Borders Hails TAXI Artists for ``Under the Radar'' Tours; Local Unsigned Artists Perform in California Borders Stores.

Business Editors

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003

Borders(R) Books & Music stores in California will sponsor nine music tours for local artists who are part of the company's "Under the Radar" program. "Under the Radar" offers unsigned musicians the opportunity to distribute and market their recordings in Borders stores in their community. The nine selected artists will appear in Borders stores through May and represent an eclectic array of musical genres. Borders operates "Under the Radar" in conjunction with Los Angeles-based TAXI, the world's leading independent artist and repertoire company.

"There is a whole untapped network of local music talent that record labels have yet to discover," said Len Cosimano, vice president of marketing for multimedia at Borders Group. "Through Borders' 'Under the Radar' program, emerging musicians with exceptional talent and strong local followings gain access to the resources only a national retailer and distributor can provide."

Artists performing at Borders stores in the Los Angeles area include Gina Villalobos, Melodine, Fisher, George Kahn and Gabriel Mann. Musicians appearing in the Bay Area include Jeffrey Halford and the Healers, Noelle Hampton, Paul Herder and Idiom Creek. These musical acts have been recognized locally for their solid musicianship and entertaining performance styles; they represent multiple music genres, including jazz, pop/rock, electronic and Americana.

In Southern California, Gina Villalobos, an Americana roots/rock singer and songwriter will perform in the Santa Monica Borders store. Melodine, a pop/rock group from Los Angeles, will perform in Borders stores in Orange, Mission Viejo, Costa Mesa, Rancho Santa Margarita and Torrance. Fisher, a nationally recognized pop band from Los Angeles, will rock Borders customers in San Diego, Mission Viejo and Santa Monica. George Kahn, a jazz pianist who's played in and around L.A. for more than 20 years, will perform in the Santa Monica and Canoga Park Borders stores. Rock trio Gabrielle Mann will play in Santa Monica, Costa Mesa and Rancho Mirage.

In Northern California, rock band Jeffrey Halford and the Healers will appear in Borders stores in Los Gatos, San Mateo, San Rafael, San Francisco (Union Square) and Santa Cruz. Noelle Hampton, a singer and songwriter from the Bay Area who won the Levi's/Lilith Fair Talent Search award, will perform in Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, San Francisco (Union Square), Los Gatos and Stonestown. Paul Herder, a Bay Area jazz musician, will play in San Rafael, San Francisco (Union Square), Milpitas and San Jose. Additionally, electronic rock group Idiom Creek will play in the San Francisco (Union Square), Santa Cruz and Los Gatos Borders stores.

For additional information on any of the performances, including dates and times, please contact Emily Swan at 734-477-1265 or by e-mail at [e-mail].

Borders Group is a leading global retailer of books, music, video and other information and entertainment items with stores in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the commonwealth of Puerto Rico. A FORTUNE 500 company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group employs 32,000 worldwide and operates over 405 Borders domestic superstores, 31 international Borders stores, 37 Books etc. locations and approximately 775 Waldenbooks stores. Teamed with Amazon.com, the company also offers online shopping through Borders.com (www.borders.com) and Waldenbooks.com (www.waldenbooks.com). More detailed information on the company is available at www.bordersgroupinc.com. Information on Borders stores is available through www.bordersstores.com.