RUN RUN RUN has spent the past year crisscrossing North America four times in support of their independently released Good Company EP. The group’s rigorous touring has included stops at SXSW, CMJ and Canadian Music Week; shows with the Strokes, Psychedelic Furs, My Chemical Romance and Ween; and headlining gigs in more than 40 markets. Their frenetic indie sound and hypnotic lo-fi light show continually turn heads, including Billboard, which staged a showcase for the band in 2005. Their album, Good Company, was recorded with U.K. hit-maker Noah Shain and mentored by legendary front-man Steve Perry. Gearing up for more gigs this fall, including a spot at the Next Big Nashville music conference, RUN RUN RUN is diligently writing and planning their next full-length project, aiming for a release in 2009. www.myspace.com/runrunrun

BMI’s Pick of the Month is a monthly showcase series focusing on a hand-picked band or artist. The show aims to further introduce auspicious performers to both the music industry and public through a top quality venue and discounted admission. Past BMI Pick of the Month artists include Macy Gray, Counting Crows and The Feeling.

John Oates, one-half of the chart-topping pop duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, is responsible for 21 albums, which have sold over 80 million units. This accomplishment solidifies them as the most successful duo in rock history. They have scored 10 number one records with hits such as “Maneater,” “Sara Smile,” “Private Eyes” and “Out of Touch”; over 20 top 40 hits; three double-platinum and two platinum albums; and have toured the world for decades. Their influence on modern pop music has been cited by numerous contemporary bands, including Gym Class Heroes and the Killers, who have credited and acknowledged Hall and Oates’s considerable contribution to American music.

In addition to their numerous American Music and MTV awards, in 2005 they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. BMI honored the duo in May 2008, with the prestigious Icon award for their outstanding career achievements in songwriting. John Oates will continue his musical journey by releasing his second solo album, 1000 Miles of Life, which contains an array of tunes that are dear and near to him. With songs like “Sending Me Angels,” “The Good Son” and “1000 Miles of Life,” the message in his music clearly expresses John’s most recent life experiences. Throughout the album, John’s melodic acoustic guitar riffs are in perfect synch with his lyrical genius. myspace.com/johnoatesmusic

BMI’s Pick of the Month is a live monthly showcase series focusing on a band or artist. The monthly series is meant to help expose the performer to the music industry and public through a top quality venue and discounted admission. Past BMI “Pick of the Month” participants include Macy Gray, Counting Crows and The Feeling.

WE BELONG TOGETHER
Darnell Bristol
Mariah Carey
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Sid "Uncle Jamz" Johnson
Patrick L. Moten
Sandra Sully
Bobby Womack
ABKCO Music, Inc.
Ballads By Design Publishing
Hip Chic Music
Mister Johnson's Jams Music
Rye Songs
Songs of Universal, Inc.
Sony/ATV Songs LLC
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Mariah Carey
Island Records

YOU AND ME
Jude Cole
Jason Wade
Dimensional Songs of the Knoll
G-Chills Music
Jude Cole Music
Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp.
Lifehouse
Geffen Records

BMI honored the composers and songwriters of the music from this year's top-grossing films, top-rated prime-time network television series and highest-ranking cable network television series at its annual Film & Television Awards dinner. Held May 18 at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, the black-tie gala was hosted by BMI President and CEO Del R. Bryant and BMI Vice President Film/TV Relations, Doreen Ringer Ross. More than 100 awards were announced during the ceremonies.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the BMI Richard Kirk award for Outstanding Career Achievement to composer Graeme Revell. Named after late BMI Vice President Richard Kirk, the prestigious award is given annually to the composer who has made significant contributions to film and TV music. Past recipients include John Barry, Randy Edelman, Danny Elfman, Charlie Fox, Jerry Goldsmith, Earle Hagen, Michael Kamen, Alan Menken, Mark Mothersbaugh, Thomas Newman, Mike Post, Lalo Schifrin, Alan Silvestri, Richard and Robert Sherman, W.G. "Snuffy" Walden, John Williams and Patrick Williams.

