Lucian

Crockett Entertainment Manager 233 McCauley St Unit A3 Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (336)-577-3703 clc12rock@gmail.com Dear Jim Romeo, I am writing you, and Ground Control Touring, representing the Charlotte-based hardcore band Richard Parker. After several shows throughout North Carolina, and a split release with fellow Charlotte-based band Mon Frere, I believe Richard Parker is ready to take its talents on the road. I propose to you a joint-headlining tour of both Richard Parker and Mon Frere to promote their split 12 inch release and gain regional notoriety for both bands. They have both established themselves in the DIY venues of North Carolina, selling out the Tremont Music Hall in Charlotte, CFBG in Greensboro and the Soapbox in Wilmington. These bands are ready to grow into bigger venues in the region and I believe Ground Control can help them accomplish just that. While the bands have academic obligations during the school year, they cleared their schedules for the summer months to tour the east coast and their first choice for a booking agent was Ground Control Touring. I appreciate your business model of building a relationship with a single agent, rather than switching agents within each region. With offices in Carrboro and Brooklyn, I know you have great connections with indie and DIY venues on the east coast, but Im also aware of your relationships around the country and the world. As a hardcore band, Richard Parker might not fit snugly into Ground Controls indie- heavy repertoire, but I believe that there is a strong audience for hardcore bands at the venues you book. Richard Parker and Mon Frere both have a straightforward rock approach that can be appreciated by fans of alternative, grunge, punk or indie rock. In this package Ive included a bio of the band, a one sheet, photos, links to its music and videos, equipment requirements, booking and contact info, a typical set list, press clippings and a review of the split release. I encourage you to review these materials. I think you will be very pleased with the talents of these young men from North Carolina and I hope to hear from you soon. Regards, C. Lucian Crockett IV

Richard Parker Split 12-Inch With Mon Frere What began as a snowed-in exchange of musical ideas between two friends has evolved not onlyinto a tribute to one of those friends, but also one of the most exciting rock bands to come out of Charlotte, NC, in decades. Richard Parker includes several musicians of varied backgrounds, melding aural textures into a sonic amalgamation that can be loosely defined as hardcore, but begs for further clarity. Bassist Taylor McKusick and founding guitarist Tyler Sprad Spradling created Richard Parker in the winter of 2010 in Boone, NC, just months before Sprads untimely death on his 21st birthday, May 11, 2011. The creative masterminds death sparked a collaborative album between Richard Parker and fellow Charlotte-based band Mon Frere. The split 12-inch not only puts Sprads musings onto vinyl, but it also showcases the sprawling talents of Richard Parkers members. There are quiet moments of melodic melancholia, only to be followed by the furious three-guitar attack of Xan Law, Matt Brandon and Pat Goley. Tyler Brown pushes the limits of his vocal chords on every track, while Mike Rice provides synthesized textures and Garret Herzfeld sends a wrath of drums flying every which way. With its eclectic mix of inspirations and an irrefutable sense of heaviness, Richard Parker doesnt defy genres; it defines them.

Richard Parker Band Bio If you were to rank all of the states of the union by musical precedence, North Carolina would certainly make its way into the top five. Theres the bluegrass musings of Appalachia, the indie rock scene of the Triangle, the heady jam bands of Asheville and it seems like jazz musicians have sprung up all over the Tar Heel State. But one scene that constantly gets overlooked is the rock scene in Charlotte. The scene doesnt define itself by a single sound, but more so by the chip that it has on its shoulder for its lack of recognition. These bands find solidarity less through shared sonic qualities and more through a shared struggle to thrive in a scene that struggles to thrive. Richard Parker possesses this notarized chip and transforms into a hit to the chest of a state that refuses to give it the attention it deserves. Its easy to attempt to mark the band as hardcore or post-rock or noise rock, but no one definition seems fit the bill. The one thing that cant be denied, however, is that the band is heavy. Richard Parker began as a collaboration between two friends, bassist Taylor McKusick and founding guitarist Tyler Sprad Spradling, on a snowy stretch of days in Boone, NC. Proven immobile by the snowy conundrum outside, and with several days of classes cancelled at Appalachian State University, the two began throwing around a few musical schemas. We really hammered out the basics of what we wanted to do as a band in those few days, McKusick recalled of those reclusive times in the winter of 2010. We werent inspired by anything except the fact that we had nothing else to do. Once the roads cleared, Sprad returned to Charlotte with a serious fire under his ass. He continued the creative process in the Queen City and recruited several friends from the incestuous local scene to fill out the band. Everyones been in bands with everyone else in Charlotte, guitarist Xan Law said. Its a really tight-knit community and theres a lot of support from a wide range of people. Law added a second guitar, while Matt Brandon added a third. Singer- songwriter Tyler Brown took over on lead vocals, Mike Rice provided synths and Garrett Herzfeld occupied the drum kit. The band began practicing together and quickly meshed, mainly because they had all played together in other bands in the past (hence the incestuous nature of the scene). Through its local connections, the band quickly procured a gig at the Tremont Music Hall, one of the local DIY venues.

