Rock star dreams come true for one lucky winner

Alicia Lozano, wtop.com

WASHINGTON – Do you have rock star dreams, but don’t know how to make them come true?

The folks behind The Vinyl District and the D.C. Record Fair might have a solution for one unsigned band or artist.

“We’ll master, press, design, print, package, and deliver 500 copies of your winning [7 inch] single. On us,” The Vinyl District announced on its website Tuesday.

Interested artists from any genre should submit two tracks, one for an A side and another for a B side. A panel of judges will select the top five submissions, and then bring in celebrity judges – including The Posies’ Ken Stringfellow and singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins – to determine the winner, which will be announced April 23rd.

“We’re looking for a stand out, knock them dead single,” says The Vinyl District’s Jon Meyers. “I want to hear The Undertones, Teenage Kicks, ‘My Sharona.’ Things like that.”

Aside from discovering new talent, the contest is also an opportunity for Meyers to showcase The Vinyl District’s new label, TVD Records. The winning single will be the label’s first release.

“We often hear younger bands and individual artists say ‘Well, you know, I’d love to press something to vinyl, but it’s just too expensive,'” Meyers says. “With that in mind, we thought, ‘Why not do it ourselves?'”

Because this will be the label’s first release, Meyers is after “music with a bang,” he says.

“Just give us a killer single,” he says. “It can be jazz, it can be bluegrass, folk, but just excel in that genre.”

The last day to submit is April 15. Click here for instructions.

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