SoundToys Gulf Coast Benefit

Over the summer, OKAY!! OKAY!! client, SoundToys, held a fundraiser to benefit the Gulf Coast clean up effort. The Burlington-based, audio effects plug in company donated all of the profits from their online sales on July 15th, 2010 to the Gulf Restoration Network. They raised over $12,000. Here are two press releases I wrote; one announcing the fundraiser and one announcing the results:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2010

SOUNDTOYS SUPPORTS THE GULF COAST

Burlington, VT—On Thursday, July 15th, 2010, SoundToys will donate 100% of its online profits to the Gulf Restoration Network. The Gulf Restoration Network is a non-profit organization working to provide assistance to the people, wildlife, and wetlands affected by the BP oil spill. We are pleased to offer this contribution at such a critical time. 

The idea to help this cause came to life when the Gulf Restoration Network recently partnered with music venues across the country to put on The Gulf Coast Benefit, a series of concerts held on July 1st that featured simultaneous shows at multiple venues from coast-to-coast. Over twenty-five venues held charity concerts, from The Roxy in Hollywood all the way to The Press Room in Portsmouth, NH. The benefit was a great success, demonstrated by the droves of music fans that attended to show their support for the Gulf. All of the money raised by ticket sales and online fundraising platforms will be donated to the fishermen and their families who have been directly affected by the spill, as well as to the restoration of wildlife and wetlands.

“In recognition of such an important cause, we will be donating 100% of our online sales from July 15th to the Gulf Coast Restoration. SoundToys would like to support those affected by this spill through any means possible. If you’ve had your eye on any of our products, July 15th is the day to buy,” said Ken Bogdanowicz, CEO of SoundToys. 

For more information, please visit http://www.healthygulf.org/.

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Information and interviews with SoundToys available upon request.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 16, 2010

SOUNDTOYS RAISES OVER $10,000 FOR GULF RESTORATION NETWORK

Thanks Customers for Support

Burlington, VT—On Thursday, July 15th, 2010, all proceeds from our online sales were dedicated to the Gulf Coast recovery effort.  With the generous support of our customers, SoundToys raised over $12,000 for the Gulf Restoration Network, a non-profit organization working to provide assistance to the people, wildlife, and wetlands affected by the BP oil spill.

We would like to thank everyone for their generous support!  

Eir Danielson, Development Director for Gulf Restoration Network, had this to say:

“Gulf Restoration Network would like to thank SoundToys and everyone who chose to support the organization on this day.  We greatly appreciate this assistance as we continue to monitor and respond to BP’s oil drilling disaster and fight for a healthy Gulf of Mexico.  We encourage supporters to take action on our website healthygulf.org. ”

If you’d like to do more, or for more information about The Gulf Restoration Network, please visit http://www.healthygulf.org/.

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Information and interviews with SoundToys available upon request.

 

http://www.soundtoys.com/news/

Urban Riding in Burlington

This is sort of a throw back, but an article I’m proud of. I wrote this for my Advanced Journalism class and it made it into our school newspaper, The Champlain Current. It describes the local street riding scene in Vermont. Unfortunately, the photos I took for the article got lost in the shuffle.

            The sun was already low in the sky and the shadows were lengthening outside the University of Vermont ice rink, located in Gutterson Field House. It was a sunny, 75-degree day in late September. Jeff Collier, Eric Mootz, and Tom Rykr, all Champlain College students, lifted shovel after shovel of snow onto the tarp in the back of Mootz’s big, red minivan. It was strenuous work. The snow was wet and heavy, discarded ice shavings that the Zamboni had skimmed off the top of the rink and left to melt in a lumpy pile the large size of a small car. The melting snow made a small stream that twisted down a grass slope to soccer fields where several students were kicking a ball around. Mootz’s mini van, also packed full with snowboards, skis, and boots, makes the perfect snow transport vehicle. 

            “I think we can get a few more shovelfuls in,” Collier, a snowboarder in his senior year at Champlain said. “We might regret it if we don’t.”

            “We’ll regret it even more,” Mootz, a skier and a junior at Champlain replied, “if we put too much snow in my van and it bottoms out.”