Charlotte has a thriving musical community based around these lowbrow DIY venues. The most notable of which is The Milestone, the oldest continuously operated music venue on the east coast. Since its inception in 1969, Nirvana, Bad Brains, R.E.M., and several other staples to the alternative rock scene graced its stage. This storied history allows an assemblage of an alternative past combining with Charlottes modern youth culture, who looks at the Milestone as, well, a milestone. Hidden practitioners, such as Scott Wishart at Lunchbox Records, the local independent record store, introduce the younger generation to these past bands, while also trying to guide these young musicians in the right direction. DIY venues are just local, independently-owned venues that are usually pretty grungy, but theyre always run by people who are invested in and really care about the scene, said drummer Garrett Herzfeld. Most of these people have been in bands before and they want to see new local bands succeed, so they wont charge big covers for local bands and theyll have all-ages shows to draw a bigger crowd. Richard Parker (the name is a macabre reference to shipwrecked cannibals) began rehearsing for their first big gig, but just days before their premiere show at the Tremont, six of its members got the news every band dreads. On May 11, 2011, their friend and the creative force behind the band, Tyler Sprad Spradling, died of an accidental overdose while celebrating his 21st birthday. I remember calling Garrett to see when we were practicing that day, and he was just like, Dude, Sprads gone, recalled Mike Rice. Its like one day theyre there and the next day theyre not. Its a surreal experience. The band was distraught, but they knew they had to carry on and play the May 15 show at the Tremont. They recruited Sprads friend and former bandmate, Pat Goley to fill in for the fallen badmate. Pat and Sprad were best friends in high school so we taught him everything in just a few days, said Garrett Herzfeld. It was a really special show and we had Sprads guitar on stage as a tribute. There had already been talks of releasing a split 12-inch with Mon Frere, but after Sprads death, the two bands got to work on a tribute album. The recording process started over the summer of 2011 at MP Production NC with producer Marshall Weiczorek and spilled over into the fall. The band split a headlining bill with Mon Frere for an album release show on December 30, 2011, at the Tremont Music Hall, selling out the venue. Sprad appears on two of the tracks, (Shark Attack!) and You, The Morning and Me, both of which were recorded a few months before his death. Sprad wrote

the music for the track, The Troubles, on the day he died and Tyler Brown wrote lyrics in honor of Sprads death to make the song whole. To the members of Richard Parker, the split 12-inch release with Mon Frere is much more than a collection of songs by two bands. Its a tribute to a friend. An homage to an amazing musician. A posthumous realization of one mans ideas. A perseverance to complete what was started even though giving up would be so much easier. The resulting disc is, at the very least, a hardcore album, but Taylor McKusick referred to it as post rock grunge noise. Its really a hardcore album made by people who dont listen to hardcore, said Xan Law. None of us are super into the genre, but this is the result of our collaborative efforts, and Id say its a pretty unique and original take on this style of music. Its music that wed listen to if it was made by another band, added Matt Brandon. The album procures an attitude of rock and roll that has been lost in todays vast music scene of subgenres, experimentation and fusion of styles. While Richard Parkers songs may draw influence from several different genres, it sticks to its guns as a straight up heavy rock and roll album. With members in Chapel Hill, Charlotte and Boone, it can be tough to keep the momentum going, but despite the separation, Richard Parker is thriving in its own right. They have several festival dates booked for this summer and an upcoming show at the Milestone, which is a dream come true for all the members of the band. Ive been going to shows at the Milestone since middle school, but I never thought Id actually be able to play on the same stage that Nirvana once played on, Law said. Its not only awesome to be able to play up there, but its also awesome to be able to do it in honor of Sprad. I think hed be proud of us.

