Hoobastank News

(7/2/03, 5 p.m. ET) -- Hoobastank has committed to performing a benefit show on July 15 for an under-construction school in the band's hometown of Calabasas, California. The Alice C. Stelle Middle School is not finished being built, and is experiencing financial problems due to the state of California's budget crisis. The July 15 benefit show will take place at the Canyon in Agoura Hills, with funds to be used for staffing and educational materials so the school can open on time.

Hoobastank guitarist Dan Estrin told LAUNCH that Howard Benson, who is producing the band's next album, alerted the band to the school's problem. "Howard Benson, the guy who produced our newest album--he lives in Calabasas, and he has two kids that are going to be going to the school starting next year--he told me," Estrin said. "He said, 'You know they can't finish that school because they're short, like, $300,000, and it's just going to sit, how it is, unfinished.' We all thought that was really stupid because you drive though Calabasas right now and you see it. It's just this big dirt lot and there's like some construction going on, and it's more than halfway done. Howard actually came up with the idea."

Estrin added, "When we found out that this new school couldn't be finished because of lack of funds, we knew we had to do something about it." He added that members of the band "worked with kids for six years before our band got signed, and so we understand how important this school is to our community. We are so stoked to be playing this show and helping out in any way that we can."

Estrin told LAUNCH in a previous interview that it was going to middle high school (or junior high) in Calabasas that brought Hoobastank closer to the members of Incubus. "I went to junior high school with most of the guys (in Incubus) and became really good friends with them," Erstrin said. "And then, before they had a record deal, I started to go with them to all their shows. They weren't signed or anything, they were just in a local band, and I would go with them to their shows and kinda roadie for them and just help Mikey (Einziger), the guitar player, out with his guitar stuff. It was cool, I would just go hang out with them."

For more news at LAUNCH, click here.