Raggs Kids Club Band

The Raggs Band is a US-based musical troupe of five canine characters who have played over 2,000 live performances on four continents since 2002.

Creation

In 2005, the Raggs television series debuted on Seven Network in Sydney, Australia. Raggs LLC partnered with Southern Star Entertainment to co-produce and distribute the Raggs series. Southern Star Entertainment is a subsidiary of Southern Star Group, now owned by Endemol. The first 65 half-hour episodes (Series 1) of the Raggs TV series began airing daily on Seven Network in 2005. In January 2006, the "Raggs" series began airing on PBS in the United States. In December 2006, Raggs completed production of 65 additional episodes (Series 2). As of January 2007, Raggs produced 13 completed shows and 120 original songs. All episodes were produced by Emulsion Arts and Southern Star Entertainment in association with Raggs LLC. and KQED San Francisco. It was not distributed via PBS, but rather by American Public Television.

On December 16, 2006, the Raggs Kids Club Band performed on the nationally televised Australian Christmas special, Carols in the Domain. In January 2007, the Raggs Kids Club Band began a 50-venue tour in Australia. The first CD from the TV series titled "Let's Play" hit stores Big W (Australia's Woolworth) exclusively in January. DVDs were released in Australia in March 2007.

Characters

The show and the live group stars five puppy characters that play rock 'n' roll music as the Raggs Band. The group lives together with their pet cat in their own clubhouse:

• Raggs is the blue dog. Raggs is the puppy of the pack and the leader of the band. He is a guitar twanging, lead singing, bundle of canine energy who really loves to rock 'n' roll. In human years he's about 5, and the embodiment of the true puppy spirit. He's curious, enthusiastic, eternally optimistic, always ready to throw himself 100% into whatever new game, challenge, or adventure. Like all puppies, Raggs loves to play. He's not afraid of helping out around the clubhouse too but he can be easily distracted from his work if there is something more fun to do. Raggs is an enthusiastic tail chaser, a passionate flea scratcher and a compulsive sniffer. Any hint of a new scent will have his nose working overtime around the clubhouse trying to track down that smell. Raggs is spontaneous and easily excited. He tends to leap before he looks and rarely, if ever, thinks things through. But despite this, Raggs is a great friend to everyone. He is affectionate, considerate and always goes out of his way to be as helpful as he can.

• Trilby is the pink dog. She is the super sporty fashionista of the band. She loves her music, fashion and sports all in equal measures. Trilby is smart, confident, stylish, and has a matching accessory for every occasion. There's nothing Trilby won't attempt and no challenge she won't face head on. She proves you can be girly, fashion, conscious, and a soccer star all at the same time. But it's on the sports field that she really excels. She is the kind of girl who is worried about chipping a nail one minute, then goes out and trounces all comers on the soccer field the next. Like any sporty kid, Trilby needs an outlet for her often boundless energy and if she gets cooped up inside for too long, something usually ends up bumped or broken by a bouncing ball. But when the sun is shining there's nothing Trilby likes more than running around in the fresh air, keeping fit and staying healthy. Trilby is a great enthusiast for life and it rubs off on her friends. In the unlikely event that any of them would ever feel a bit down they can be sure that Trilby will be there by their side, encouraging them to get out and get active and start feeling good about themselves again.

• Pido is the yellow dog. Pido is the favorite laid back surfer dude who is totally happy to take life as it comes. Pido is the same age as Razzles, Trilby, and B Max and his favorite pastimes are surfing and cooking. He likes nothing better than to chill out at the beach, then come home and create an out of this world snack. He loves food as long as it's healthy, and can whip up one of his Pido pizza specials in no time at all. Pido can seem to be a bit vague and forgetful sometimes, and doesn't always immediately grasp the finer points of any intellectual discussion. But when his brain does kick into gear "stand back, brain attack!" the lateral ideas start flowing thick and fast Pido is especially useful when dealing with problems because he tends to approach a solution from an unexpected direction. That's not to say that his suggested solutions are always successful, but they are always distinctively Pido and that's one of the reasons why his friends all love him. Pido loves nature and the great outdoors. He's gentle, generous and will do anything for a friend. He is passionate about his seashell collection and loves playing the drums in the band.

