Rocco “Roc” Gardner (born 21 June 1979) is a British entrepreneur and musician based in Las Vegas, Nevada.[1][2] He is the owner of the experiential brand Escape and a production company, Escape Productions LLC in New York City.[3]

Rocco Gardner
Born (1979-06-21) 21 June 1979 (age 44)
London, England
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of Bristol
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, musician
Websitewww.esca.pe

Background edit

He was born on 21 June 1979 in London, England. He is the godson of the late Jaime Ortiz-Patino, owner of Valderrama Golf Club and grandson of Simón Iturri Patiño, The Tin King.[4]

Early career edit

Gardner grew up playing the piano from an early age, giving rise to his career as a performing musician and music industry businessman.[5]

In 2004, while touring Europe with his band Chiller, he founded Sidewalk 7 Ltd. in the United Kingdom.[6] At the time described by The Times as the next Richard Branson,[5] Gardner initially created Sidewalk 7 as a company to act as the vehicle for his projects and creative ventures. It expanded to a record label, an artist management company and event production agency. Sidewalk 7 Limited released over thirty titles internationally and successfully managed campaigns on behalf of artists both at home and abroad in the United States, eventually taking the company and its CEO to New York City in 2009.[7]

Escape edit

In 2009, Gardner founded Escape Productions LLC, starting with an experiential music festival called "Escape to New York".[8][9]

Escape to Festivals edit

  • Escape to New York, in collaboration with the UK's Secret Garden Party, on the Shinnecock Reservation (August 2011) with Patti Smith, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros headlining.[10][11][12][13]
  • Escape LA in Palm Springs (April 2012) with Thom Yorke headlining.[14]
  • Escape to Montauk in Montauk, New York (August 2012) with Albert Hammond JR headlining.[15]

ESCAPE (Recording Complex) edit

Escape's west coast headquarters is based 100 miles east of Los Angeles,[16] a private 140-acre ranch and recording complex on the outskirts of Pioneertown, California[17] situated near Palm Springs and the renowned music venue Pappy & Harriet's. It is approximately 15 miles from Joshua Tree National Park.[18] It functions as a creative center and recording complex for musicians, photographers and artists as well serving as a respite from modern-day living.[19][20] Escape houses a state-of-the-art music recording studio and provides a desert landscape for photos shoots.[21] Escape has been visited by major label artists The Arctic Monkeys,[22][23] Paolo Nutini, Rufus du Sol, 5SOS, Billy Gibbons, Diplo, Jan Blomqvist, Bob Moses, MK, Joe Ray of Nero, Shigeto, The Pierces, Eagles of Death Metal, Peaches,[24] the Smirnoff Sound Collective,[25] and author Neil Strauss.[26] The ranch has also hosted shoots with Johny Depp[27] and Dior as well as magazines such as Vogue and Glamour.[28][29]

Charity and community work edit

Escape for Good edit

In 2012, Gardner created the Escape for Good series in partnership with New York marketing firm Sunshine Sachs. It is a charity race over 36 hours where contestants travel with no money in support of their favourite cause. The race took place in 2012, 2013, and 2014.[30][31][32][33]

Tile House Project edit

In 2017, Gardner placed 18,000 tiles on a Venice residential property with New York artist FAILE as a mark of unity within the Venice Community.[34] FAILE House was nominated for House of the Year by the Wall Street Journal at the end of 2020.[35]

Career edit

Musician edit

  • Chillher (1998–2004) Keyboards. In band with UK recording artist Ben Montague. First record was recorded at Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor's studio The Mill (home of Queen). Then recorded with Mike Rutherford (Genesis) in Sussex. Opened for Ringo Starr in 2003.
  • "The Blue Eyed Shark Experiment" (2009–2012) Solo Album Project. Appeared on own record as ROC, released via Universal and Sidewalk 7 Ltd.[36] The music video for Shark's first single "JetPlane" shot with Spun movie writer Creighton Vero in Sunland, California. It was executive produced by ROC.[37]
  • "Your New Crush" (2013). Recording as ROC with Kelly Halloran and David Catching (Eagles of Death Metal, Earthlings?) and produced by Mathias Schneeberger.
  • "Hope in Grace" (2017/2018). Recording as ROC with Kelly Halloran. Produced by Stefan Skarbek, Engineer James Krausse, Mix by Henry Krinkle.[19][38]
  • "Don't Resist!" (2023). Recording as ROC with appearances from Jason Bowman, Dallas Austin, Naz Tokio and Joseph Ray of Nero. “DON’T RESIST!” is slated for release in August 2023, produced by Jean Michel LaPointe[39] and Grammy award-winning engineer Mick Gazauski.[40]

