Background Information, Abelove Records & the Kiss My Sass Tour

[*ADMINISTRATOR]

ABELOVE
RECORDS

Abelove Records is one of the most prestigious, successful, and wealthy recording labels in the United States. With bands and singers providing chart-topping entertainment and pleasant variety, it has made an absolute name for itself in the music industry. It was founded by Richard Abel, who started out as a DJ in various night clubs in Florida. His love for music expanded into a desire to get other lesser-known musicians to the charts.

It took a number of years before Abelove Records gained its name and location. In November of 1995, Abel recieved a grant to start the business, stating that his mission was to "provide a way for the youth of Florida and onward to make a name for themselves through their own love of music, and to promote the art of music in the community". In January of 1996 he chose the name "Abelove Records", combining his own name with his honorable "love" for music. It was finally in June of that year that he chose a little building in Winter Park, Florida to serve as Abelove Records' headquarters. Abel finally felt that he was ready to take on the ever-expanding music industry!

Abelove Records signed a number of no-name musicians before making its break with a fifteen-year-old girl named Viktoriya Hansen. Hansen, who Abel had discovered at the Zellwood Corn Festival where she had been singing, was an instant hit. Just a couple short months after she was signed to the label, she recorded "Thanks for the Memories", a country single that steadily climbed its way to the top of the charts. Further promoting herself and Abelove Records, Hansen appeared on a number of local shows, and after recording her first album entitled "Small Town Girl" made it onto Good Morning America. Hansen recorded one more album with Abelove Records before passing away from a cerebral anuerysm due to head trauma from an auto accident.

After Hansen, Abelove Records signed a number of artists that helped it reach its current status. The label's headquarters has also expanded to a fancier building in Downtown Orlando, Florida, and has many employees that take on the roles of talent scouts, agents, and otherwise. Despite the fact that he is now one of the wealthiest (and maybe luckiest) men in the music industry, Abel makes sure to stick to his roots, taking no-name talent and bringing them to stardom.

[*ADMINISTRATOR]

THE
KISS MY SASS
TOUR

In August of 2006, Richard Abel sat down with the higher-ups of Abelove Records for their monthly meeting. After an hour or so of the usual talk, Abel thought up a genius plan. On that day a tour was decided on, and the planning began for what would become the greatest race for a recording contract in the history of the music industry.

On May 1, 2007 the tour was announced to the world through a series of televised specials on MTV, VH1, and smaller network stations as well. News spread quickly, and by mid-June thousands of applications had already been sent in for the auditions that would begin the month after. On the first day of June the first audition took place in Orlando, and over the next three months Abelove Records traveled the United States. After those three laborious months, they began the real judging, and in the end chose six bands to partake in the competition.

Bleeding Glitter, a band from Columbus, Ohio, was the first chosen. Started by Sarabi Issacs and Macey Jordan during their Sophomore year of High School, at first it had just been Issacs singing with Jordan accompanying her on guitar. That changed once Alexis Fox and Noelle Baker joined the band. They grew popular in their hometown, winning a number of Battle of the Bands. They were an all-girl band that would surely up the competition.

Fighting Daylight was a band from Orlando, Florida, found on the very first audition. They had been formed two years prior. Fighting Daylight, made of Lazarus Parks, Marylou Lane, Joanne Roberts, and Milo Green; were different from others in a sense. Their formation had not been purely to make music to be heard by the youth (though that's what they claim); the true reason had purely been the rock star status' perks.

A bunch of kids hanging out their senior year in 2006 decided to form a band -- who knew they'd end up chosen to travel with an actual tour the following year? Illegally Legal was formed in Pheonix, Arizona, and was made of four gifted young men: Louis Johnson, Preston Jetts, Logan Murray, James Mead, and Justin Scott.

The Finish was originally from Wichita, Kansas. From the very start there was no doubt that they would make it. This band was started by Mark Davis, who later stole Lita Caroll, December Andrews, and Kaze Cacha from a different band. It took a while for them to get well known due to the fact that no one chose to listen to their music. However, with Kiss My Sass their luck completely changed, and the rest is history.

From Anaheim California, No Fly Zone was formed by _____ Bell, _____ Smith and _____ Blake during their first year of college. _____ Thomas and Markus Matthews joined later. This band automatically became popular in California and caused a bit of a stir. They were actually the only band that didn't really have to audition. Abel had heard of them and heard their music through one of his colleagues, and seeing them on the audition list made him quite giddy. When they showed up he allowed them to play, and was delighted to find that they were just as he thought. Abel knew they'd be accepted into the ranks, but kept their acceptance quiet.

Sex At A Glance, from Waco, Texas originally started out as a joke. Everyone hated them at first, but gradually they won the hearts of their city and eventually the joke was taken seriously. The band, made of Gryffin Evers, Andrew Walker, Ambar Wilson, Daniel Brook,and Eric Crawford proved to be everything that one would expect when hearing the word "rockstar".

The six bands weren't alerted until November of that year, leaving plenty of time for suspense to build up. They were finally told of their acceptance by means of mail, and given specific directions as to what they were to do. In December they all traveled to Florida to meet up with Abelove Records, and after further discussion of the rules and how the tour worked, they were sent home until April of the next year, to prepare themselves for the time of their lives.

The first stop was in New York City. It marked the beginning of the tour that would take Abelove records even farther. The tour brought together friends and enemies, and created short and lasting relationships. After each stop the concert-goers voted for their favorite, and in the very end The Finish came out on top. They signed a contract with Abelove Records, and the rest is history.

[*ADMINISTRATOR]

THE
BITTERSWEET
DREAMS
TOUR

Right before the Kiss My Sass tour ended, preparations for another tour began. Kiss My Sass, one of the most successful tours in history, had brought in unprecedented business for them. Being the business-oriented company they were, while also being opportunity-providers, they hoped to once again put on such a success. It later came to be known as the Bittersweet Dreams Tour.

Things went just as they had with Kiss My Sass. Bands were auditioned, and those in the Kiss My Sass tour were also alerted and given the opportunity. Some newcomers stepped up to the plate, while familiar faces also moved in. Sarabi Issacs and Noelle Baker of Bleeding Glitter joined with Eric Crawford of Sex At A Glance to form Orphaned Dreams, and the boys of No Fly Zone also made a return. Six other bands auditioned and were chosen by Abel and his crew, bringing the band list from six to eight from Kiss My Sass. The decision to choose as many bands was based on the sheer amount of talent that presented itself during the second auditions, and the fact that it would raise the competition higher than on the previous tour.

Now the rest is up to you. How will the tour play out? Will it be as successful as Kiss My Sass?