Industry Sponsors Quickly Partner with Ernie Ball's Battle of the Bands 10

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (March 31, 2006) - For 10 years, the biggest names and manufacturers in the music industry have joined up as sponsors for the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, helping to give unsigned bands a once-in-a-lifetime shot at fame and thousands of dollars in rock and roll prizes—all while reaching a mass of consumers through the Vans Warped Tour.  Leaders in their respective fields, each sponsor is committed to growing and developing artists through live opportunities and see both the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands 10 and the Vans Warped Tour as the perfect medium.

“In the decade that Ernie Ball has organized, marketed, and implemented the Battle of the Bands, they have played a significant role in fostering artistic growth through music in communities across North America,” said James Edlund of Electro-Voice, a regular Battle sponsor. “In this regard, they show a real-world commitment to their customer base that is unparalleled by any other music or pro audio manufacturer.”

            Added Vice President of BOSS U.S. Paul Youngblood, “The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands gives players an outlet and a place to play, hone their craft, gain experience, and have fun.  The experience is invaluable.”

 This year’s Battle entrants will have the chance to play live on the Vans Warped Tour, win sponsor-provided professional music gear through a concurrent online competition, have their track chosen for inclusion on the Battle of the Bands 10 Compilation CD globally distributed by Warcon Records and play in front of industry executives and over 40 million households during a live, televised New York City showcase that will be broadcast on FUSE TV. 

The Vans Warped Tour will hit major venues in the United States and Canada from June 15 through August 13.

            Battle sponsors include Auralex, BOSS, Coffin Case, DW, Electro-Voice, Guitar Center, Krank Amplification, Mark Bass, M-Audio, Modern Amusement, OLP, PureVolume, Remo, Taylor Guitars, TC Electronic, Vans Warped Tour and Zildjian.

Details on each sponsor follow:

Auralex: “With the explosion of indie bands in today's internet-driven music environment—where hundreds of thousands of artists are looking to connect with an audience—Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands serves a critical role in allowing the cream of the crop to be heard!” said Brian Wheat of Auralex.

Founded in 1977, the company strived to provide innovative acoustical control products at the best value.  Since then, thousands of satisfied Auralex customers have experienced improved acoustics, solid advice and exceptional customer service. Showcase winners receive an Auralex Roominator Alpha DST kit, and online winners receive an Auralex Producers Pack.

BOSS: Known around the world as the company that put the “stomp” in “stompbox,” BOSS is a division of Roland Corporation. Roland is a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of electronic musical instruments, professional audio equipment, multimedia products and music accessories. The company is providing Showcase winners with its popular ME-50 Guitar Multiple Effects unit, a floor based multi-effects processor built with the ruggedness and simplicity of a stompbox. Online winners will receive the ME-50 Guitar Multiple Effects floor-based multi-effects processor.

Coffin Case: Years ago, Jonny “Coffin” brought the underground revolution to musicians with the coffin-shaped guitar case. The following years saw a rapid succession of new, innovative, and award-winning products for guitarists, bass players and drummers, working both on stage and in the studio. Coffin Case continues to introduce more  industry “firsts” and receives acclaim from critics and musicians worldwide. Coffin Case will provide Showcase winners with the TRP-100 Drum Hardware Case, the HC-600  Head  Case and the Coffin Case SK-4X12.

Drum Workshop (DW): Drum Workshop, Inc. is a world-renowned manufacturer of professional quality custom drums, pedals and hardware. The DW brand is endorsed by Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band), Neil Peart (Rush), Joey Kramer (Aerosmith), Alex Gonzales (Mana), Jose Pasillas (Incubus) and Terry Bozzio (Jeff Beck) among others. DW is also home to the highly successful Pacific (PDP) line of mid- and entry-level priced drum sets. Showcase winners will receive PDP’s successful MX line of Satin Oil finished drums, now available in a configuration designed for heavy-hitting rock players.

“The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands is now a mainstay at the Warped Tour,” said Sarah Golden, media and promotions coordinator for Drum Workshop.  “It's a an excellent opportunity for local artists to show their stuff in front of their target audience.”

Electro-Voice (EV): A professional audio brand of Telex Communications, Inc., EV is a leader in the design of loudspeakers, microphones, power amplifiers, Klark Teknik signal processing equipment, Dynacord loudspeakers and electronics and world-renowned Midas mixing consoles. EV is providing Showcase winners with the new RE-2 Series Wireless Microphone System and online winners with a selection of microphones.

Guitar Center: Since 1959, Guitar Center has been providing good, old-fashioned service that caters to the musician’s every need. With more than 100 stores, the chain continues to be a strong link between musicians and tools of the trade, making it “The Musician’s Choice.” In honor of the 10th anniversary of the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, Guitar Center is offering Showcase winners a $10,000 shopping spree.

Krank Amplification: Krank Amps has invaded the guitar playing community over the past two years with its unique sounding, high gain amplifiers, providing what the company describes as “a new tone for a new generation.”

“We’re very excited to be part of the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands,” said a representative for Krank Amps. “It’s a great way for new and up-and-coming talent who may not get a chance to be heard otherwise to show the Warped Tour crowd what they have to offer.  A lot of influential people in the music scene will be present—from artists and producers to promoters and managers—and all of them will be looking for the next great band to work with.”

