The Crooked Stuff

BIOGRAPHY

The Crooked Stuff is Tom Gorton (vocals), John Varn (synths/keys), and Nick DeRyss (drums) built their sound at the intersection of different worlds: Gorton's roots in DC hardcore, new wave, and go-go; Varn's Bay Area funk and psychedelic rock (he's toured with Neal Schon and Greg Rolie of Santana and Journey); DeRyss's indie pedigree from Day Wave (Harvest/Capitol Records, touring with The Shins, Lollapalooza, Red Rocks). Three musicians carrying Bad Brains, Santana, and Blonde Redhead in their DNA, converging on a project built on a monophonic synthesizer, drums, and lyrics that explore existence and survival in the information age.

"Sounds like synthy Pere Ubu!" — Kelley Stoltz, KEXP (Vinelands)

Their September 2025 EP Darkphased continued their sonic evolution. Synthetic and abrasive, urgently rhythmic, and lyrically unflinching, it landed across 47 stations in 21 markets within weeks of release with no label support. Driven entirely by the music, a six-week college radio campaign, and a single boosted IG post that triggered inbound bookings from a growing list of promoters across the US.

Their upcoming LP Synthetic Signals album (The Unknown International) is heady blend of “discopunk and electrofunk” with roots in the DC hardcore scene (and the influence of ’80s new wave), the tracks deliver “bitter yet melodic vocal delivery atop danceable rhythms.” (ReGen)

“A fusion between LCD Soundsytem and TV On The Radio” - Live 105 Soundcheck

They have shared stages with Tank & the Bangas, Fishbone, Monophonics, Dumpstaphunk, The Nth Power, and Lyrics Born.