RDGLDGRN

2011-2015, Debut Album & Exposure on a Global Stage

Band members Marcus Parham (Red), Andrei Busuioceanu (Gold) and Pierre Desrosiers (Green) met through mutual friends in Reston, Virginia.^[5] In the fall of 2011, RDGLDGRN recorded their breakout song "I Love Lamp", and uploaded their self-produced and directed music video to YouTube, where it reached over 100,000 hits within days. In the spring of 2012, RDGLDGRN recorded their debut album at Sound City Studios with Kevin Augunas (The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes), producer and founder of Fairfax Recordings. The group asked fellow Northern Virginia native Dave Grohl, who was filming his Sound City documentary, to drum on "I Love Lamp." Grohl agreed and played drums for the entire record, with the exception of "Million Fans," which features a sampled breakbeat.^[6] An additional Virginia native became involved when Pharrell Williams co-wrote and co-produced "Doing the Most."^[7]

In June 2012, the demo recording of "I Love Lamp" was used as the theme song for the world record Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare at the 2012 X Games in Los Angeles, California.^[8][9] In January 2013, British magazine NME released "Million Fans."^[10] Days later, Rolling Stone released "I Love Lamp" with Dave Grohl on drums.^[11][12] The Red Gold Green EP was debuted February 12, 2013 and reached the top 100 on the American iTunes album chart.^[13] RDGLDGRN made their television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in March 2013 performing both "I Love Lamp" and "Million Fans."^[14][15] RDGLDGRN performed at SXSW in March 2013,^[16] the DC101 Chili Cook-Off in May 2013,^[17] and the Vans Warped Tour 2013.^[18] RDGLDGRN released their debut self-titled full-length album in September 2013.

On October 24, 2014, RDGLDGRN was featured in the Washington, DC episode of Dave Grohl's HBO documentary series Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways.^[19] This episode premiered the second song off the Foo Fighters' Sonic Highways album "The Feast and the Famine," which showcases the bounce beat as played by Grohl in RDGLDGRN's "I Love Lamp."

RDGLDGRN spent most of 2015 on tour, with performances across North America and Europe. In February 2015, the band played their first 311 Caribbean Cruise alongside 311 and Dirty Heads. The Source released the music video for RDGLDGRN's new single "No Pixar".^[20] In July 2015, RDGLDGRN opened the Foo Fighters 20th Anniversary concert in Washington, D.C., followed by multiple performances with Jurassic 5.^[21] In August 2015, RDGLDGRN released the self-produced music video for “Runnin Away,” featuring footage from live shows at U Street Music Hall and RFK Stadium.^[22] The band toured across Germany, Switzerland and Luxembourg, playing shows and festivals (including Taubertal Festival, Rocco del Schlacko, Serengeti Festival, and Reeperbahn Festival) and appearing on numerous radio and television shows, including Circus HalliGalli, Das Erste, RTL 2 and Sky Sports. RDGLDGRN’s second album "Red Gold Green LP 2" was released on October 9, 2015 through Virgin Records in Germany and self-published elsewhere. RDGLDGRN completed the year with their December 2015 “Robots Tour” alongside Duckwrth in the United States and Canada.

2016-2019, Independent Label

By 2016 RDGLDGRN had officially severed ties with mainstream record labels in favor of releasing music under their own independent label Deuce Day Records. Their song “Runnin Away” was featured in EA Sports UFC 2. In 2016, RDGLDGRN performed at SXSW, multiple North American tours with Dirty Heads, New Beat Fund, and the Skints, and performances with 311 and Ballyhoo!. They also returned to Germany in June 2016 to perform in the Campus Festival Bielefeld. RDGLDGRN recorded an NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert in September 2016.^[23] RDGLDGRN’s gear was stolen while on tour in Medford, Oregon in November 2016, prompting fans to raise over $19,000 on GoFundMe.^[24][25]