Graeme Revell	Counting Crows

Revell, a New Zealand native, is in the midst of a historical career in film and television music. With credits including "Sin City," "Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D," "Dead Calm," "The Crow," "The Insider," "CSI: Miami," "The Negotiator," "Blow," "Open Water" and more, he has become known for his blending of traditional ethnic music and ambient sounds. He started his scoring career after picking up on rhythms in patient vocalizations at an Australian hospital for the mentally ill, where he worked as an orderly. His experiments with recordings of human and insect sounds and industrial machinery led him to create the early industrial band SPK. His first score was for director Philip Noyce and producer/director George Miller with "Dead Calm," for which he won an Australian Film Industry Award for Best Score.

Kevin Eubanks	Lalo Schifrin	Stu Phillips

Honoring Revell at the dinner via video messages were directors Robert Rodriguez, Phillip Noyce, Danny Cannon, David Twohy and Carl Franklin, as well as journalist Jon Burlingame. Chucky, the star of the "Chucky" film series for which Revell scored "The Bride of Chucky," narrated the video salute to Revell.

Calling Revell, "...the best secret weapon a director can ever have," director Noyce described working with him on the film "Dead Calm." "Graeme immediately sparked at the material and the opportunity. He hadn't scored a film before, but he had that great composing sense. We wanted a composer who would bring a completely different score to a very elemental movie. Graeme started at the idea of taking sounds that were part of the movie and incorporating them into the score; sound of wind, sound of water.

Mike Post	Pete Townshend

"The movie was completely different once we put Graeme's score in," he added. "He added tension, he added pace, he created drama, and he gave the film a unique aural quality."

Revell's skill at collaboration with the director was a theme that permeated throughout the evening. "Honest," "innovative," "soulful" and "a true renaissance man" were just some of the descriptions that the directors offered. His vast range of musical talents were lauded, including his use of a wide array of ethnic sounds and voices, atmospheric noises and wide ranging knowledge of obscure percussion and voice styles. His encompassing musical style constantly delivers a fresh new sound and approach to each score he has done. Cannon said, "Graeme is modern and he is up to date. That's what is great about him. He is so willing to use new techniques, new inspirations and is always willing to try something different, move the goalposts."

BMI also gave out the award for the Most Performed Song From A Motion Picture to the Counting Crows and their publishing companies for the "Shrek 2" song, "Accidentally in Love." BMI also recognized this year's Emmy Award winners for music.

The first BMI Spotlight Award was given to television composer Frank Gari and the inaugural BMI Classic Contribution Award was presented to the creators of "The Tonight Show" themes, composed by Johnny Carson, Paul Anka and Kevin Eubanks.

With a nod to the digital music age, BMI handed out its first Ringtone Awards for the TV music themes that have become the most-performed songs in the mobile space; the awards went to Stu Phillips for the theme to �Knight Rider� and Lalo Schifrin for the theme to �Mission Impossible.�

Taking home multiple awards at the dinner were past Richard Kirk recipient Mike Post with four Television Awards for the "Law & Order" series "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Law & Order: CI" and "Law & Order: Trial By Jury." Pete Townshend picked up three awards for "CSI," "CSI: Miami" and "CSI: NY." Double winners included Harry Gregson Williams for the films "Shrek 2" and "Man On Fire"; Rolfe Kent for the films "Sideways" and "Mean Girls"; Harald Kloser for "The Day After Tomorrow" and "Alien vs. Predator"; Thomas Newman for "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" and "Six Feet Under"; John Keane for "CSI" and "The Amazing Race 7"; and Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, Anthony Jackson, Jeff Lippencott and Mark T. Williams for "The Apprentice 2" and "The Apprentice 3."

From the first moments of the band's emergence in 1993, Duritz and Counting Crows etched themselves into the public pop music consciousness with such numbers as "Round Here" and "Mister Jones" from the band's debut album, August and Everything After. Certainly, part of their immediate appeal was a sound that echoed many of music's greatest artists: Van Morrison and The Band, to name two major touchstones for the Crows.

