What color defines you? Take a step back for a second, it may not be exactly the color which defines someone but we came across a group of men whom have identified with four in particular.

Red, Green, Blue, and Gold make up the group TheFiveOne who use all different aspects of sound to create an eclectic sound which they can call their own. Some may call it Hip Hop and some may call it Rock, but this is a group who deserves to be qualified in their own genre. With the appreciation of so many things each color has used their own personal talents in order to contribute to the musical groups overall ideas. DMV Unplugged got the chance to dig a little deeper into each color and figure out the real deal behind the music. Is it all about the colors or is there more to it?

DMV Unplugged (DMV): How did you all come together?

TheFiveOne (TFO): We all grew up in an area which involved their own groups or whatever. This one neighborhood crew was called Five One. It was just people would play basketball together and hang out. We all have been around each other going on 14 years now. Let’s put it this way, we call each others parents Mom and Dad you know! We went to school together and pretty much began making music. Music was something that we all had in common from such a young age.

DMV: Where did association of colors come from?

TFO: It is pretty much a natural attraction to colors. We were colors before we were The Five One. It is a way of separating ourselves from each other yet staying united as group. We identify with colors.

DMV: How did you know when it was apparent that music was your calling?

TFO: We have all been playing instruments since young age like the violin, piano, and a lot of other stringed instruments. Some did not start writing lyrics and such until high school. Our motivation came more from the ability to relate, communicate, and connect with each other. This was our recreation, while people were out partying and playing we would be in the studio creating new things. The music was something that was our angle. When it came to the instruments, no one took lessons it was more like he take the strings, he will learn this guitar and someone took the drums for the necessity of our band. One thing about us is that it has never been about becoming a rock star it was music for the colors.

DMV: Do you fellas have any musical influences in this world?

TFO: We don’t think we could sit and list each and every influence. There are so many people with different sound that have influenced our music. Guess we could point out, Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Quincy Jones and Bob Marley. We just want to be on an insane level to which so many people have contributed.

DMV: How would you categorize your music style?

TFO: Our music definitely has an Indie Rock feel to it. There are so many ways to describe what we create. There is definitely some Hip Hop aspects and Alternative. Now it is really not just only Alternative to Hip Hop. It is different when Gold is on the Bass then when Blue is on the Bass or when Red is on the Drums then when Green is on the drums you know.

DMV: What can we expect from you all in the future?

TFO: A more serious approach to our music. In the past we made things without a plan since it came natural. We are now planning for new things so we are taking a more serious approach to music production for our fans and to better our future. This is our lives and we want to reach above and beyond what we have been doing. We are ready to just go somewhere in the DMV.

Our upcoming album, The Deuce Day World EP, this music is something we are going to be pushing for a while. We have been focusing on our live performances so there are a lot of things we want to accomplish in addition to live. We have acknowledged how much more we have to offer. We definitely appreciate the success we have already but there is so much more. More or less we are being hard on ourselves in order to better our careers.

We want to give our audience an experience. We want to do more and more.

The album is targeted towards spring 2010. We have a lot of work and a lot of tracks so it is a matter of choosing and putting out something great.

DMV: Can we look forward to any new collaboration with other DMV artists?

TFO: Flex Matthews. He is one of the best live performances for an MC. It is hard to be able to take your music on a DC and play it out of a DJ booth and rap over it. To be able to do all of that and captivate the crowd EVERYTIME. He is amazing.

DMV: Do you have any hopes or messages to tell your listeners?

TFO: To love us and support us.

By Derrick Hayford
Interview by Laura Escalante