Showcase winners will receive one Revolution 4x12 cabinet and one Chadwick 50w head.

Mark Bass: “The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands is a great opportunity for young bands to receive exposure beyond their own communities and get valuable experience playing in a more challenging environment,” said Peter Murray, who handles international promotion, marketing and artist relations for Mark Bass. “Whether they win or not, these bands come away from the Battle with more determination and stage chops than they had going into it.”

The makers of high-quality, bass amplifiers in Italy, Mark Bass products are becoming known for their great sound, light weight, and reliability. Showcase winners will take home one 4x10 cabinet with Neodynmium speakers and one 450w head with user-friendly EQ controls and VLE and VLP filters for virtually unlimited tone control.

M-Audio: A leading provider of creative tools for computer-centric musicians and audio professionals, M-Audio was founded in 1988. The company's reputation for delivering cutting edge technology in easy-to-use, affordable products has garnered significant recognition by industry experts, including world-class artists, recording studios and magazines. M-Audio's advanced engineering and value-conscious pricing has also helped to bring the joy of creating high-quality music to virtually anyone with the desire. Online winners receive a BlackBox, BX5, Live 4, Oxygen 8, Key & Drum and Bass Rigs, and the Studio Back Pack.

Modern Amusement: An eclectic men’s clothing brand rooted in Southern California “ease” but inspired by global luxury, function, architecture and design, Modern Amusement is clean, confident, bold, masculine and independent in spirit. Defined by unique attention to detail and known by it’s whimsical approach to print and pattern, the company is ever-evolving. Showcase winners will receive an assortment of Modern
Amusement clothing.

OLP: Delivering the essence of popular high-end equipment at a fraction of the cost, OLP products offer the highest quality construction, tone, and appearance—all at a very affordable price. OLP is providing online winners with a Bass and Guitar of their choice.

PureVolume: PureVolume is owned and operated by Unborn Media, Inc., a small, Boston-based social media company founded by alumni of The University of Massachusetts at Amherst to create fun, far-reaching websites based around lifestyles such as music, online entertainment and social networking.

Remo: Providers of drumheads for the cutting-edge sounds of pop, rock, Latin, and jazz drumming styles, Remo has been the world leader in drumheads since 1957 with the goal to manufacture the best drum products on Earth. Online winners will receive a selection of Remo drumheads.

“Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands is a great event for Remo to be involved in,” said Bob Yerby of Remo. “It helps brand our products to some of the up-and-coming acts in the industry, and it also exposes young drummers to new drumhead products.”

Taylor Guitars: Since 1974, Taylor Guitars has been the name in acoustic guitars. Online winners receive a Taylor 210 Guitar with a solid top, back and sides. Solid ebony is used for the fretboard and bridge, while wood fiber binding accents the Dreadnought body.

TC Electronic: A leading manufacturer/distributor of audio signal processing hardware and software, TC Electronic is renowned for innovative solutions as much as superior quality. The company's wide product range is used for recording, live sound, postproduction and broadcast applications. Founded in 1976, the first products developed were specifically designed for guitar signal processing. Showcase winners will receive a TC Vintage Delay.

Vans Warped Tour: The most successful summer music tour and festival for youth, the Vans Warped Tour has kicked off the careers of Eminem, Blink-182, 311, No Doubt, Sugar Ray, Limp Bizkit and more. Scheduled to hit almost 50 cities in North America this summer, it incorporates music and gravity-defying sports including BMX, motocross and skateboarding.

Zildjian: The Avedis Zildjian Company has been the world's leading cymbal and drumstick maker for three decades. Whenever great strides are made in music and in drumming, a Zildjian product is there to respond, take part and lead. Online winners will receive a cymbal pack and sticks from Zildjian.

“Zildjian is a proud sponsor of The Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands 10, and has been from the very beginning,” said John DeChristopher, vice president of artist relations & event marketing worldwide for Zildjian. “Zildjian is the #1 cymbal maker in the world and has been in business since 1623. With the world's preeminent artist roster, we fully recognize the importance of supporting bands and live music, and we are committed to doing just that.”

Ernie Ball was the first to offer rock strings with the creation of Slinkys, and further revolutionized the market by offering guitarists Custom-Gauge single strings. The Ernie Ball Company also produces Music Man guitars and basses, volume pedals, and other accessories. The company's strings and accessories are available in more than 6,000 music stores throughout the U.S. The company also exports to 82 countries. For more information, contact the Ernie Ball company at (800) 543-2255, or visit their website at www.ernieball.com.

These products are Ernie Ball trademarks registered in the USA and many foreign countries:

ERNIE BALL®     CUSTOM GAUGE®     SLINKY®     EARTHWOOD®
MUSICMAN®
STINGRAY®     SILHOUETTE®     AXIS®
STERLING®     4+2®     3+1®

Trademark ownership is indicated by the symbol ®, however, for the sake of brevity it is omitted during the story.

Contact:
Brian Ball
Ernie Ball, Inc.
(800) 543-2255

Media Contact:
Keith Negrin
MORSEKODE
(952) 853-9555