But what nailed home the group's appeal was the voice and the songs of Duritz. Singing with passion, and a melodious, evocative touch, he crafts material that is rich with honesty and emotion. And Duritz hasn't allowed the band's success to diminish his focus on the ultimate goal.

"You're always trying to give more," he says of his songwriting approach. "It's like, 'How can I make it even more honest and more open?'" And now, on the fourth and latest release from Counting Crows, Hard Candy, Duritz also concentrates on using the power of the music itself to help deliver the message firmly.

"I wanted to make a totally different kind of record this time," he explains. "I had this conversation with Paul McCartney at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame a couple of years ago, and I came away thinking that I want to concentrate on melody. For the new album I really wanted songs that you can't get out of your head, not just mood pieces. People started taking melody for granted when they started thinking of songwriters as poets. Well, poetry is great and I read poetry, but I haven't the slightest interest in poetry. I'm a songwriter."

To ensure that the songs on Hard Candy were as strong as possible, Counting Crows took the material on the road and worked it out in front of audiences before recording the compositions. "There's something to be said for the freshness of recording the first time you ever sing a song, because first inspiration can be really cool," observes Duritz. "But there's something to be said for coming back to a song later with fresh inspiration."

Hard Candy was primarily produced by Steve Lillywhite with contributions by Ethan Johns, and features such guests as Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams and Matthew Sweet. The title alludes to the underlying subject matter behind the songs. "The album is thematically about memories - the way you use them to substitute for living sometimes," Duritz explains. "Some memories are sweet, but tough and painful, too. And they're not good for you."

With almost a decade gone by since their debut, Counting Crows are in music for the long haul. And Duritz views songwriting as a lifelong pursuit. "It's the sort of thing you only do if you have to, because it's too hard. So I don't think you'd do it unless you have to do it," he notes." But the other thing is patience. Life doesn't have to come to you in your twenties. You have 60 years, 70 years more of life ahead of you. You have to live all of it, so you don't necessarily have to get what you want when you're 21. You can get what you want when you're 31, or 41, you know what I mean? You've got so much of life out there. There's this real mythos that life only exists for the young, and it's just not true. It's really rewarding forever."

San Francisco has a strong tradition of great music and experienced music industry professionals,” says Condon. “This festival is for all of Northern California to celebrate the decades of world class rock and roll that continues year after year in spite of the industry’s ups and downs.”

This year heavy-hitting national acts including BMI's Smash Mouth (Interscope), Third Eye Blind (Elektra) and Stroke 9 (Cherry/Universal), as well as Papa Roach (DreamWorks) have stepped up to give Nadine’s Wild Weekend a nod of accreditation as sponsors. In fact, DreamWorks Records has seized the opportunity to place Papa Roach’s CD, lovehatetragedy, in the special Nadine’s Wild Weekend/LIVE 105/Tower Records sales display that will be up during the month of August.

"You have to support the home team,” said Patrick Jordan of DreamWorks. “Nadine’s Wild Weekend offers Papa Roach hometown fans the opportunity to feel that the band is there, supporting them, even though they are on the road with Eminem and Korn.”

Steve Harwell, front man for Smash Mouth adds: “The San Francisco Music scene rocks and so does Nadine’s Wild Weekend.”

Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind continues: "The San Francisco Bay Area is our creative home and the scene here has been under attack for years...We want bands, clubs, rehearsal spaces and a city full of freaks...Nadine's Wild Weekend is a good chance for the music scene’s survival."

Condon has a lot to be optimistic about. This year’s event received double the number of entries submitted for possible showcase slots than last year. Additionally, Condon has set up a promotional program for bands to participate in that offers prominent CD placement in local Tower Record Stores, ad spots on LIVE 105, advertising exposure in the official Nadine’s Wild Weekend pull out program contained in the August 21 issue of the SF Weekly, and web site presence on three major radio station sites. All of this is supported by a full-force outreach to the national music industry on their behalf.

“It is more important than ever for artists to have as many business skills as possible,” says Condon. “That's why we have created a situation where bands can witness and/or participate in promotions that mirror a major label release. Bands are making the music, so let’s give them the tools to sell their music, and let’s make it fun while we do it.”

