8 July 2013 – The brand new single from infamous pop band Cyclops Dog is now available to download. Sunglasses is a slice of infectious, sunshine pop that could be the feel-good hit of the summer, with its accompanying video predicted to become an internet sensation. Every penny from the 79p* download price goes directly to Bliss, the charity that provides care and support for premature and sick babies, plus their families. If you’ve never heard of Cyclops Dog, you’re not alone. The band is fictitious and had until today only existed in the pages of Waiting for Gonzo - the new novel from celebrated teen writer Dave Cousins (author of the critically acclaimed 15 Days Without a Head). Music plays an important role in Waiting for Gonzo. The tracks on protagonist Oz’s phone are sometimes the only thing that keeps him going when he finds himself trapped in Nowheresville, stalked by the school psycho and with a kid dressed as a hobbit as his only friend. Dave says: “Music in books can be really effective – lyrics or references to familiar songs lets you ‘hear’ the soundtrack of the characters lives and takes the reader deeper into the story. I chose to invent fictional bands in Waiting for Gonzo because music is so personal – I didn’t want to use existing artists that readers might not like! Plus, I had a lot of fun coming up with group names, songs and album titles. Everything was fine; until it occurred to me that readers might want hear what Cyclops Dog or Dead Frank’s Supersonic Milkfloat actually sounded like. It started me thinking.... what if they went looking for these songs on the internet; wouldn’t it be great if they found them?!” As a former bass player in Brit-pop band Monorail, Dave got in touch with ex-bandmate Michael Fewtrell – the inspiration for character Michael Death in the book. “Michael was brilliant,’ says Dave, “but we got a bit carried away and ended up recording a whole album – the Waiting for Gonzo soundtrack!” Dave’s publisher, OUP, were delighted with the results and hoped they might provide an alternative way into the book for more reluctant readers: “They might never have heard of Waiting for Gonzo but if they hear and enjoy Sunglasses or laugh at its fun, animated video on You Tube, Spotify, iTunes - or one of the myriad other online places we are releasing it – this could very well inspire them to pick up the book it comes from. It is so important we embrace new technology and find fresh ways of engaging our youngsters today in the, what can sometimes feel like, dying art of reading a book.” One of the key storylines in Waiting for Gonzo revolves around Oz’s older sister’s pregnancy. Oz narrates the story through his imagined conversations with Gonzo, his name for the unborn baby. As the chapters unfold, so Gonzo grows and develops (and in parallel, Oz does too). Therefore, Dave and Michael decided to donate all the profits from the release of Sunglasses to the appropriately-named Sunshine Fund of Bliss, the UK charity working to provide the best possible care and support for all premature and sick babies and their families. “Sunglasses is a fantastic summer song and we’re delighted that Dave and Michael have chosen to help babies born too small, too soon, too sick by donating all sales to Bliss. If you haven’t got your copy yet head to iTunes and do something amazing by downloading Sunglasses and helping premature and sick babies and their families” said Alaric Shorter, Bliss Events Fundraising Manager. So with the sunshine finally here – hopefully it’s stayed, as you read this – get your Sunglasses on this summer to raise money for Bliss AND maybe entice a teen or two to pick up a book! Together, can we make it an unlikely smash hit? Dave is cautiously optimistic: “I’m not expecting a Number 1, but it’s a perfect song for summer – a catchy tune that sticks in your head. Hopefully people will enjoy the video too – who knows, it might even go viral and raise some money for a good cause.” Sunglasses by Cyclops Dog can be downloaded for just 79p* from iTunes, Amazon, Google Music Store and all other good music sites. Twitter #gonzosunglasses. Check out the video here - youtube/watch?v=FR5zj3t7yxA&feature=youtu.be
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 10:02:38 +0000
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