The Doom Patrol

It’s all about the songs. Fiercely original, The Doom Patrol writes songs that reach just about every corner of the musical spectrum- from metal to hip-hop, from pop to techno, from freedom to despair, from love to decapitation. “Everything I’ve ever seen, heard, read or felt is in the music.”, lead singer Trance Thompson explains. “The style and the era doesn’t mean jack to me as long as it feels good. I get bored easily, so I need change. A lot of change!”. This is reflected in the music: He keeps himself and the listener entertained with truly fresh, innovative music. Accordingly, TDP's songs defy simple categorization. They can spout off a list of impossibly wide-ranging influences- Prince, Trent Reznor, Stevie Wonder, Nirvana, Sondheim, Jeff Buckley, Seal, Manhattan Transfer- within a single song you are likely to hear a little of each plus the magic ingredient most listeners are looking for- True Originality. The real standout in each of these “various grooves”; the glue that holds it together is Trance’s voice. With over four octaves, he flows freely from mellow and melodic to aggressive, powerful, and soulful. On the indie debut “Hypnatic” for Rebel Star Records, Trance, an Oklahoma native, riffs on personal and social conditions with insightful, engaging lyrics and strong, dense rhythms. “I’m just trying to carry on the legacy of those crazy-ass, hard-rocking, black folks who came before me, set up the rules, and broke them all, “ he says. The band, which gets it’s name from a comic book, also features Jesse Brewster (guitar), Ryan Low (drums), and Uriah Duffy (bass), all of who played on “Hypnatic”. This diverse group of Bay Area musicians is extremely influential in determining the sound of the live performances. Doom Patrol shows are a hard-edged affair full of funkier, grittier and simplified versions of the band's often complex songs. “Performing is in our blood”, says Brewster and the shows reflect this. Trance, who garnered rave reviews across the country as a dancer, actor and singer, delivers an awesome, emotionally raw and balls-out performance style that is elevated by TDP’s commitment to the moment and the madness. “My homies just get it”, he says with a smile. “They know how to push the envelope. Hard. They manage to make these songs even doper than the actual CD. No doubt, we know how to rock!” But as Trance would be the first to say, all these words don’t mean anything. You have to listen to the songs. And he means more than the first 30 seconds. “People think that if they listen for just half-a-minute they can figure out what’s goin’ on. Well, this aint that kind of music. These songs are like good movies: miss a minute, miss a lot.” The Preacher’s kid is not shy when talking about the music and his band. Fortunately he has the musical chops to back it up. Listen to the songs.