ROCKDETECTOR Launches World's First Rock And Metal Global Gig Guide

RockDetector.com, the world's biggest rock and metal database at over 23,700 artists, has launched the world's first rock and metal global gig guide.

Traditionally the Internet has had to rely on cut-and-paste touring lists but the Rockdetector global gig guide is a fully integrated database, searchable by artist name, territory, individual country and music style. If you want to find which death metal bands are playing New York in June, how many power metal shows there are in Brazil during July or what AOR acts are in Belgium in September — you can!

The database launched with over 5,000 concerts listed and has already added over another 1,000 in its first week of operation. In May the gig guide will be open to bands for affiliation. A one-off fee will give bands a lifetime's worth of promoting their concerts anywhere in the world — from the coziest pub gig to the biggest stadiums.

Rockdetector editor Garry Sharpe-Young says: "The Rockdetector database has grown beyond all my expectations in the last twelve months. Last October we forged an alliance with Cactuslab, whose other clients include Playstation and Nintendo, for a full revamp, of which the global gig guide is the first step.

Basically, for the cost of buying each band member a couple of beers we'll give you a lifetime's gig promotion. Bearing in mind that, in my experience, most musicians who pick up a guitar will keep at it for 30-40 years I reckon that's dirt cheap. If Rockdetector had been around in the early seventies I think JUDAS PRIEST would have been paying less than one cent per gig!

"We've been asking both bands and labels exactly what they want and much of this you will see streaming through in the near future. The whole website is going to become fully interactive, and that one off fee entitles bands to get involved in all these extras too.

Rockdetector goes beyond the website, with new books and DVD-ROMs all in the pipeline. "DVD-ROM is a great opportunity for us and the obvious way to go," says Garry. "We are looking at bulking maybe 4 or 5,000 bands on each DVD with video and sound, possibly into categories such as 'classic rock', 'heavy metal' and 'extreme metal', all incorporating the myriad of sub-genres. Not only will these be massive — they will be unique. It would also be cool to include an audio CD too."

Garry has some major official books in the works too. "The Ozzy and SABBATH histories really opened up a lot of doors. I shall be writing furiously for at least a couple of years on the next projects. Too early to name names yet."

Also in line for publication at some point is Garry's interview with the late, and very great, Cliff Burton. "I was fortunate enough to speak at length with Cliff, which I believe was his last-ever interview. It has never been published, even though I was offered crazy money for it. Just recently those requests have started coming in again.

"I've got no wish to profit from it, or see others do so. I shall either publish it over the net as a freebie or, if they wish, pass it onto METALLICA for use in any future book they have underway."