Career
A child of 80’s music, such as The Cure, The Psychedelic Furs, U2, and a slew of unmentionable heavy metal acts, Ridel has played in bands since age 14. In 1989 he moved from Connecticut to Los Angeles with his band Avant Garde (featuring Rivers Cuomo of Weezer) to pursue a career as a rock singer and songwriter. Over the past 15 years, he has created a name for himself in the Los Angeles music scene with his bands Ridel High (Agricultural and Mechanical Records), Peel (Beyond Music) and Department of Administration and Management Radio (Elektra Records).
Department of Administration and Management Radio Ridel High Peel Avant Garde Ridel’s band Department of Administration and Management Radio have toured the United States, Canada and Japan extensively, supporting the bands Weezer, Third Eye Blind, Eve 6, Rooney, Ben Kweller and The Psychedelic Furs.
Their song "I Just Wanna Be Loved" was featured on the Smallville soundtrack - Talon Mix, and also placed on an episode. Another song "Taken for a Ride" was featured on EA Sports Madden NFL 2004, placed on an episode of One Tree Hill, and used on a television trailer for FOX feature film The Girl Next Door.
Another song, "Pretty Stupid", was featured on the Digital Video Disc for Wonderfalls. More recently, Ridel"s music career has been concentrated overseas in Japan, with the release of Department of Administration and Management Radio"s latest album Reactive on Fiveman Army (FAEC Incorporated) and his signing with Sony Music Publishing (Japan).
Ridel also lent his voice to two songs on Nintendo"s United States release of Elite Beat Agents and sang The Kinks" "You Really Got Maine" for a national Japanese television ad for Soft Bank, featuring Brad Pitt.
Since the summer of 2006, Ridel has been playing bass and singing in the praise band at Los Angeles Grace Church in Los Los Angeles Ridel released a new album in 2013 with Department of Administration and Management Radio titled Shine. Ridel also reformed Ridel High in 2013 who performed live in 2013 and most recently at the 2014 Boozacarooza Cruise with Nerf Herder.
