Musicians Join Hard Rock Cafe to Celebrate the Opening of the Vault - Its First-Ever Rock & Roll Memorabilia Museum.

Business Editors

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 16, 2003

The Hard Rock Vault Gives Music Fans an Intimate Look at the Most

Celebrated Rock & Roll Memorabilia Collection in the World

Today, Hard Rock Cafe International and rock & roll notables will officiate the Hard Rock Vault this evening with a grand opening celebration.

The Vault is a 17,000-square-foot memorabilia attraction in Orlando, Florida, offering fans of all ages a glimpse at the evolution of rock & roll music - its emotional appeal, timeless energy, and immeasurable effect on world events - as narrated through interactive displays, intimate, guided tours and priceless iconographic memorabilia from music legends, including Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Kurt Cobain, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna and many more.

Hard Rock Cafe International's CEO Pete Beaudrault will kick-off the grand opening by installing the first guitar ever donated to the Hard Rock more than 20 years ago by music legend Eric Clapton, which gave rise to the world's most famous music memorabilia collection. Rock music celebrities, including guitarist Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and HBO's "Sopranos," blues legend Bo Diddley, Slash and Duff from the original Guns N' Roses lineup, Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx, The Beach Boys guitarist Al Jardine, members of AC/DC, *NSYNC, O-Town, Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd, will get things started on the right note by donating new pieces of personal memorabilia.

"The Hard Rock Vault amplifies the experience rock & roll fans crave in our cafes by bringing them up-close and personal with the largest permanent exhibition of milestone pieces from the Hard Rock collection," said Pete Beaudrault, president and CEO of Hard Rock Cafe International. "What is so unique about the Hard Rock Vault is that every piece of memorabilia tells the story of the energy, originality and passion of the artists that have helped define rock music as a culture."

The Hard Rock Vault will immerse visitors in a "living timeline" of rock music as expressed through videos, costumes, instruments and priceless artifacts found in unique exhibits and themed galleries including:

-- The Hub - The Vault's central stash filled with memorabilia

from a wide variety of music genres including blues, heavy

metal, rock & roll, pop, alternative and others.

-- The Sound Asylum - A listening room presented by Klipsch Audio

Technologies providing an audio/visual journey of cosmic

proportions and featuring six legendary rock tracks.

-- The Hungry Eye - A stunning display of poster art, promotional

graphics and rock art.

-- The Temple of Toys & Trinkets - Celebrates the obvious and

sometimes unexpected spin-off collectible items of rock music,

from lunch boxes to key chains to dolls.

-- The Roots Room - Invites music fans to honor the early legends

of rock music - from Bo Diddley to Jerry Lee Lewis to Elvis

Presley.

-- The Sun Studio - Allows guests to record their own CDs in a

recording studio reminiscent of the Memphis original, where

Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash created a

sound nobody had ever heard before - rock & roll.

-- The Hard Rock Vault Store - Lets visitors take home a piece of

their experience, featuring signature Hard Rock Vault

T-shirts, accessories, and other collectible items, as well as

licensed product featuring some of music's most recognizable

icons.

-- The F-Stop - Offers light snacks, beer and other refreshments

amidst the ambience of impressive photography by such famous

shutterbugs as Annie Liebowitz and Albert Watson.

The highlight of the Hard Rock Vault is the "Total Immersion Tour" which gives visitors a backstage pass to the whirlwind world of rock & roll with a guided stroll though the following galleries:

-- "The Back Alley" - Providing an in-depth look at the

outrageous, but influential, styles and personalities of punk

rock

-- "The Psychedelic Meltdown" - Heralds the music that rocked the

world through one of the most turbulent periods of modern

times, featuring the mind-bending memorabilia of the Grateful

Dead, Janis Joplin, the Doors, Pink Floyd and other icons.

-- "The Dressing Room" - Gives an intimate peek at the fashion of

the rock music stars.

-- "The Light and The Dark" - Explores the seemingly opposite

natures of the most influential British rock bands of all

time: the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

-- "The King's Chamber" - Features amazing memorabilia from Elvis

Presley's early years to the end of his life and celebrates

his lasting and unforgettable impact on the world.

The Hard Rock Vault is located at 8437 International Drive in Orlando, FL. It will be open every day from 9 AM to midnight. General admission is $14.95 for adults and $8.95 for children, ages 5-12. For more information or images, log on to www.hardrock.com or call [phone].

Hard Rock Cafe is one of the most recognized music, entertainment and dining brands in the world. Currently there are more than 100 Hard Rock Cafes in 40 countries, combining the spirit of rock music, memorabilia from the hottest musical artists of the last 50 years, classic American food, and a commitment to widespread humanitarian causes. Known for collectible and fashion merchandise, live concerts, Hard Rock Live performance venues, hardrock.com and Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of London-based The Rank Group Plc (Nasdaq: RANKY).