www.theracketmusic.com

In just two years the Racket have exploded onto the Canadian music scene. They have rapidly gone from their working class roots in Hamilton to playing for capacity crowds at some of rock’s most historic landmarks.

The Racket are singer, songwriter and guitarist Mike Veerman; his brother Greg Veerman on bass; and Ted Paterson on drums.

Together the Racket have won or been finalists in several national and international music competitions. In the summer of 2004 the group’s song “The Beach” was featured on the website for Fox's "The O.C.". Most recently “The Beach” received airplay on Edge 102, Canada's hugely popular alt-rock station. The Racket have also been popping up on college radio all over Ontario and in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Austin.

With a tight, aggressive -- yet accessible rock sound, intelligent lyrics, countless unforgettable original songs and an ever-growing fan base, the Racket’s impending fame and success are undeniable.

Bio

the Racket


“It shouldn’t be long before the Racket are staples on video channels everywhere.”
--View Magazine, October 14th, 2004


In just two years the Racket have exploded onto the Canadian music scene. They have rapidly gone from their working class roots in Hamilton to playing for capacity crowds at some of rock’s most historic landmarks including the El Mocambo, Lee’s Palace, the Horseshoe and the Rivoli.

The Racket consists of 23-year-old lead singer, songwriter and guitarist Mike Veerman; his 20-year-old brother Greg Veerman on bass; and their 20-year-old childhood friend Ted Paterson on drums.

Mike first got into music at fifteen when his dad brought home a guitar he had won in a poker game. After teaching himself guitar, Mike moved on to learn the piano, drums, bass, and saxophone. Mike first gained national attention in January 2002 when he was chosen from thousands of applicants to be one of the five MuchMusic VJ Search Finalists. That experience led to Mike’s first televised musical performance live on MuchMusic and the beginning of an internet-based group of fans with several unofficial websites. To this day Mike is stopped on the street and recognized as a result of the VJ Search and his subsequent musical appearances on MuchMusic and Citytv.

Greg has played several instruments all of his life. He was the bassist of his first band at the age of eleven! With nearly a decade on the bass, Greg was their only choice when Mike and Ted started the band. Greg has become a fan favourite and has recently become the victim of more than one over-eager fan storming the stage. Besides being one-third of the Racket, Greg also plays regularly with popular Hamilton hip-hop crew Crocodile Mile.

Like Mike and Greg, Ted is also the product of a musical family. Inspired by Larry Mullen in the U2 Rattle and Hum film, Ted pestered his parents for drums as an eleventh birthday present. He has been playing in bands ever since in addition to attending the prestigious Crichton Music College in Memphis. Ted’s aggressive hard-hitting style is a trademark of the Racket’s unique sound and a true sight to be seen. Ted’s love of music has extended to other groups including a regular stint with the Ontario based band Beaumont.

Together the Racket have won or been finalists in several local, national and international live-music competitions including The Battle Theory and the Emergenza Festival. In the summer of 2004 the group’s song “The Beach” was featured on the website for the Fox Network’s teen phenomenon The O.C. Most recently “The Beach” received airplay on Edge 102, Toronto and Southern Ontario’s hugely popular alt-rock station. The Racket have also been popping up on college radio all over Ontario and in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Austin.

With a tight, aggressive -- yet accessible rock sound, intelligent lyrics, countless unforgettable original songs and an ever-growing fan base, the Racket’s impending fame and success are undeniable. Only the exact path to that fame and success remains to be determined.


For information on live appearances, performances or recording opportunities, please contact Justin Stockman, the Racket’s manager at justin@theracketmusic.com or at 416-466-7904.


www.theracketmusic.com

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