October 28, 2015 · Dublin, Ireland; Nashville, Tennessee; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Los Angeles, CA; and Old Lyme, CT – Joined by Grammy-winning guitarist Larry Mitchell, the new project Audio Rhythm Theory, featuring Police drummer Stewart Copeland and Public Enemy bassist/bandleader Brian Hardgroove, is on a search for vocalists from around the world—and relying on the internet to find them.
Vocalists will be able to audition on video by singing to tracks uploaded by Audio Rhythm Theory to WholeWorldBand, the online music video creation platform, and can participate simply by downloading the app for free from wholeworldband.com or from the Apple App Store. Meanwhile, Hardgroove’s Signature Forum on HarmonyCentral.com—the global, premium web site for musicians—will be the epicenter for tracking the audition, by collecting all the final videos and Hardgroove’s commentary in one place.
David Missall (Manager, Customer Development & Application Engineering) from Sennheiser, the initiative’s primary sponsor, states “For us, it’s not just about the equipment, it’s to be part of the art. We think that art and technology go hand in hand, and we’re interested in partnering with great musicians like Hardgroove who are trying different concepts.”
“We wanted to go beyond English-speaking singers and rappers,” explains Hardgroove. “The only practical way to reach vocalists world-wide is through the web, and we’re fortunate to have found two internet partners who can help us realize our dream of creating a new, truly global lineup.”
The audition starts on October 15 and ends December 31, with a presentation planned for the Winter NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show in Anaheim, California in January 2016. According to Gregory Butler, CEO of WholeWorldBand and Craig Anderton, Editorial Director of Harmony Central, “What’s exciting about this is we’re working on the net…but without a net. Nothing like this has ever been tried before, and we have no idea what to expect. Part of what makes this so intriguing is that people from around the world can join us on the ride.”
About the Participants
Stewart Copeland has spent three decades as a rock star, acclaimed film score writer, and composer in the disparate worlds of opera, ballet, world music and chamber music. Stewart formed The Police in 1977 by recruiting Sting and Andy Summers, and also spent twenty years as a successful film and TV composer working for the likes of Francis Ford Coppola on Rumblefish and Oliver Stone on Wall Street. Awards include The Chevalier of the Order of Arts & Letters (France), five Grammys, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo credit: Maria Shriver)
Record producer and multi-instrumentalist Hardgroove is on hiatus from the legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy. His productions include the extraordinary talents of Chuck D (Public Enemy), Steven Tyler & Joe Perry (Aerosmith), Burning Spear, Marc Anthony, Supertramp and The Fine Arts Militia. Hardgroove’s most cherished works to date are his production of two of China’s premier punk rock bands, Demerit and Brain Failure, as well as the forthcoming solo record from Fred Schneider of the B52’s. (Photo credit: Nisalaonline.com)
Larry Mitchell is a Grammy award-winning producer, engineer and performer who has toured the world playing guitar with well-known artists including Tracy Chapman, Billy Squier, Ric Ocasek and Miguel Bosé. In his original compositions, Larry weaves guitar textures that showcase his virtuosity as a solo artist and ensemble player.
WholeWorldBand is an easy-to-use free app for iPhone, iPad, Windows, and MacOS computers that allows musicians and fans around the world to create and share collaborative music videos. Musicians using the platform include Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), Stewart Copeland (The Police), Within Temptation, David Gray, Michael Bublé, Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters), and many more. www.wholeworldband.com
Harmony Central is the world’s premier web destination for musicians, and is known equally for its vibrant community, in-depth articles, unbiased reviews, and hundreds of thousands of user reviews. In continuous operation since 1995, it was acquired by Gibson Brands in 2015 with the mandate to remain a neutral, public-facing site dedicated to helping people create, perform, and enjoy music. www.harmonycentral.com
Audio specialist Sennheiser is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of headphones, microphones and wireless transmission systems. Based in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, Sennheiser operates its own production facilities in Germany, Ireland and the USA and is active in more than 50 countries. Sennheiser is a family-owned company that was founded in 1945 and which today has 2,700 employees around the world that share a passion for audio technology. In 2014, the Sennheiser Group had sales totaling €635 million. www.sennheiser.com
