PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GUITAR CENTER’S UNIQUE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT
PROGRAM GIVES EMPLOYEE MUSICIANS A CHANCE TO OPEN FOR ALTERNATIVE ROCK
LEGENDS FISHBONE IN CONCERT
— Local and touring artists to join Fishbone at concerts nationwide
through December 14 —
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, November 11, 2008 —
Guitar Center, the world’s largest musical instrument and professional
audio retailer, has offered a special opportunity to its employees through
its GAIN Program, a unique employee benefit designed to give Guitar
Center employees an outlet for pursuing their music industry dreams.
Earlier this year, Guitar Center ran a promotion through which employees
who are members of the GAIN Program could submit material to win a chance
to open for alternative rock pioneers Fishbone at a local stop on the
Fishbone Fall Tour. Concerts featuring GAIN artists will run nationwide
through December 14.
“Guitar Center encourages all of its employees to
pursue their musical dreams,” stated Greg Trojan, Guitar Center
COO and President. “At Guitar Center, we are a family of musicians.
The GAIN Program is the realization of Guitar Center’s purpose:
We help people make music. Helping our employees make music is a natural
step in the process as well as a ‘thank you’ for all of
their dedication.”
The direct involvement of industry veterans like Fishbone
makes the GAIN program all the more meaningful for the Guitar Center
artists participating. “Fishbone has been incredible,” stated
GAIN Program Manager Jeremy Cole. “Fishbone is legendary for independent
music, and musicians today continue to be deeply influenced by them,
not only in sound, but in attitude and aesthetic.”
A key benefit of membership in the GAIN Program is “Gig
Leave,” which is exactly what it sounds like: employees can take
time off from work at Guitar Center to actively tour, record and pursue
other musical ambitions. “Guitar Center is proud to get its talented
employees on stage working toward their ambitions, and of course that
might mean some time off, but that’s the kind of treatment GC
employees deserve,” said Cole.
About the GAIN Program:
The GAIN Program was launched in March 2007 by Guitar Center to help
Guitar Center team members achieve their musical aspirations. At the
heart of GAIN is an extensive private social network where Guitar Center
employees can post music, pictures, blogs and online discussions, in
order to share with and learn from each other. In addition, GAIN presents
a number of other benefits, deals, offers and opportunities to its participants,
including partnerships with a number of vendors, services and institutions
(music-related and non-music related alike). The ongoing Fresh Cuts
CD series, inaugurated by Guitar Center and GAIN in 2007, offers Guitar
Center employees a chance for their music to be heard with special participation
from industry figures such as alternative rock legends The Smashing
Pumpkins and hit hip-hop producer Just Blaze, who selected the tracks
and contributed exclusive songs of their own for Fresh Cuts Vol. 2 and
Vol. 3, respectively. Fresh Cuts Vol. 3 is currently available for free
at Guitar Center stores nationwide. The GAIN program continues to build
relationships with companies, organizations and individuals who can
provide exposure, insight, tools and opportunity to the musicians who
work for Guitar Center.
About Fishbone:
Since forming in Los Angeles in 1979, Fishbone has garnered legions
of fans through relentless touring and the sheer appeal of their frantic
mix of funk, punk, reggae, ska, hip-hop and metal. Their 1985 single
“Party at Ground Zero,” and the 1988 and 1991 albums Truth
and Soul and The Reality of My Surroundings are regarded as classics
by critics and fans alike. After nearly 30 years, Fishbone is still
going strong, recording and bringing their one-of-a-kind live show to
an entirely new generation of concertgoers.
2008 Fishbone Fall Tour / GAIN Itinerary:
Date: City, State: Venue: GC/GAIN Fishbone Promo Winners:
Thu-Nov-13 Modesto, CA Hero's Dogwood Speaks
Fri-Nov-14 Arcata, CA Mazotti's Dogwood Speaks
Sat-Nov-15 Portland, OR Hawthorne Quinn Allan
Sun-Nov-16 Seattle, WA El Corazon Legal Lies
Wed-Nov-19 Denver, CO Cervantes Faces of Radio
Fri-Nov-21 Minneapolis, MN Station 4 The Funeral & the Twilight
Sat-Nov-22 Chicago, IL Subterranean 48sin
Tue-Nov-25 Cleveland, OH Peabody's Resonant Soul
Wed-Nov-26 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall DJ Spiral
Fri-Nov-28 Boston, MA Harpers Ferry Pistol Resistance
Sat-Nov-29 New York, NY Knitting Factory Can't Hang
Sun-Nov-30 Falls Church, VA (DC) State Theatre Can't Hang
Tue-Dec-02 Philadelphia, PA JC DOBBS Can't Hang
Wed-Dec-03 Baltimore, MD Recher Theatre Can't Hang
Fri-Dec-05 Greenville, SC The Handle Bar B-Liminal
Sat-Dec-06 Atlanta, GA Loft B-Liminal
Mon-Dec-08 Houston, TX Meridian World’s Most Dangerous
Tue-Dec-09 Austin, TX Emo’s small World’s Most Dangerous
Fri-Dec-12 Tucson, AZ The Rock Laramie Dean
Sat-Dec-13 Pomona, CA Glass House FreaknMissy & Scott Orlans
Sun-Dec-14 San Francisco, CA Independent Aroarah
About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the leading United States retailer of guitars, amplifiers,
percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment.
Our retail store subsidiary presently operates more than 200 Guitar
Center stores across the U.S. In addition, our Music & Arts division
operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale
and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and
students. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical
instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary,
Musician’s Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com.
More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s
Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.
The Guitar Center logo is a registered
trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be
trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.
MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Clyne, Clyne Media, Inc., at (615) 662-1616