Photos Courtesy of Richard Parker & Tim Nhu

Equipment List 16 Input Soundboard With 500 Watt Speaker System Monitors 2 Front Stage Monitors 1 Monitor For Drummer More Monitors If Available Microphones, Etc. 3 Shure SM57 Mics For Guitar Cabinets 1 D/I Box For Synthesizer To Soundboard 1 Shure Beta 52A Kick Drum Mic For Bass Cabinet 6-Mic Bundle For Drum Kit With Stands 3 Shure SM58 Vocal Mics 3 Mic Stands For Vocal Mics 4 Booms For Micing Cabinets Power 10 Power Outlets 3 Guitar Amps 1 Bass Amp 1 Synth 5 For Pedals No Lighting

Contact Info Website: http://richardparkernc.bandcamp.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Richard- Parker/170814869627254 MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/richardparkernc Email: richardparkermusic@gmail.com Members: Tyler Brown-Vocals Taylor McKusick-Bass Garrett Herzfeld-Drums Pat Goley-Guitar Matt Brandon-Guitar Xan Law-Guitar Mike Rice-Synth Tyler Sprad Spradling-The Bands Founding Guitar Player (R.I.P.) Fanzine Article: http://issuu.com/johnribes/docs/contentwithdyingissue1 Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6KE3t0nIJU

Demos & Media Bandcamp With Song Streams: http://richardparkernc.bandcamp.com/ Videos: Promo Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6KE3t0nIJU Live Footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=yIS11E Mta4o http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fp2haGUusc&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgZ_NYCpY54 My Interview With Xan Law About His Guitar Style: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyIu_PihY8A&list=UUGlBcrESfqAcB lvn23naygQ&index=5&feature=plcp

Song List & Gig Sheet Songs: The Troubles Yo Hymn Bay (Shark Attack!) Heavy Squanto You, The Morning And Me Venues Played: The Milestone Tremont Music Club CFBG Soapbox

Press Clippings: Content With Dying Carolina Fanzine Article:

Creative Loafing Charlotte Live Music Review:

Album Review Its the album that no band ever wants to release, but its also one of the most intimate, rewarding albums a band can release. An album honoring a past members death brings out emotions and a sense of purpose that no other set of circumstances can produce. Richard Parker provides a stark, heavy selection of melodic noise to honor its late guitarist Tyler Sprad Spradling. We live to die to live again / Well I just want my friend again screams lead singer Tyler Brown over a turbulent backdrop of heavy toms, driving bass and a battalion of guitars on the albums first song, The Troubles. The sense of tension and aggression consumes each song on the bands first release since forming in early 2011, suggesting a loss of control that can only be satiated through outright rage. The songs meander through lapses of all-out chaos, followed by melodic melancholia that descends back into the disorder caused by the bands three-guitar army. Its impossible to deny the power behind each of these songs, especially heard through the angst in lead singer Tyler Browns vocals. His nerve-racking wail sings the words of a desperate soul reaching out for help, yet finding nothing but solace. The highlight of the album comes on the six-minute-long track Heavy Squanto, which has one of the heaviest breakdowns to ever come out of the Tar Heel state. A flurry of tremolo picking leads into the doom-ridden power chords that only a trio of guitars can accommodate. Mother / Are you sleeping? / Dont you sleep on me / Lover / Are you sleeping? Brown moans as the song transitions into a psychedelic warble of enveloped synths and reverb-drenched guitars. While its easy to pigeonhole Richard Parker as a hardcore band, theres definitely more going on in this album than first meets the ear. There are touches of noise, alternative, indie and psychedelic rock all rolled into one section of a song. This band has honored its friend and former band mate in the best way possible: by making an honest, heartfelt album that expresses the emotions that can only be evoked through musical creation.