John Varvatos Enterprises is pleased to announce the first John Varvatos * USA “Free the Noise” battle of the bands contest. The competition is a global online search for the next great rock and roll band and will be hosted on SPINearth.tv. The winning band will receive a development deal with Island Records and be featured in the next John Varvatos * USA international advertising campaign, as well as featured on SPIN Earth.
The competition kicks off April 21, 2009, and entries will be accepted through July 31, 2009. The contest invites up-and-coming, unsigned bands to upload a video of a recent performance of original music to SPINearth.tv/freethenoise for consideration in this worldwide search. In addition, SPIN Earth’s network of more than 350 worldwide correspondents will be scouring the globe, the clubs and the festivals for the freshest talent and encouraging them to submit their performances.
In August the finalists will be chosen and flown to New York City to perform at John Varvatos 315 Bowery, the former home of CBGB’s, during New York Fashion Week, September 2009. That evening amongst an international audience of tastemakers, John Varvatos and a VIP panel of rock star judges will select the winning band.
“Music is the heart and soul of this brand. I’m excited to be able to partner with SPIN Earth and Island Records to go global with this opportunity to discover rising talent in today’s music community. Hosting this contest on the internet allows bands from all four corners of the globe to participate,” said John Varvatos.
“For 25 years, SPIN has been uncovering new music. SPIN Earth is that same mission articulated in 2009. We’re giving music enthusiasts all over the world a platform to share the latest sounds from Tokyo to Tel Aviv and beyond,” said Tom Hartle, President, Spin Media.
"Island Records has discovered some of the most important rock bands in history and we're fortunate to join forces with John Varvatos and SPIN Earth to find the next great rock and roll star," says Mark DiDia, EVP/General Manager, Island Records.
For more information and contest rules, or to check out all the incredible talent we’ve discovered across the globe, please visit us at SPINearth.tv/freethenoise.
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The FREE THE NOISE campaign creative was concepted and designed by John Varvatos agency of record Yard.
About John Varvatos * USA:
Launched in 2006 John Varvatos * USA is a total lifestyle collection with a preppy meets rock aesthetic that gives rise to funked-up classics. The complete collection includes vintage-inspired denim, sportswear, tailored clothing and footwear. Geared toward a customer with a young spirit, John Varvatos * USA exhibits the attention to detail and innovative finishes that John Varvatos is renowned for.
About John Varvatos: Launched in 2000 with a collection of tailored clothing and sportswear, John Varvatos now represents an entire lifestyle that includes belts, bags, footwear, eyewear, luxury skincare and fragrances (including one for women), as well as the younger, edgier John Varvatos * USA Collection and Converse by John Varvatos, clothes for guys and girls. The designer has been recognized three times by the CFDA with an American Fashion Award for New Menswear Designer (June 2000) and Menswear Designer of the Year (June 2001 and June 2005) and was honored as GQ’s “Designer of the Year” in 2007. The collection is distributed in freestanding John Varvatos boutiques across the US, as well as in better specialty stores throughout the world.
About SPIN Earth: SPIN Earth is SPIN media’s newest music platform with a global reach. We have over 350 correspondents in 85 countries around the world, each one reporting back on the music experience they live, through their eyes. The result is a daily snapshot of the world of music, made possible by technology, and fueled by passion for the experience. We’ve become a place to discover new bands, to revisit proven bands through new eyes, and to capture a bit of local culture through each new report. From New York to Nairobi, Barcelona to Buenos Aires, SPIN Earth is this generation’s way to share their love of music. SPINearth.tv
About Island Def Jam Music Group: Island Def Jam Music Group is a label within Universal Music Group. Universal Music Group is the world's leading music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, the industry's leading global music publishing operation. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which includes the last 100 years of the world's most popular artists and their recordings. UMG's catalog is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the U.S.) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the U.S.). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, its new media and technologies division; Bravado, its merchandising company; Twenty–First Artists, its full service management division; and Helter Skelter, its live music agency. Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi, a global media and communications company.
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