
Three childhood friends called “The Angel/Devil” have logged over 600 shows in 60 cities, accumulating road miles, trails and tribulations that even Willie Nelson might tip his hat too. Playing music that is at once dark and gorgeous, anthemic and hope-filled; they are embarking on a new LP, tour, and an explosion of opportunities in film and tv music.
Formed in 2002 in the air capital of Wichita, KS, lead singer/guitarist Gooding explains, "We’re blue state minds with Red state hearts. We cut our teeth under Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado skies, and that expansiveness has a way of creeping into the music. We have been called “Widescreen American Rock”, and we’re proud of that title.”
The band and crew are driven by the relentless work ethic of Gooding, who has built an indie-label and successful publishing company, composed music for several national commercials, and licensed a staggering amount of original music for film and tv. Placements include DVD's of "Johnny Cash-Walk the Line", "Matrix Revisited and Animatrix", "Children of Men", “Ice Age 2”, "Nip/Tuck", "The Closer", and several MTV shows. Dane Cook chose The Angel/Devil as one of his favorite up and coming acts on his HBO show "Tourgasm".
“We may be new to LA but we aren’t new to the road. We’ve been through a lot of road dog initiation over the years; stolen gear, stolen money, a van catching fire, cooking ramen in the coffee pot and driving for months on end chasing down a dream. No matter how hard it gets, the three of us inside the band have never wavered or had a doubt about where this road comes out. We’ve always held a go for broke attitude.”
“The Angel/Devil” is slated to release their first national album, “Redlands”, on Gooding’s imprint, S3. While the sense of excitement about the new record is palpable, they are quick to turn everything back to their fans. According to drummer Jesse Rich, “We are bonded by the unity that comes from hitting the stage together every night. It is the people that have come to these shows that have given us the chance to make this record.” Bassist Billy Driver follows up, "We have been locked in a room for weeks recording and we are ready to head out again. The road is where we belong."
The soft-spoken yet hugely determined trio are hitting the road for their BLACK TRAIN COMING '09 Tour, playing up to 8 shows a week in 35 cities. In addition to hitting LA hotspots like The House of Blues, they will return to many of their home markets from their Midwestern stomping ground.
Their tireless work ethic, over-the-top live shows and heart on their sleeve performances is what makes fans fall in love with these boys from the Midwest, and their honesty can be heard in every note they play.
As Gooding sums it up, “We hold the belief that new songs and live shows are unique moments in which anything can happen. We believe music has always changed the world and that it always will.”
Kindness and hope offstage and murder when the lights are up. Respect for the past and wanderlust for the future. Welcome to The Angel/Devil.
