KFC Makes Last Call For Local Kiwi Musicians

KFC Makes Last Call For Local Kiwi Musicians

KFC (together with NZ On Air and Amplifier.co.nz) will be making a last call to local musicians, on 28 March 08, for entries into – Sounds from your Hometown – the competition for aspiring music artists which is running in 94 KFC stores across New Zealand.

From the beginning of March (04 March 08) - Sounds from your Hometown - has been searching from Kaitaia to Invercargill for headline acts of all ages and all musical genres to enter the competition and NZ has definitely been alive with the sound of music!

A great number of artists (of vast and varying sounds) are registered to date and will soon be competing for votes, from their local community and afar, as well as the ultimate music industry-prize package worth $15,000.

The acts that receive the most popular vote, for their KFC store, will each perform a live gig, at that store, on Saturday 03 May 08 to help celebrate NZ Music Month 08 at a true local level. All 94 KFC stores are planning to host this live musical showcase simultaneously, allowing New Zealanders from around the county to experience the unique sound from their hometown.

Rod de Vries, Operating Officer at KFC says the calibre of entries from around the country has been strong:
“The acts that have entered to date are a testament to the talent this country has to offer. We think it is fantastic that local musicians, from communities all around New Zealand, have entered into the spirit of things and we urge other local musicians to enter before 28 March 08.

“Every one of our stores is determined to hold the best KFC gig in the country and don’t want anyone to miss out on the fun or on the ultimate music-industry prize worth $15,000, that could easily end up in the hands of a local community artist!”

To register simply visit www.kfc.co.nz, click on the Sounds from your Hometown link and follow the registration instructions to have their original music track uploaded for inclusion in the public voting.

Registrations are open until 28 March 2008. Voting will then open to the public on Tuesday 01 April and close on Tuesday 22 April 2008.

The artists selected to play at their local KFC store on Saturday 03 May will be announced to the public on Thursday 01 May 2008.

From the performers voted to play at their local KFC store, one ultimate winner will be chosen by two music industry representatives to win a music-industry prize package worth $15,000; aimed at giving the winner a substantial step up in their musical career.

This ultimate prize package includes two days recording time at York St Recording Studios (NZ’s leading music recording studio) worth $3500, a $5000 NZ On Air Music Video grant, $3000 worth of advertising on Amplifier.co.nz as well as $3500 cash. The ultimate winner’s track will also be included on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc radio promotional sampler and will be profiled on NZ On Air’s www.kiwihits.co.nz website

The ultimate winner will be announced on Friday 16 May 2008.

Further detail available at www.kfc.co.nz
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Notes to Editor:

About KFC:
New Zealand’s First KFC restaurant opened in Auckland in 1971 serving the Colonels Original Recipe chicken. Today, there are 95 KFC stores nationwide and the brand has stayed on top by consistently delivering great tasting, fresh chicken that keeps customers coming back.

All KFC stores will take part in the Sounds from your Hometown competition, except for one store which will be closed as it is undergoing a transformation process.

KFC is part of the Restaurant Brands Group. Restaurant Brands is listed on the NZX stock exchange and also owns Pizza Hut and Starbucks.

About NZ On Air:
NZ On Air is the broadcast funding agency, charged with getting more New Zealand programmes on radio and television. One of NZ On Air’s local content missions is to get more New Zealand music played on radio and television. NZ On Air funds 170 music videos a year and produces the Kiwi Hit Disc radio sampler discs that go out to every radio station in the land. NZ On Air is always on the look out for new artists and new songs with airplay potential to feed the local content campaign.

About Amplifier.co.nz:
Amplifier has provided New Zealand music online to the world for over 9 years, being one of the pioneers of legal digital music sales. As well as streaming NZ music videos and reporting NZ music news, it retails CDs, DVDs, records, mp3s, merchandise and gig tickets for over 2000 New Zealand artists including Shapeshifter, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Patea Maori Club, Tiki, TrinityRoots and Steriogram.

About York Street Recording Studios (Auckland):
York Street Recording Studios was originally built in 1991 by Killing Joke front man Jaz Coleman and over the last 18 years has become New Zealand's leading recording, mixing and mastering facility. York Street is a truly international class recording complex with many local and international big name acts on its client list. The Beastie Boys, The Black Eyed Peas, Interpol, Silverchair, 50 Cent and Norah Jones are a few of the international guests that have enjoyed York Street’s famous hospitality and state of the art recording equipment. Successful chart topping records from local acts such as, the feelers, Shihad, Goldenhorse, Opshop, Brooke Fraser, Dave Dobbyn, Bic Runga and Crowded House have helped cement York Street’s reputation as a top quality and professional place to record.

About Mark Kneebone – Record Company Representative:
Mark Kneebone has dedicated his professional career to the growth of independent music in New Zealand. From 1999 to 2002 he held the role of Promotions and International Label Manager for Kog Transmissions, then in 2002 he formed marketing, publicity and promotions company Isaac Promotions. Possessing a robust appetite for a variety of music, Kneebone also founded record label Tardus Music, which boasts a roster of incredibly diverse talent that includes Fur Patrol and Die!Die!Die!. Mark is the current chairperson of Independent Music New Zealand.

About Ashley Page – Record Company Representative:
Since moving to New Zealand 8 years ago Ashley has worked at Festival Mushroom Records, Flying Nun, and Warner Music where Ashley is currently A&R Manager and Marketing Manager for Australasian labels. Warner Music NZ currently has a formidable roster of NZ artists including Shihad, Atlas, Evermore, The Phoenix Foundation, Dimmer, the feelers, Goodnight Nurse and this years NZ Album Of The Year winners “Crazy? Yes! Dumb? No!”

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