This year, the international 808 Day, celebrated on August 8th, is set to be even more special as Roland, the pioneer of electronic musical instruments, in collaboration with Roland Lifestyle and the 1500 Sound Academy, announces an exclusive 808 BMX Bike auction. This remarkable initiative, a fusion of music and lifestyle, underscores the profound influence the Roland TR-808 drum machine has had on the music industry for over four decades.
Nathan Chandra, founder and creative director of Roland Lifestyle, believes music is a conduit for the soul to ascend to celestial heights. Participating in this project, aiming to assist a promising artist to attend the Music & Industry Fundamentals Program at the 1500 Sound Academy in Inglewood, California, is an honor for him. “It is thrilling to work alongside the 1500 Sound Academy and Roland to bring the musical aspirations of the next generation to life,” said Chandra.
The 808 Day 2023 BMX Bike auction can be accessed on Roland Lifestyle’s website at: www.RolandLifestyle.com.
The unique Roland 808 BMX Bike auction starts on August 8th at midnight PDT, continuing until August 16th at 11:59 PM PDT. All proceeds will be funneled into a scholarship for an aspiring student at the 1500 Sound Academy. Larrance ‘Rance’ Dopson, a GRAMMY-winning producer and co-founder of 1500 Sound Academy, expressed his pride in joining Roland’s iconic 808 global celebrations, seeing it as a platform where art, music, and culture can help young artists chase their dreams.
The one-of-a-kind Roland 808 BMX Bike was crafted by renowned graffiti artist and custom vintage BMX designer DUROTHETHIRD. It’s built from all-original vintage parts, including a 1993 Dyno Compe frame, GT power series cranks, Odyssey pedals, Dyno pretzel bars, Panaracer tires, and custom wheel hubs, among other classic parts and accessories. The auction can be accessed on Roland Lifestyle’s website.
In 1980, Roland changed the face of the music industry by introducing the TR-808 Rhythm Composer. This marvel became a cultural symbol, creating sounds fundamental to hip-hop and electronic music. Even today, its influence echoes in the music of global artists such as Kanye West, Pharrell, Timbaland, and Swizz Beatz. By auctioning the 808 BMX Bike, Roland is celebrating a cultural phenomenon and nurturing the talents of the future generation, ensuring the beat goes on.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