• B Max is the orange dog. He might be in a wheelchair, but B Max is definitely an alpha dog. There's no problem too big for B Max to overcome, no puzzle too tricky to solve and nothing that's broken that can't be fixed, rebuilt or repaired. B Max is a passionate inventor, problem solver and loves creating wild looking inventions in his Inventing Room. Though we never see inside his workshop, the flashing lights above the door always herald him emerging with some new gadget or creation. His inventions aren't always high tech, but they all have very distinctive names - the Oppos-ator 9000 tells you the opposite of something. The Relaxifier 500 will help you sleep. And the Lookeelikee 4000 (which is really just a mirror) will show you what you look like. B Max's inventions are always fun, but they don't always work in exactly the way B Max imagined. It's worth noting that B Max's inventions never actually solve whatever dilemma, problem or question is facing the dogs. The dogs always manage to do that themselves through a process of exploration, investigation and dogged puppy determination. B Max is an enthusiastic participant in everything the dogs do. He's a driving creative force in the band [but what else would you expect from a dog who has been classically trained in music?] and plays saxophone, trumpet and guitar but is usually found thumping it out behind the keyboard. And if he's not inventing or playing music, B Max just loves getting out on the basketball court or dreaming about becoming a downhill speed skier.

• Razzles is the green dog. She is the go-growl-grrrl, the most logical, ordered and organized of the dogs. Her lists of things to do around the clubhouse still leave plenty of time for her love of music and dancing, too. Razzles has some strong opinions about how things ought to be done and loves making lists. Lists of jobs to be done, lists of games to be played, lists of things that need to be put on her list. She likes order, organization and preparation and gets a bit nervous if things are just the slightest bit out of control - and with dogs like these, that's pretty much all the time. Like her friends though, when the music plays, Razzles cuts loose. Razzles really dazzles with the maracas, the tambourine or even helping Pido on the drums! Plus, she sings, dances and plays the cheerleader, too. No musical mountain is too high for this switched-on, young canine to climb. While it's true that Razzles can be a bit bossy at times, she is always thoughtful and caring and brings a useful sense of order and pragmatism to most problems.

• Dumpster the Cat is the puppies' pet. When Pido found Dumpster outside the stage door of a concert, he never realized he was adding such an opinionated but lovable member to the Raggs family. A high maintenance addition, Dumpster requires plenty of stinky fish, fresh cream, and naptime. Dumpster speaks directly to the audience and also has his own segment in the show called "Interviews with Dumpster", where he talks with real kids. Like all cats, Dumpster believes the world revolves around him. After all, everyone knows that dogs are way down the rungs on the evolutionary ladder. As a result, Dumpster can't help but pass wry judgements on those doggy activities which strike him as a bit silly - which is pretty much everything the dogs do! But in spite of his droll asides and feigned air of casual superiority, Dumpster actually likes to socialize and especially loves talking to kids! Even though he'd never, ever admit it - Dumpster quite likes his canine housemates too. If only they'd just grow up!

Raggs history

Toni Steedman, a former advertising executive from Charlotte, North Carolina, created Raggs as an imaginary pet for her daughter Alison in 1990. The stories about a mischievous rock 'n' roll loving dog were shared during hour-long carpool drives with the neighborhood children. Within a few years, the children outgrew the stories and it seemed as though Raggs would be retired to the list of other fond childhood memories.

In 1997, Steedman, who owned Steedman Wilson, Inc., a regional advertising agency, revived the pup for use in a regional mall marketing program called The Raggs Kids Club, where Raggs gained a whole new fan base. By 2000, The Raggs Kids Club events were hosted in 30 regional malls nationally, including: Valley View Mall in Roanoke, Virginia; Vialia Mall in Visalia, California; Southglenn Mall in Littleton, Colorado; Fox Valley Center in Chicago, Illinois, and University Mall in Tampa, Florida. As Raggs LLC focused on television production and touring, The Raggs Kids Club program was phased out of regional malls by late 2006.

The Raggs Kids Club program required music, videos, premiums, and activities, all often centering on community events such as Earth Day, Bicycle Safety Day, etc. By 2000, Steedman was encouraged to expand the property to include more characters and more materials.

In 2001, The Raggs Kids Club added the following: Trilby, the bass player; Pido, the drummer; B. Max on keyboards; Razzles as the official band manager and tambourine player. The band's first CD, "Pawsuuup!", was released in early 2001 and won numerous industry awards including iParentin Award, National Parenting Seal of Approval, Creative Child Awards, and Children's Music Web Award.

In mid-2001, Raggs produced the first US video titled, "Pawsuuup! Tour", a one-hour music video about the band's performances and behind the scenes antics. "Pawsuuup! Tour" also aired as a television special on both public broadcast and commercial television stations in 2002, 2003, and 2005. As a DVD, "Pawsuuup! Tour" earned several national awards, was nominated for two Regional Emmys in 2004, and was critically acclaimed, earning a 3.5 out of 4 stars from Suite 101 Family Entertainment film critic Nicholas Moreau, tied for the highest-ever rating for an independently produced DVD.