            The trio glanced at the van. The bumper was six inches off the ground and the snow was melting quickly. They decided to head out. The sun was setting fast and it was a race against time before the daylight diminished. Without the sunlight, it would be impossible to see enough to ride. It was 5:30 PM, so the crew had about two hours left to set up their box, a long wooden structure with a plastic surface that riders slide across on their skis or snowboard. Setting up boxes in town is a fun way for riders to spend a few hours learning new tricks and improving their skills on skis or a snowboard without having to drive to a mountain.

            In order for the rider to create this experience during the snow-less months of early fall, late spring, and summer, ice rinks are essential. At the three major ice rinks in Burlington—Leddy Park, Cairns, and Gutterson Field House—Zambonis drive over the ice after every skate session, hockey practice, or hockey game. The clean up is usually needed about three or four times a day, depending on the schedule of the rink. A blade at the front shaves off the top layer of ice, which collects in the machine. Spray nozzles leave behind a stream of water as the Zamboni passes. The water refreezes and leaves the surface even and smooth. After the Zamboni clears the rink of ice shavings, it dumps the snow outside in a mound. Under normal circumstances it just melts.

 

Read more

Rough Francis @Club Metronome

Press release announcing a Rough Francis show at Club Metronome

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2010

ROUGH FRANCIS, THE TOASTERS, AND HUSBANDS AKA SET TO ROCK CLUB METRONOME

Rough Francis is preparing to play a show at Club Metronome alongside renowned NYC ska band, The Toasters, and reggae rockers , Husbands AKA, on Wednesday, September 29th. The bands will bring together their brands of hard rock, reggae, and ska to wreak havoc on the downtown Burlington, VT venue. Get ready to skank your hearts out.

“Rough Francis is honored to have a chance to play with the legendary Toasters, as well as our fellow hometown musicians, Husbands AKA,” said Bobby Hackney Jr., lead singer of Rough Francis. “We really respect all of these guys and embrace their unique music styles. This is going to be a great show and we’re stoked to be a part of it.”

Rough Francis is staying busy this fall with multiple concerts planned, including a high profile show at Higher Ground with the legendary Death. They recently released their debut EP, Introducing… Rough Francis, and are currently working on new material. Rising out of the ashes of Death, Rough Francis is blazing their own path in rock n’ roll history.

The Toasters, one of the most celebrated ska/reggae bands to elevate the music world, took the music world by storm in the 80s playing shows at the notoriously gritty CBGB and Danceteria in NYC. Their longevity and adherence to core principles has earned them comparisons to the Ramones. The Toasters are coming back to travel the States after a massive European summer festival tour.

Husbands AKA have been local rock heroes around Burlington for some time now. Their signature style of reggae and ska has earned them a loyal Vermont following. Higher Ground named them “Band of the Month” to coincide with their show at the venue on June 8th. After the release of their debut album, Swift Street, Husbands AKA proved they are a legitimate ska force to be reckoned with.

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Information and interviews with Rough Francis available upon request.

Check it out at The Buzz.

SUPERCALIFORNIALIPSTICKSEXYMAGICDOPESHIT

For the past four months or so, I’ve been working at OKAY!! OKAY!!, a marketing and PR firm located in Burlington, Vermont, as their copy writer. I have learned a lot about the industry and have seen my press releases published all over the Internet. Here is a press release I wrote for one of our clients, musician and producer Cisco Adler, about the release of his new mixtape. It appeared on several music blogs, including Peace Magazine.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 15, 2010 

SUPERCALIFORNIALIPSTICKSEXYMAGICDOPESHIT
Cisco Adler Releases Free Mixtape With A Little Help From His Friends 

Malibu, CA- SUPERCALIFORNIALIPSTICKSEXYMAGICDOPESHIT (aka SUPERCALI) is is the latest offering from Cisco Adler, best known for his role in alterna-rap duo Shwayze.  Showcasing his talents as a songwriter, performer, and producer, this mixtape not only shows Adler’s range of skills and dedication to music production– it proves that he is a formidable, triple-threat music force to be reckoned with in 2010. Adler is breaking all of the rules by offering up an album of completely original songs, tallying in at an unprecedented twenty-three tracks- all of which are available for free. Musically, this collection of smash hits touches on everything from hip-hop and electro to rock-love songs and summer super-pop.  To have this sort of diversity all on one release while maintaining continuity and flow is rare, but then again Adler’s success in this impressive collection is due in part to the breadth of folks he works with.