In January 2017, RDGLDGRN released the single “Opera” featuring Method Man, with lyrical and visual commentary on the treatment of undocumented immigrants and refugees.^[26][27] RDGLDGRN performed live shows for most of 2017, including their second 311 Caribbean Cruise, the ARISE Music Festival, the California Roots Festival, the “Blackout 2017 Tour” with the Expendables, a summer tour with Dirty Heads, SOJA, and the Green, and finally an October tour with Lettuce. RDGLDGRN also performed twice at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, including the 420 Eve Show with Method Man and Redman. RDGLDGRN released the “Red Gold Green Radio Vol. 1” album in September 2017 under their label Deuce Day Records.

In January 2018, RDGLDGRN's single “Danger” featuring Nitty Scott was featured in EA Sports UFC 3. RDGLDGRN performed across the United States and Germany in 2018, including the Reggae Rise Up Festival, Nextival, Trebur Open Air Festival, Watt en Schlick, and Lott-Festival. RDGLDGRN released "Clapback" in October 2018.

In February 2019, RDGLDGRN released the “Red Gold Green 3” album under Deuce Day World, completing their first album trilogy. RDGLDGRN spent the majority of 2019 touring the United States, including the RDGLDGRN Amazing Tour, Shamrock Fest, Hangout Music Festival, a fall tour with Hirie, and performances with 311, Dirty Heads, and Tropidelic. RDGLDGRN also played their third 311 Caribbean Cruise. In April 2019, RDGLDGRN recorded a TED Talk with TEDxBethesda.^[28] RDGLDGRN released several singles in 2019, including “Tradition,” “People Don’t Dance,” “Bayou,” and “Turn.”

2020-2024: Covid Hiatus

On January 29, 2020, RDGLDGRN announced their first headline tour in the United States, the Spring 2020 "Danger Tour" named after their previously released single "Danger," which would be featured on Madden NFL 21. On March 12, 2020, RDGLDGRN postponed the tour, citing safety concerns due to the global coronavirus pandemic. RDGLDGRN would instead livestream a performance on Facebook Live on March 20, 2020.^[29][30] The pandemic would go on to embody the lyrics for the “Everybody Livin In a Trap” single released in August 2020.^[31] In July 2020, RDGLDGRN debuted “Good Life” featuring Vanela, which was previously released late 2019 in Simlish on the Sims 4.^[32]

The next few years would be markedly quiet for RDGLDGRN with minimal new releases and live shows. In 2021 RDGLDGRN performed at Firefly Music Festival, the Down in the Reeds Festival (at the Parks at Walter Reed), D.C. United's Unite the District Festival, and a short tour. In 2022 as RDGLDGRN began to develop new music, RDGLDGN played a May tour culminating in the 2022 LIVEstock Music Festival and Brew in the Zoo at the Maryland Zoo. RDGLDGRN also performed at the South by South End Music Festival in June 2022. Their August 2023 single "Heads are Gonna Roll" with Madalen Duke was featured in Madden NFL 24.^[33] On November 10, 2023, RDGLDGRN performed a hometown “10th Anniversary show” in Washington, DC to mark the ten year anniversary of their debut album.^[34]

The Washington, D.C. go-go beat again inspired a collaboration between RDGLDGRN and Pharrell on single "Feel It Right Now," which was released in August 2024. Both "Feel It Right Now" and "Bounce" would later be featured in Madden NFL 25.^[35] RDGLDGRN continued playing festivals in 2024, including the National Cannabis Festival with headliners Wu-Tang Clan (Washington, D.C.), Point Break Festival (Virginia Beach, VA), and  the 2024 Beaches Oktoberfest (Jacksonville Beach, FL). RDGLDGRN also toured with Tropidelic and The Quasi Kings in October 2024.

2025-Present: Revival

RDGLDGRN revealed its second album trilogy in 2025, beginning with the self-published release of "The Red Album" in February 2025.

"Red Gold Green" Trilogy

"Color" Trilogy

Additional Albums and Singles