GUITAR CENTER ANNOUNCES DRUM-OFF

GRAND FINALS

FEATURING

TOMMY LEE and Street Drum Corps’ FRANK ZUMMO

IN

“BEZERK”

AN EXCLUSIVE PROJECT FEATURING

CHAD SMITH (Red Hot Chili Peppers), MATT SORUM (Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver), JOSÉ PASILLAS (Incubus), AND MORE

 

A Tribute to JOHN BONHAM by JASON BONHAM

AND A COLLABORATIVE PEFORMOANCE BY

DANNY CAREY (Tool) and BRANN DAILOR (Mastodon®)

January 8, 2010 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles

November 9, 2009 - Westlake Village, CA – Guitar Center announced today that legendary drummer Tommy Lee and the Street Drum Corps’ Frank Zummo will present “Bezerk” – an exclusive project commissioned by Guitar Center, featuring some of today’s top drummers and artists – as part of the upcoming Drum-Off Grand Finals, taking place January 8, 2010 at The Wiltern in Los Angeles. Artists performing in “Bezerk” include Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Matt Sorum (Guns ‘N Roses, Velvet Revolver), José Pasillas (Incubus), DJ Aero, Sully Erna (Godsmack), Jay Weinberg, BANG! and others to be announced. Hosted by Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), this historic evening will also include a very special tribute to John Bonham by Jason Bonham, along with an exclusive collaborative performance by Danny Carey (Tool) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon).

These all-star drummers will all come together on one stage to celebrate the night’s main event:

performances by the top five undiscovered drummers in the nation, who will compete in front of a capacity crowd and a panel of celebrity judges to see who will win a prize package worth more than $40,000 and the title of “Guitar Center Drum-Off Champion” – the nation’s top undiscovered drummer. Guitar Center will also induct drum icons Billy Cobham and John Bonham into Guitar Center’s Drum Legends as part of the evening’s festivities.

Tickets for the show are only $10, and are on sale now at LiveNation.com.

Each year, thousands of drummers across the nation compete in Guitar Center’s Drum-Off, the world’s largest drum competition. In addition to winning over $40,000 in cash and prizes, being named Guitar Center’s Drum-Off Champion offers potentially career-altering opportunities for aspiring drummers, including national media attention and recognition from the professional drumming community, including some of the drum world’s most iconic artists, who form Drum-Off’s panel of judges. Last year’s Drum-Off Champion, 22-year-old Jerome Flood II, made his television debut when he was invited to perform on Last Call with Carson Daly following his dramatic 2008 win in front of a sold-out crowd and a panel of celebrity judges that included Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), Alan White (Yes), Thomas Pridgen (Mars Volta), Kenny Aronoff, Atom Willard (Social Distortion/Angels & Airwaves), The Rev (Avenged Sevenfold) and Danny Carey (Tool).

See Drum-Off ‘08 Champion Jerome Flood II’s winning performance here!

Now in its 21st year, Guitar Center’s Drum-Off has been a launching pad for numerous drummers, including Cora Coleman-Dunham and Tony Royster Jr, two Drum-Off winners who have gone on to become highly acclaimed professional drummers (with Prince and Jay Z respectively). Like all Guitar Center music programs, Drum-Off is part of Guitar Center’s ongoing mission to provide emerging artists and musicians with career-altering opportunities that encourage and support their journey in becoming professional musicians. Drum-Off inspires up-and-coming drummers to further their musical aspirations, while at the same time encouraging the local music community and providing a platform for local musicians to network and be discovered.

How It Works:

Local competitions began September 24 in all 214 Guitar Center locations nationwide. One winner from each store was chosen to advance to district competitions (24 locations), which will be followed by the top 24 drummers in the nation competing at regionally hosted semi-finals (5 locations) on December 3rd.

REMAINING COMPETITION DATES:

REGIONAL FINALS: December 3

GRAND FINALS: January 8, 2010

Guitar Center’s Drum-Off ‘09 champion will win an impressive package of prizes, including $25,000 cash, a Roland TD-25 electronic kit, a custom designed drum kit by DW, Pearl, Gretsch, Tama, or Orange Country Drums, a drum, stick, cymbal, and drum head endorsement deals as well as a feature in Modern Drummer magazine, along with a VIP appearance @ NAMM 2010 and a Monster Energy Drink endorsement deal, making the total prize package worth over $40,000. Additionally, Monster Energy, Pro-Mark, Latin Percussion, DW, Remo, Vic Firth, Orange County Drum and Percussion, Zildjian, Sabian, Gretsch, Roland, Tama, Pearl, Evans and Modern Drummer are all proud sponsors of Guitar Center’s Drum-Off.

For more information on Guitar Center Drum-Off,

please contact Girlie Action:

Pam Nashel Leto 212-989-2222, x111 pam@girlie.com

Kabeer Malhotra 212-989-2222, x123 kabeer@girlie.com

David Marek 212-989-2222, x136 david@girlie.com

About Guitar Center

Guitar Center is the world’s largest retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates 214 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. 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. 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. 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.