The massive release features many incredibly talented artists, including Adler’s premiere BananaBeat Records signee Chris Young The Rapper, international club DJ-turned-singer Roxy Cottontail, and Jerk Movement bad boys, Cold Flamez. Skateboard mega-star Danny Way jumps in with his guitar on a track titled “Down on the Westside,” which features hip hop legend Del the Funky Homosapien and Adler himself. Pop sensations Cobra Starship team up with Chris Young to deliver the dance floor jam, “Shut Your Mouth,” which is hot enough to rival their recent smash hits.  Mickey Avalon takes on Guns N’ Roses rock classic, “Paradise City,” with his signature SoCal drawl, while New Orleans duo The Knux show why their debut album made Rolling Stones’ “Top 50 Albums of 2009” with a Weezer-inspired tune called “Cry Myself to Sleep.”

“I’m so proud to be working with such an amazing pool of global talent, from my girl Remi Nicole out in the UK to my homies Mickey Avalon and Dirt Nasty in Cali. I am also very excited to give Shwayze fans four brand new songs to get them through the summer. I really put my heart into my music and I am blessed to be able to work with so many great artists. This is only a sample of what’s to come from BananaBeat Records,” says Adler.

The mixtape roster also includes newcomers Moses Haughton, TQ the Boi Prince, and Pollination, who come together on “Ay-Yo,” a track that Adler crowd-sourced on Twitter.  Haughton also appears with Cisco on the dream-like “Apollonia.”  Travis Barker’s protégé pro-skater-turned-rapper Eddie Rap Life shines on the dark electro thumper “Party Til We Die,” while a cameo by Lil Jon and a party-rock hit by the infamous Beardo keep things lively.  Other projects keeping Adler busy these days include co-writing on G-Love and Special Sauce’s upcoming new album as well as supervising music for the film, “Mother’s Little Helpers,” directed by Asher Levin and starring Jim Belushi.  Also, keep an eye out for two tracks produced by Adler off Mike Posner’s highly anticipated debut album.

Download the SUPERCALI mixtape at CiscoAdlerPresents.com.

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 Information and interviews with Adler available upon request.  

Check it out at Peace Magazine.

SNOWMAD

Photo Cred: Blotto

I wrote this press release for OKAY!! OKAY!! recapping the SNOWMAD photography show on March 20th, 2010, during the Burton U.S. Open weekend at Stratton, VT. It was featured on Frank151 as well as other blogs.  

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, the snowboarding world came together to celebrate the work of two of its most influential and beloved photographers at a photo show entitled “SNOMAD.”

Aptly named, “SNOMAD” showcased the work of Dean “Blotto” Gray and Cole Barash with compelling shots of snowboarding, their friends, and the world around them. The event was held at the Simpson Family barn following the Burton U.S. Open Halfpipe finals in Stratton, VT. Despite a nearly impassable road of mud leading up to the venue, over three hundred of snowboarding’s elite—riders, media heads, and friends and family—attended to show their support for the two iconic photographers.  

 As senior photographer at Burton Snowboards, Blotto has been extensively documenting and capturing some of the sport’s most memorable moments from the past ten years. At age 22, Barash has established himself as a respected photographer through his work with top snowboard magazines, Nike Snowboarding, and Nike 6.0. He recently landed the cover of Transworld Snowboarding’s 2010 Photo Annual.

“I’m just so happy that everyone was able to come out,” says Barash. “To be able to share some of my favorite shots at the Open and to do that with Blotto, one of my favorite photographers and people in general, was just a huge honor.”

