Music industry veteran Eddie DeGarmo has announced the launch of a multi-faceted music and book concept that began development with a vision to get people talking -- and it will indeed get people talking. The result of that effort is the creation of a product brand, !Hero, which is a Rock Opera, a cutting edge adaptation of the Gospel, expressed through a collection of unique product offerings. !Hero has been described as “Jesus Christ Superstar for the MTV generation” -- set in a post modern world that asks the question, “What if He were born in Bethlehem... Pennsylvania?"

“All of my career in music has been geared around reaching people with the message,” says Eddie DeGarmo, creator of !Hero. “When the idea for !Hero came to me, it was based on a desire to get people talking about Jesus. It is that simple. What began as that idea has found expression in multiple art forms -- recorded music, books, and graphic novels, and eventually, live performances. Art has always been a platform to share the Gospel, and we are utilizing forms God has opened to us through the people he attracted to this project. Bob Farrell collaborated on the music and Steve Lawhead has taken the !Hero story to levels that amaze me.”

The !Hero Product Line

The Rock Opera Album
When the dream was first conceived, it naturally took a musical direction, with songwriting flowing from the proven skills of DeGarmo and collaborator Bob Farrell. The first of the products is a rock opera, a collection of songs that tell the life of Jesus in a truly modern setting, designed from the beginning for stage presentation. The result is a 33-song double disc album released by DeGarmo's Meaux Music label and a tour of the rock opera distributed through Chordant/EMI Distribution.

Produced by Pete Stewart, the music features the talent of three of the hottest names in Christian music today, Michael Tait ("Hero"), Rebecca St. James ("Maggie"), and Mark Stuart of Audio Adrenaline ("Petrov"). The album also features performances by T-Bone, John Cooper of Skillet, Grits, Nirva, Matt Hammitt of Sanctus Real, and more.

The Rock Opera Tour
With the music well in hand, DeGarmo crafted a plan for a tour of the rock opera, featuring the performances of the lead characters Tait, St. James, and Stuart, who will each be part of a forthcoming tour represented by Creative Artists Agency (dates TBA soon). The stage production will be complete with an ensemble cast, full stage production, and a multi-media set. CAA’s John Huie caught the vision early on and has already started planning the tour, with sneak peak performances at major festivals.

The Trilogy, Graphic Novel/Comic Books, Dramatized Audio Books
Novel Trilogy: To best communicate the story, DeGarmo recruited best-selling author Stephen Lawhead. Known for his gripping, highly successful novels, Lawhead, collaborating with his son Ross, has written a trilogy of !Hero novels, centered on the core values of the brand. “Lawhead has built a strong name for himself in the general market,” comments Amy Slivka, Marketing Director for NavPress. “After several years, we’re excited to see him come back to Christian bookstores with such a powerful message.”

Graphic Novel: Stephen and his son Ross also collaborated to create an illustrated comic book series, with the first four issues leading up to the release of a full graphic novel. The novel will include the four preceding comics, as well as a fifth issue, only available in the graphic novel.

Dramatized Audio Books: The !Hero brand is well-suited for a dramatized audio book, combining the elements of the story and music with dramatic production, offering an additional means to experience the story.

Partnering with Meaux Music in this unique brand package is NavPress. “The connection was a natural fit for NavPress since we were already heading in the same direction with the launch of our TH1NK line of books and The Message Remix,” says Dan Rich, Publisher of NavPress. “We are passionately interested in reaching a younger generation with the gospel, and understand that living for Christ in today’s culture requires a real and substantial faith. That’s the basis for our TH1NK line of books, and we knew immediately that !Hero shares the same passion and desire.“

IHero Products Working Together

With a stated mission of getting people talking about the Gospel, asking the questions about who Jesus really was, and how He impacts culture today, !Hero combines multiple art forms -- music, performance -- graphic novels -- books -- to present the same story to a new millennium culture. News accounts reflect a rising interest in spiritual issues. People are asking questions. Much like the times when Jesus lived, the culture was looking for a savior -- a hero. People today, living in times replete with wars and rumors of wars, are looking for a hero too. The !Hero mission points to Jesus in a modern and compelling style.

To accomplish the mission, the music, books, and graphic novel will each work to get people talking about Jesus. The website (www.herouniverse.com) will be the first element, offering snapshots of the music and graphic novel. Summer festivals will provide a stage for a sneak peek at the musical, with !Hero performances by Tait, St. James, and Stuart. !Hero, the double-disc CD will release September 2 with the first volume of the Lawhead trilogy October 2. The complete graphic novel, comprised of all four previous issues as well as Issue 5, will release on November 2. The products were first introduced at Gospel Music Week in April ’03 at a high profile !Hero Radio & Media Lunch at Rocketown and will also be featured at CBA International in July ’03, both on the convention floor and at CBA events. The marketing effort will be “all the products all the time,” building on the branding and synergy of marketing efforts.

!Heroic Marketing

The Team
Such a massive project will require a supporting cast with experience. To facilitate the demand, Meaux Music recruited industry veterans:

• Eddie DeGarmo; project vision and direction
• Hugh Robertson; Sales, distribution, Internet, retail marketing
• Rob Michaels; Consumer marketing, media relations, strategic alliances
• Brad Ford; Creative Director for Meaux Music, web-site development, Internet marketing
• Theresa Davis; Church and parachurch marketing, tour/festival promotion, urban market
• Michelle Younkman, A/C Radio Promotions
• Donna Del Sesto, rock/CHR Radio Promotions
• John Huie/CAA; booking
• Laurie Anderson/Dan Pitts, True Artist Management; tour management and development
• Bob Hutchins and Buzzplant; internet marketing
• Dan Rich; Publisher for NavPress books, publishing team direction
• Jay Howver; Publishing brand manager, interface with TH1NK books
• Amy Slivka; Consumer and trade marketing, media relations, church and internet marketing
• Sarah Snelling; Publishing sales and distribution
• Visible School of Memphis/street teams at all major festivals