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PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Clyne Media, Inc.
Tel: (615) 662-1616
Fax: (615) 662-1636

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GUITAR CENTER’S UNIQUE EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PROGRAM GIVES EMPLOYEE MUSICIANS A CHANCE TO OPEN FOR ALTERNATIVE ROCK LEGENDS FISHBONE IN CONCERT

— Local and touring artists to join Fishbone at concerts nationwide through December 14 —

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA, November 11, 2008 — Guitar Center, the world’s largest musical instrument and professional audio retailer, has offered a special opportunity to its employees through its GAIN Program, a unique employee benefit designed to give Guitar Center employees an outlet for pursuing their music industry dreams. Earlier this year, Guitar Center ran a promotion through which employees who are members of the GAIN Program could submit material to win a chance to open for alternative rock pioneers Fishbone at a local stop on the Fishbone Fall Tour. Concerts featuring GAIN artists will run nationwide through December 14.

“Guitar Center encourages all of its employees to pursue their musical dreams,” stated Greg Trojan, Guitar Center COO and President. “At Guitar Center, we are a family of musicians. The GAIN Program is the realization of Guitar Center’s purpose: We help people make music. Helping our employees make music is a natural step in the process as well as a ‘thank you’ for all of their dedication.”

The direct involvement of industry veterans like Fishbone makes the GAIN program all the more meaningful for the Guitar Center artists participating. “Fishbone has been incredible,” stated GAIN Program Manager Jeremy Cole. “Fishbone is legendary for independent music, and musicians today continue to be deeply influenced by them, not only in sound, but in attitude and aesthetic.”

A key benefit of membership in the GAIN Program is “Gig Leave,” which is exactly what it sounds like: employees can take time off from work at Guitar Center to actively tour, record and pursue other musical ambitions. “Guitar Center is proud to get its talented employees on stage working toward their ambitions, and of course that might mean some time off, but that’s the kind of treatment GC employees deserve,” said Cole.

About the GAIN Program:
The GAIN Program was launched in March 2007 by Guitar Center to help Guitar Center team members achieve their musical aspirations. At the heart of GAIN is an extensive private social network where Guitar Center employees can post music, pictures, blogs and online discussions, in order to share with and learn from each other. In addition, GAIN presents a number of other benefits, deals, offers and opportunities to its participants, including partnerships with a number of vendors, services and institutions (music-related and non-music related alike). The ongoing Fresh Cuts CD series, inaugurated by Guitar Center and GAIN in 2007, offers Guitar Center employees a chance for their music to be heard with special participation from industry figures such as alternative rock legends The Smashing Pumpkins and hit hip-hop producer Just Blaze, who selected the tracks and contributed exclusive songs of their own for Fresh Cuts Vol. 2 and Vol. 3, respectively. Fresh Cuts Vol. 3 is currently available for free at Guitar Center stores nationwide. The GAIN program continues to build relationships with companies, organizations and individuals who can provide exposure, insight, tools and opportunity to the musicians who work for Guitar Center.

About Fishbone:
Since forming in Los Angeles in 1979, Fishbone has garnered legions of fans through relentless touring and the sheer appeal of their frantic mix of funk, punk, reggae, ska, hip-hop and metal. Their 1985 single “Party at Ground Zero,” and the 1988 and 1991 albums Truth and Soul and The Reality of My Surroundings are regarded as classics by critics and fans alike. After nearly 30 years, Fishbone is still going strong, recording and bringing their one-of-a-kind live show to an entirely new generation of concertgoers.

2008 Fishbone Fall Tour / GAIN Itinerary:
Date: City, State: Venue: GC/GAIN Fishbone Promo Winners:
Thu-Nov-13 Modesto, CA Hero's Dogwood Speaks
Fri-Nov-14 Arcata, CA Mazotti's Dogwood Speaks
Sat-Nov-15 Portland, OR Hawthorne Quinn Allan
Sun-Nov-16 Seattle, WA El Corazon Legal Lies
Wed-Nov-19 Denver, CO Cervantes Faces of Radio
Fri-Nov-21 Minneapolis, MN Station 4 The Funeral & the Twilight
Sat-Nov-22 Chicago, IL Subterranean 48sin
Tue-Nov-25 Cleveland, OH Peabody's Resonant Soul
Wed-Nov-26 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall DJ Spiral
Fri-Nov-28 Boston, MA Harpers Ferry Pistol Resistance
Sat-Nov-29 New York, NY Knitting Factory Can't Hang
Sun-Nov-30 Falls Church, VA (DC) State Theatre Can't Hang
Tue-Dec-02 Philadelphia, PA JC DOBBS Can't Hang
Wed-Dec-03 Baltimore, MD Recher Theatre Can't Hang
Fri-Dec-05 Greenville, SC The Handle Bar B-Liminal
Sat-Dec-06 Atlanta, GA Loft B-Liminal
Mon-Dec-08 Houston, TX Meridian World’s Most Dangerous
Tue-Dec-09 Austin, TX Emo’s small World’s Most Dangerous
Fri-Dec-12 Tucson, AZ The Rock Laramie Dean
Sat-Dec-13 Pomona, CA Glass House FreaknMissy & Scott Orlans
Sun-Dec-14 San Francisco, CA Independent Aroarah

About Guitar Center
Guitar Center is the leading United States retailer of guitars, amplifiers, percussion instruments, keyboards and pro-audio and recording equipment. Our retail store subsidiary presently operates more than 200 Guitar Center stores across the U.S. In addition, our Music & Arts division operates more than 100 stores specializing in band instruments for sale and rental, serving teachers, band directors, college professors and students. We are also the largest direct response retailer of musical instruments in the United States through our wholly owned subsidiary, Musician’s Friend, Inc., and its catalog and Web site, www.musiciansfriend.com. More information on Guitar Center can be found by visiting the Company’s Web site at www.guitarcenter.com.

The Guitar Center logo is a registered trademark of Guitar Center, Inc. Other brand or product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

MEDIA CONTACT: Robert Clyne, Clyne Media, Inc., at (615) 662-1616

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