Later in the evening, the FRENDS snowboard crew (subjects in many of the featured photos) hosted a proper after-party, drawing in even more people. Recent Olympian and 2^nd place medalist in the men’s Super Pipe contest, Louie Vito arrived to celebrate his 22nd birthday. Naturally, impromptu dance-offs and limbo-sessions went down on the dance floor as DJs D-KID & D-CUTZ supplied the beats.  

The event was produced by OKAY!! OKAY!! with support from Burton, Kodak, Pabst Blue Ribbon, ID-Prints and Frends.

Check out Blotto and Barash’s work at http://www.blottophoto.com and http://www.colebarash.com.

Check it out at Frank151.com!

Nobis Product Preview

I wrote this product review for Nobis Headwear while interning at East Coast Snowboarding Magazine. It was published on ECS’ website under Product.

The days are shortening and that unmistakable nip is in the air. It all means one thing: we can happily start wearing beanies again. Nobis, Latin for “us,” is a new Canadian company that has created a line inspired by an “all that surrounds us” mantra, using natural materials such as hemp and llama wool.

Keep it classic with the Lucifer or the Harley, or add a little pom-pom with the Jamie. Either way, the soft knit supplies comfort and warmth, with a stylish look. The Teabag [no kidding] adds earflaps and a visor, and the full-face Bala allows you to snap into full snow-ninja mode to maintain your anonymity when poaching lines. Slip into the Larry and the Ronald after a day of riding for a sophisticated look even as you throw back pitchers of cheap PBRs.

The headwear generally ranges from $30 to $60 a piece but you get what you pay for in terms of warmth and quality. Head over to nobis.ca to check out the complete line and order some goods from their newly opened online shop.

Check it out on eastcoastsnowboarding.com!

Rough Francis

This is the official biography I wrote for the band Rough Francis. It first appeared on OKAY!! OKAY!!’s website to coincide with the band’s December 2009 show in Burlington.

Rough Francis

In the early ‘70s, three brothers—Dannis, David, and Bobby Hackney—begin playing quick-tempo, high-velocity, hard rock as the revolutionary Detroit band, Death. Heavily influenced by the wild on-stage antics, political-tinged lyrics, and kick-in-the-face raw rock of fellow Detroit bands MC5 and the Stooges, as well as the high energy of more mainstream bands such as The Who in England, Death unknowingly helped create the genre of punk rock that later hit the music world full-force. Ahead of their time, Death, unfortunately, never had their moment in the spotlight. After changing musical directions; the three brothers moved to Burlington, Vermont. The Hackney’s continued to develop their musical interest and eventually settled down and raised families of their own, the days of Death seemed only a memory of the distant past.

30 years after the group disbanded and after the passing of David Hackney, sons Julian, Urian, and Bobby Hackney Jr., unearthed the original Death recordings in their father’s attic.  Already well steeped in the hardcore and punk scene since youth and inspired by the power and magnitude of their father’s recordings, the boys along with friends Steven Hazen Williams and Dylan Giambatista created Rough Francis as a way to help spread the word of Death and the newly re-discovered music. The bands name, Rough Francis, was in tribute to David Hackney, who created the moniker for himself years earlier. Shortly after forming, Rough Francis began playing and developing their own style and sound while sharing their own form of punk rock to select audiences. Although the loud howls, high-energy stage presence, and raw, gritty rock of Rough Francis echoes Death, they are exploring a musical style unique to them.  Their sound has appealed to a wide range of fans, from the most core punk enthusiasts to backpacker hip hop kids.

Fueled by their wide spread appeal but anchored in their core roots, Rough Francis has had a great year. They’ve performed at the annual Joey Ramone memorial Birthday Bash and opened for hip hop heavyweight Mos Def. The band has been steadily gaining acclaim for their energetic performances from critics all over, which has included a feature in the New York Times in March of 2009 and mentions on Spin.com, to name a few. They are currently in the studio recording for a release set for early 2010 and getting out on the road performing at various clubs in select cities.

The sons of Death are born; Rough Francis is inviting the world to take part and bear witness as a new generation evolves from a family story made for movies.

Check it out on Okay!Okay!’s blog here.