> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Rockin’ students learn music biz - URL: https://www.smdp.com/rockin-students-learn-music-biz/ - Published: 2007-03-16T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-24T00:15:12.000Z - Author: Melody Hanatani - Tags: Education, Pier, #archive-import *Kid-powered battle of the bands to take place on Saturday* SANTA MONICA PIER What would happen if reality shows “The Apprentice” and “American Idol” fused into a mutant? For the past few months, students in the Blast Beat course at Olympic High School have played the music business game for teenagers, starting their own multi-media company and organizing the first “Battle of the Bands”competition in Santa Monica. Six local teenage bands will go head to head this Saturday night at the pier for a chance to win a record deal. It’s all part of an international program started by Ireland-based multi-media company Blast Space Limited, which provides high school students around the world with the opportunity to start and run their own businesses. The purpose of the program — now in its fourth year worldwide and first year in the United States — is to give students experience in what it takes to run a successful business venture. The competition this Saturday night, featuring bands handpicked by the students in the class, is like a combination of “Making the Band,” “The Apprentice” and “American Idol,” said Ruici Tio, strategic marketing manager for the Blast Beat program, called “the music business game in a box.” It all started a few months ago when Blast Space Limited founder Robert Stephenson approached Olympic High School Principal Janie Gates about including her students in the pilot project. The program has proven to be successful internationally and Stephenson was interested in branching out in the United States, including five schools in Greater Los Angeles and four in New York City. Chosen to participate in the introductory year are Malibu High School, Saint Monica High School, New Roads School, Olympic High School and Venice High School. Only Saint Monica and Olympic High Schools will hold their “Battle of the Bands” competition this Saturday. The students are presented with the opportunity to run their own company, in this case naming it “Mullet Sandwich.” Each student then applies for a position within their company, including chief executive officer, talent scout, marketing manager, video director, financial officer and information technology manager. The goal of the company is to scout six different acts in the region to perform in the marquee event of the program, the “Battle of the Bands.” Like any promotions company, the students must promote the event and sell tickets. The company can choose to keep the proceeds from the event, but the students at Olympic have chosen to donate 25 percent of total ticket sales to an organization helping kids in South Africa. The winning band on Saturday will get a free recording session and will go on to compete against the winning acts from the other “Battle of the Bands” nationwide. The national winner will then travel to Europe and compete in the international competition for a chance to win a record deal with Stephenson’s label. “I found that students at Olympic High School are very creative young people,” Stephenson said. After graduation, some of the students at Olympic High School might even score some jobs with Stephenson’s company, he said. Several of the winners from the past few years are gearing up to record their first album. Unknown groups like “Emily” and “The Impressionists” from Ireland could be well-known names in a few years. During class on Thursday afternoon, the students in the Blast Beat class watched a video from a conference they attended earli-er this week as panelists to discuss the future of digital music. In the corner of the classroom, junior John Shippey sat playing his electric guitar. Shippey, the talent scout for Mullet Sandwich, will be performing with his band in the competition this Saturday and envisions big things for the future if his group prevails. Many of the students come to Olympic High School from Santa Monica High School after falling behind in their credits for graduation. A few of the students who run Mullet Sandwich have now found a reason to look forward to school. “A huge part of the class is to expand the kids’ world,” said teacher Barry Cowan. “Most kids are locked in locally and don’t see beyond (Santa Monica.)” Twelfth grader Chris Rodriguez has dreams of becoming a producer or a music photographer some day and believes this class has helped him jump start his career. The member of Intoxikated, which will perform on Saturday, runs the company’s Web site. School seems a lot less stressful now that Shippey started taking the class. It’s the reason why he wakes up every morning with a smile on his face whenever he thinks about going to school. “It feels great that we’re getting something accomplished,” Shippey said, grinning from ear to ear at the thought of starting his own business some day. “This is better than doing work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.” For more information, visit www.blast-space.com. Saint Monica High School’s event will start at 6 p.m. at the Santa Monica Pier, followed by Olympic High School’s Battle of the Bands at 9 p.m. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 16, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/031607.pdf?ref=smdp.com)