Making sure low budget marketing lives up to its reputation, the City of Los Angeles will showcase an annual collection of never-before-heard, locally-produced songs for callers put on hold by City agencies. The program, called Hear In L.A., launches in September and relies on an open call for submissions:

The Department of Cultural Affairs is looking for 10–12 unsigned local acts per year, in diverse genres of music (rock, latin, pop, rap, jazz, r&b, electronic, dance, instrumental…). They will pay individuals/ensembles $500 each, for permission to play one original composition as hold music on City of LA phones for 12 months.

Somehow we doubt this is such a good idea, mainly cuz the phrase “unsigned local act” brings back bad memories of every talentless NYU open mic we ever attended. Then again, thrashing guitars and blood-curdling vocals recorded by unsigned Latinos might pump us up enough to berate that sassy DMV employee whenever she gets back on the line.

Be Hear Now [The Daily Swarm via Metroblogging L.A.]
Image [Metroblogging L.A.]
Earlier, Latino Thrash Metal-Heads Kinda Know Why They’re So Angry, But Not Really