Photographer edit

In 2019, Gardner as Shot by Roc installed works at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Guitar Hotel in Florida. His collaborative pieces were also featured in the new state of the art Hard Rock Live music venue.[41]

References edit

  1. ^ "Polo is not only for the posh" Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  2. ^ "British Musician & Entrepreneur and his American Slice of Creative Paradise" BritzNBeatz. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  3. ^ "Rocco Gardner" Good Web Guide. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Jaime Ortiz-Patiño at the 1982 Bermuda Regional" New York Times. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Awaiting the big payday" The Times. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  6. ^ "Vibration White Finger shake on deal" Wales Online. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  7. ^ "The Blue Eyed Shark Experiment" BBC. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Sagging Toward the Harbor" Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Smaller 'Escape' fest to return" Long Island Newsday. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  10. ^ "Best Coast, Vaccines Confirmed for Escape to New York Fest" Billboard. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  11. ^ "UK Inspired Music Festival ‘Escaped To New York’ Announces Initial Line-Up" BritScene. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Escaping To New York" The Sag Harbor Express. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Transatlantic Reservation for Secret Garden Party" Festival Insights. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Day 3: Nigel Godrich and Special Guests Thom Yorke & Colin Greenwood" Milk Made. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  15. ^ "New 'Escape' Comes To Montauk" 27 East. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  16. ^ "Trend Report: Airstreams Shine Again" Elliman Insider. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
  17. ^ "Live Action Battle Rap to Host Escape for Good Opening Party in New Orleans with Host Terp2it" Urban Music News Network. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  18. ^ "Finding Center and Getting Lost in Joshua Tree" Sunset Magazine. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
  19. ^ a b "Coachella Beyond the Music: Sound Baths, Desert Art and Luxury Recording Studios" Billboard. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  20. ^ "Touring Pioneertown, CA's Idyllic Rancho V" Cool Hunting. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Pioneertown Wants to be the New Old West" New York Times. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  22. ^ "Pioneertown: Inside America's coolest town" Tatler. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  23. ^ ""We're Getting Out of L.A. and Going to Joshua Tree": Why the Desert Area Is Booming" Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  24. ^ "Peaches: Shemale, Chattes Et Pisse Dans Le Clip Non-Censuré De 'Rub'" Trax. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  25. ^ "Mixmag and the Smirnoff Sound Collective Are Driving Diversity in Dance Music" Mixmag. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  26. ^ "Resort and Tour News: Olive Oil in Tuscany; Palm Springs Retreat" New York Times. Retrieved 1 April 2016.
  27. ^ "Meet Rocco Gardner of Escape/Rancho V" VoyageLA. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  28. ^ "LA (RE) CONQUISTA Oeste DEL" Glamour. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  29. ^ "Rancho V: A Creative Landscape" Eforelisa. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  30. ^ "Group wants you to "escape for good" from New Orleans to Detroit" Michigan Radio. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  31. ^ "Cashless, Costumed, And Charitable" The Standard. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  32. ^ "Super heroes escape New Orleans for good" WWL. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  33. ^ "Concerts, services and festivals on tap for Memorial Day weekend in New Orleans" NOLA.com. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  34. ^ "Faile’s Large-Scale Venice Beach Installation" Cool Hunting. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  35. ^ "2020 House of the Year" Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  36. ^ "Rocco Gardner" Discogs. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  37. ^ "Rocco Gardner Credits" Discogs. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  38. ^ "Hot Trash: Blah Blah Blah" Cool Hunting. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
  39. ^ "El vocalista de Hot Trash y creador de “Escape” abandona las redes sociales antes del lanzamiento del álbum “Don’t resist”" Billboard. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  40. ^ "Hot Trash Heats Things Up With an Ode to Las Vegas + Official Video" Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  41. ^ "Portfolio" Brik by Brik. Retrieved 2021-01-11.

External links edit

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