The most recent character addition to the program is of the dogs' beloved pet cat Dumpster, who stars in his own segment in the show, "Interviews with Dumpster". Added in 2005, this delightful show segment has been a surprising and now invaluable element of "Raggs", combining live guest interaction with comic relief that appeals to children and adults alike. According to Don Derheim, Senior Vice President of Marketing for KQED in San Francisco, "Dumpster is key to the credibility of the show, a major reason why KQED agreed to partner with Raggs LLC to launch the show in the US." "Adam Kronenberg's (aka Dumpster) wonderful connection with children and his unique ability to talk directly to the children as both a puppeteer and actor is one of the key reasons PBS is interested in the show."

With KQED as the national presenter, Raggs made its PBS debut on June 4, 2007, however, it was initially distributed to ten test cities (not counting its nearby sister stations). This was PBS' first imported kids' show from Australia since the majority their imports come from either Canada or the United Kingdom. After a few months of showings in those cities, the show increased so much in popularity. While the show was airing its first episodes, the band made its eight week "Dance Party" tour at the same time- the fans poured in by the thousands. When American Public Television saw its success, it partnered with KQED in early February 2008 to syndicate the show to PBS markets around the country.

Two additional DVD titles were released, "Holiday Jam" and "Red, White & Raggs", both produced by Steedman and MediaWorks Inc. A fourth CD, titled "Unleashed", was also produced. Both DVDs also aired as US television specials in 2005 and 2006. "Holiday Jam" was a half-hour show shot in Telluride, Colorado, where the characters donned skis and took to the slopes. The production of Red, White & Raggs" evolved out of the bands' three appearances at both The White House Easter Egg Roll and The Cherry Blosson Festival. In the hour-long special, the characters help find the President's lost dog. The musical comedy adventure gives the characters an opportunity to tour the capital city, capturing scenes at popular Washington, DC monuments and historic sites. The show also included several scenes shot in the Oval Office set of ABC's, "Commander in Chief", a show which stars Geena Davis.

The first three DVDs and four CDs have been put in the Raggs Vault and have not been distributed since 2006. Future distribution of music and DVDs will be related to the television series.

International Markets

In other countries, Raggs has been picked up by leading stations in Canada, Singapore, Ireland, Bulgaria, and South Africa. Other countries are pending. Raggs rights for the USA market was purchased by Club Med INC in 2010 and Raggs and all the dogs reside in Club Med Sandpiper Bay located in Port Saint Lucie Florida and play weekly concerts and make weekly appearances around Club Med.

Palace Theatre 2004

Throughout 2004, the band starred in a 90-minute performance at The Palace Theatre in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, alongside comic strip cat Garfield. The performances focused on the RAGGS Kids Club Band planning a birthday party for the famous orange cat. Suspecting things, Garfield "won't relax until he gets the surprise."

The 90-minute performance ran daily at 4:30 pm local time.

RAGGS Kids Club Band: PAWSUUUP! Tour

A DVD was released August 17, 2004, featuring in-concert performances of seven of the band's songs, and three "music videos". The 55-minute long program was produced by Linda Mendoza (The Chris Rock Show) of Line by Line Productions, and executive produced by Carole Rosen.

The crew included screenwriter Mark Valenti (Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, Totally Spies), lighting designer Alan Adelman (75+ episodes of Great Performances, Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards), music producers Fred and Becky Story (Concentrix Music & Sound), costume designer "Greyseal", and choreographer Hardin Minor (National Dance Institute).

The DVD earned 3.5 out of 4 stars from Suite 101 Family Entertainment film critic Nicholas Moreau, tied for the highest ever rating for an independently produced DVD. The music from the tour was later released as an album, on CD.

Touring

The Raggs Band played more than 2,000 live performances in four continents over the past five years. In the U.S., Raggs performed at many state fairs, basketball games, regional malls, national fundraisers such as the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon, and parades. Overseas, the Raggs Band also performed at U.S. military bases in Japan, South Korea, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, and Iceland.

In Australia, the Raggs Band performed at Westfield Malls. In addition, Raggs was one of two children's acts to perform on "Carols in the Domain", a nationally televised live musical show.

Raggs can be seen weekly at Club Med Sandpiper Bay located in Port Saint Lucie Florida.

External links

• Official Website of the Raggs Kids Club Band in the U.S.
• Official Website of the Raggs Kids Club Band in Australia
• Raggs at the Internet Movie Database