Along with showcasing the next crop of talented bands, Condon wants to stimulate the industry’s consciousness and remind them that there are a lot of talented business people in the Bay Area that contribute to the overall big music industry picture and keep its wheels turning even when the chips are down.

“San Francisco is a hotbed for music industry professionals who have made a choice to live here while maintaining an industry-wide presence,” says Condon. “One of the vehicles in which we present this information to the industry is through our 'tip sheets' that highlight our local crop of managers, producers, publicists, agents, sound designers and game developers in addition to the bands.”

It is Condon’s belief that giving back is part of the cycle of good business, and Nadine’s Wild Weekend is committed to the support of music-related charities. This year’s charity beneficiary is San Francisco-based Active Music, which will benefit from the sale of the commemorative “Nadine’s Wild Weekend 2002” compilation CD of Wild Weekend bands that will be sold at all of the clubs and at participating Tower Records' locations.

Active Music's mission is to use the power of music to raise sustainable funding, awareness, and activism for charitable causes and programs. Members of the Active Music team have successfully partnered with more than 100 artists to produce over 400 benefit events attended by more than 1.5 million people, generating 15 million media impressions and raising millions of dollars for the nonprofit community. In 2001, the team produced three benefit events that raised over $1.3 million for nonprofit organizations.

About Nadine’s Wild Weekend
The first Nadine's Wild Weekend (NWW) was in 7 clubs with 70 bands over 2 1/2 days. The second NWW bumped up to 10 clubs with 100 bands over 3 days and included the opening night bash at the Fillmore starring Stroke 9, just as they were releasing their hit single, "Little Black Backpack." Last year, the event featured 135 bands in 30 shows in 20 clubs over 4 days, and the closing show featured Jason Newsted's first post-Metallica project, Echobrain.

About Nadine Condon
Nadine Condon started working in the Bay Area music industry in 1977. Over 20 years later, she continues to be instrumental in the success of some of today's hottest acts, yet remains committed to new and developing talent. Producing BMI showcases throughout the 90's, she featured bands like the Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind and Train before they were known. She has continued that legacy with Nadine’s Wild Weekend, her signature event. Besides serving as executive director of NWW, she is a band mentor and counselor, author and speaker.

Little Richard

Bo Diddley

Chuck Berry

The BMI Pop Awards is an invitation only, black-tie event that recognizes the songwriters and publishers of the most performed songs of the past year. Preston along with Barbara Cane, Vice President & General Manager, Writer/Publisher Relations, Los Angeles, will present BMI Citations of Achievement during the awards ceremony and dinner.

Past BMI Pop Award winners include Don Henley, Babyface, Counting Crows, Macy Gray, Smash Mouth, Sugar Ray, CAKE, Foo Fighters, Faith Hill, The Corrs, matchbox twenty, Sting, R.E.M., R. Kelly, Bush, Creed, 3 Doors Down, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Santana and many others. Last year's top winners included Cory Rooney (BMI Songwriter of the Year), “Breathe" (BMI Song of the Year) and EMI Music Publishing (BMI Publisher of the Year).

Now in its fourth year, NWW, the Bay Area’s biggest music event devoted to promoting unsigned talent, will expand its scope to include acts from all of Northern California, not just the Bay Area, and add "Nadine's Wild Night" preview shows. These multi-band showcases will take place in the late spring and early summer in Sacramento, San Jose, and Modesto in advance of the August main event. Bands that apply for the Wild Weekend will automatically be considered for these Wild Night shows.

Music submissions from regional bands residing from Monterey to Chico, Modesto to San Jose, Sacramento to Tahoe and all of the Bay Area are being accepted March 6 through June 15, 2002. To be considered for a spot during the August Weekend and for the Wild Night showcases, all bands must apply online at NadinesWildWeekend.com.

As a long-time supporter of local music, Nadine started these events because she wanted to "put the 'We' back in Weekend." Her philosophy supports musical inclusiveness, diversity, originality and inspiration. "I believe in regional activities and making a statement about hometown talent," said Condon. "We have lots of superstar bands in this area, who all started out the same way - playing in clubs to fans. This event has proven to be continually popular year after year and I think it is because it's a group effort, to present, highlight and showcase the best and most deserving music around."

