Silicon Valley Natives Gain Footing in Hollywood

You've heard Colby Pollard, but you didn't know it was him.

If you've seen or heard the television commercials for the Boardwalk, at the end of the "California Sun" theme song, a group shouts "Boardwalk!!!!" Colby is one of them.

So is Smash Mouth guitarist and songwriter Greg Camp, who co-wrote the new song "On My Way," which is featured twice in the new Clint Eastwood film Trouble With the Curve, which comes out Sept. 19.

"It's just amazing for all of us," says Pollard, 53, now of San Jose and Los Angeles.

Pollard's song got a listen because his best friend since he was 3, Randy Brown, wrote the movie and worked on the song. Brown's cousin, Joey Hester, also got a co-write.

Pollard and Brown were next door neighbors in San Jose, which is how they got their band's name, The Neighbors. The song plays during the movie and again in the prime real estate of the closing credits.

This was Brown's first movie after many years trying to get his foot in the Hollywood door. It is rumored to be Eastwood's last, Pollard said.

The movie, which has some big name actors, including John Goodman, Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake, is about a baseball scout who is losing his vision and depends on his daughter's eyes to help him find his last great players.

Pollard got in the Boardwalk commercials because the he was hanging out with the Santa Cruz band, Maids of Honor, when they recorded the remake of the Rivieras' "California Sun." The Maids include Camp and   television phenom Lex van den Berghe, who placed third in the third season of the Survivor TV series.

They all got together for the final Boardwalk shout after recording the studio on Camp's Pro-tools machine.

All of them have played local clubs in various bands, with Camp reaching the highest level with the band Smash Mouth, which had several hits and songs in several movies.

Pollard played locally with Wayne Sloan, the Heartbeats and the Maids of Honor.

Do you know Pollard or Camp?   Tell us your connection in the comments area below.

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