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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Pacific Communications
Group - IRVINE, Calif. (August 9, 2003) -- Ocean Pacific Apparel Corp. (OP) and Fender Musical Instruments Corp. (Fender) - two West Coast business icons with worldwide influence - today announced the addition of Toe Head to its upcoming "OP Emerging" CD. Toe Head, formed in 2000, plays a combination of heavy funk and pop rock music. The band features lead vocalist and guitarist Westoe, Shakey (guitar), Junior Mint (bass with background vocals) and drummer Pat Pending. Toe Head has played with headliners such as Pennywise, Unwritten Law, Tommy Lee, The Kottonmouth Kings, Dishwalla and Trik Turner. "Being involved with the 'OP Emerging' album is a great opportunity for us on many levels," says Westoe. "We're honored that OP and Fender are willing to support a relatively unknown band. The professionalism and courtesy extended to us has been nothing short of stellar. Additionally, we use Fender gear and two of us in the band surf, so OP is a very common name. We feel proud and lucky to be a part of OP and Fender." Slated for fall release, "OP Emerging" features music performed by athletes from the action-sports world and up-and-coming artists selected from an online talent search at Fender.com. The contest, which attracted more than 3,000 MP3s from musicians around the world, concluded with five emerging bands receiving the opportunity to perform on the CD. Toe Head was chosen after the
thousands of musical submissions at Fender.com were reduced to 20. The
top five were selected by a panel of celebrity judges which included the
following: "We asked a really diverse and music savvy roster of judges to help us select the best artists who exemplify the West Coast vibe shared by OP and Fender," says Michael Marckx, OP vice president of marketing and advertising. "The level of musicianship and song craftsmanship from Toe Head is on-par with anything you'd hear on radio or see on MTV." If any artists emerge from this project, which is being distributed by Rhino, OP and Fender and will be available in selected music stores, surf shops, online and other outlets across the country, they will be eligible to sign a long-term record deal with Fender Records. Additionally, OP and Fender, which are collaborating on every facet of the OP Emerging CD, are donating a portion of the album proceeds to VH1's "Save the Music." "Since '72, OP has been connected to youth culture through products, events and entertainment properties that meet the demands of the board sports community and youth market," says Marckx. OCEAN PACIFIC APPAREL CORP. (OP): Launched as a clothing company in 1972, OP was the first surfboard maker to create an apparel line to meet the demands of surfers, in and out of the water. The brand was the first action-sports company and now stands as the largest privately held brand in the industry, offering a broad array of products that support youth culture and its attendant preoccupations - surf, skate, snow and style. Through manufacture of goods ranging from apparel and footwear to wetsuits and accessories, and sponsorship of world-class sporting events and athletes, OP continues to remain true to its mission: to create quality products with real value, authenticity and style. FENDER RECORDS: Fender Records was recently formed as a means to highlight the best in guitar-driven music, both known and unknown. The label is a joint venture between Fender and its partner Morling Manor Music and Media. The label is distributed and marketed by Rhino Records. Fender Record's initial release is a guitar-anchored compilation of hit songs by popular artists ranging from Eric Clapton to blink-182. Another major aspect of the label will be dedicated to showcasing rising your musical talent via partnerships with major branded corporations desiring to support musicians at the grass roots level while utilizing music to punctuate their product marketing and promotion. The OP Emerging release this fall will be the first in this line. |