As in previous years, NWW 2002 will showcase over 100 of the best of Northern California’s homegrown musical talent over four nights in various venues across San Francisco. Additionally, Nadine will pick a charity that will be the beneficiary from the CD sales of the NWW compilation CD. This charity will be announced in the near future.

Bands seeking showcase submissions must go to NadinesWildWeekend.com and go to the "apply" section where there are detailed instructions. For more information on band submissions, contact Jocelyn Kane at (415) 255-2155. For more information on Nadine’s Wild Weekend, interviews and all other media inquiries, contact Caroline Rustigian at (415) 332-3324.

About Nadine’s Wild Weekend
The first Nadine's Wild Weekend (NWW) was in 7 clubs with 70 bands over 2 1/2 days. The second NWW bumped up to 10 clubs with 100 bands over 3 days and included the opening night bash at the Fillmore starring Stroke 9, just as they were releasing their hit single, "Little Black Backpack." Last year the event featured 135 in 30 shows in 20 clubs over 4 days, and the closing show featured Jason Newsted's first post-Metallica project, EchoBrain.

About Nadine Condon
Nadine Condon started working in the Bay Area music industry in 1977. Over 20 years later, she continues to be instrumental in the success of some of today's hottest acts, yet remains committed to new and developing talent. Producing BMI showcases throughout the 90's, she showcased bands like Counting Crows, Third Eye Blind and Train before they were known. She has continued that legacy with Nadine’s Wild Weekend, her signature event. Besides serving as executive director of NWW, she is a band mentor and counselor, author and speaker.

Folds's prodigious talents are abundantly displayed on the singer's new Epic Records album, Rockin' the Suburbs. Not only does Folds play all of the instruments on the disc, he composes and performs some of the most literate and humanistic pop songs in recent memory. Tracks like "Still Fighting It," "Annie Waits" and "Carrying Cathy" combine the whimsy of the Beach Boys with the moonlight elegance of Burt Bacharach and the ironic edge of the late-'60s Beatles.

The new album's panoramic sound stems from the unlikely pairing of Folds and producer Ben Grosse (Fuel, Filter). Folds's traditional approach contrasted sharply with Grosse's more contemporary recording methods. "We come from two completely different directions," Folds explained recently. "I've always stuck up mics everywhere, pressed 'record' and everybody plays. Ben Grosse, however, thinks that's [nonsense]. He thinks you are making a movie, and he'll edit every little syllable if that's what it takes. . . . That's where a tug-of-war began, and it's why I think the record sounds as good as it does."

Folds first reared his overachieving head in 1995 as the leader of Ben Folds Five, a guitar-less North Carolina trio whose self-titled Caroline Records debut album blossomed into an indie smash. Freewheeling live performances added to the group's mystique and established Folds as the alt-pop equivalent of Randy Newman.

The trio signed with Epic in 1996, and soon afterwards released the brilliant sophomore CD, Whatever and Ever Amen. A masterful document of suburban despair, the album produced the chart-topping single and music video, "Brick." As the disc surpassed the million sales mark, Ben Folds Five toured with everyone from Beck to Counting Crows and Neil Young.

As the new century commenced, Folds assembled some of his North Carolina friends to record Fear of Pop: Volume One, a solo album featuring vocal tracks by Folds, Star Trek actor William Shatner and Frally Hynes, the woman Ben later married. Later the same year, Ben Folds Five resurfaced with The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner, an album that further showcased the band's wide-ranging musical skills.

Then, in the midst of their musical peak, Ben Folds Five announced they were disbanding. "We just didn't have the same drive," Folds said. "If it had still been exciting and fun, we would've carried on."

Judging from Rockin' the Suburbs, Folds has emerged from the breakup with his credibility intact. "I think [recording] is my way of keeping my chronicle updated," the singer/songwriter said. "The records document a you-are-there kind of presence. You know how songwriting is - you put into it enough of yourself and cook up the rest."