ROCKDETECTOR: 50,000 Bands And Counting

Rockdetector, the world's largest rock and metal database, has just entered its 50,000th band.

Established by rock journalist and author Garry Sharpe-Young as an online database in September 2001, Rockdetector is recognised as the primary and most detailed host of factual data on all things rock and metal, covering all genres and styles, all eras and all recordings — 7"s, 12"s, CDs, albums, promos, demos and DVDs.

As well as Rockdetector's staggering array of facts, recordings, line-ups, photos, logos, track lists, archive global gig guide, international chart positions, labels and catalogue numbers the site over 26,000 wholly unique biographies, over 95% of which are penned by Garry himself. Many of these, such as METALLICA, NIGHTWISH, JUDAS PRIEST, OZZY OSBOURNE, CRADLE OF FILTH, W.A.S.P. and BLACK SABBATH, are recognized as the most authoritive on the net.

"I'm in touch with a lot of musicians and they really appreciate the objectivity of the site. Rockdetector is about facts first and foremost," reckons Garry. "The site is a great focus for selling music too, across the most notorious black metal to the most laid back AOR, as users read the bios then buy the albums. That's what makes it worthwhile. Of course there are a handful of disgruntled musos too. For example, Tom Warrior hates the CELTIC FROST biography, but it's totally accurate."

Some surprising facts come up too. Whatever you do — don't call your band LEGION — Rockdetector already has 40 of them! Did you want the classic British hard rock band or the Costa Rican ska-punkers? Or that one of the most viewed bands on Rockdetector does not even exist! Most metal country? Easily Finland with 2,178 bands; for its tiny population, that's incredible.

It's this depth of information and attention to detail that keeps users on the web site for hours at a time, inspires hundreds of e-mails every day and over 35 million hits a month. The gig guide has over half a million concerts listed. Over the past 12 months these statistics have been rising sharply and there are major changes coming in 2007.

"Much of this year has been spent working out exactly how to grow the database much faster and add more detail at the same time. Rockdetector will expand enormously," states Garry. "A long time ago I recognized that it could not carry on as a solo effort. Reaching 100,000 bands is going to be much, much quicker. The change will be dramatic — and quite unique too."

Besides keeping Rockdetector up to date, Garry has found time to publish 14 rock books, including the acclaimed, ultra-detailed "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" BLACK SABBATH history, with more to come.

"We're just finishing off a massive, 600-plus page discography book right now, which is the first of a series of 12. All the genres will be covered," says Garry. "I've actually got a lot more exclusive info to update 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' again too — some great material that has never been made public. I've been talking with another major band about an official biography for a long time too. On top of that I have a 600,000-word book simply called 'Metal' coming out in the spring, and I've penned the liner notes for the new SABBATH / Dio compilation."

Rockdetector can be found at www.rockdetector.com.