Rockmasters courses this summer are filling up fast! Wellington College, Berks for 2 weeks from July 13, is nearly full up. Places are still available at King’s School, Worcs, from July 27, followed by 2 weeks at Highgate School, London, day only from August 17. This is the best rock school going, and its unique. The teachers are all from famous bands who can give the kids the inside deal on being a rock musician.
Both day and boarders will work with the Rockmaster teachers putting together a show for parents and friends on the last day of each week. This is Rock n’ Roll….REAL rock n’ roll! If you play guitar, bass, drums, write songs and sing, this is for YOU!!Sign up NOW!!!
If you want to book a place for the Summer courses at Wellington, King’s Worcester or Highgate School, click to download the order form or if you want to ask specific questions please go to the Contact Us Page.
There are quite a few rock schools, but Rockasters is one of the oldest and is also quite unique. The teachers are all members of famous bands from the past, and thus not only command respect, but also give the benefits of their collective years of experience.
Rockmasters is NOT interested in Grades. I know of no real rock stars who achieved any! However, to be a genuine (budding) rock star you need something else. You need enormous self confidence and the overpowering desire to ‘make it’! Are those who succeed better, musically, than all the others? No, they just want it more. The X Factor syndrome is for those who want to play Big Brother, those who yearn to be a ‘celebrity’. Thats not what being a rock n’ roll musician is all about. At Rockmasters we teach the kids how to function in a rock band. That means getting on with the other members and achieving the right levels of contribution to the band as a whole.
We will show you how to perform, and how to make the most of your talents. We will help to structure your original songs, to make them commercially acceptable…….but without ruining your musical integrity! This may all sound very grown up, and thus not suitable for younger kids. Not so. We have had plenty of 13 year olds who have gone on to play on various circuits, learning their ‘trade’. You are NEVER too young (or old) to Rock N’ Roll.
Rockmasters courses at Wellington are nearly sold out! However, there are still places available at King’s School Worcester and Highgate School London. If you don’t know what to do for the summer, and you play or sing, this is the thing for you!
Parents, you don’t want the kids hanging around all day, looking at a computer, do you? Send them to Rockmasters as a practical alternative and certainly a more rewarding experience. E mail us now!!
Rockmasters can provide your school with a great new choice of musical comedies. From 1930s style to the Swinging 60s, these shows are perfect for students from 15 to 18 years of age. Each play comes with script, musical arrangements and CDs of the score. The music is easily assimilated by most young musicians of average ability.
For all information regarding the licensing and performance of these musical, please contact Mike Hurst at Rockmasters.
The annual school play/musical, is usually a high light of the school calendar. One great problem however, is choice of material. How many times do you want to see Joseph, or Les Miserables? There are alternatives, but many are either too worthy or just don’t resonate with the young. Mike Hurst has been writing musicals for youth theatre groups for thirty years, and through Rockmasters these are now to be offered to schools throughout the country. Mike’s shows are all musical pastiches, many of which tick all the right boxes for youngsters. The songs are all originals, easy to assimilate and totally commercial. The scripts are loaded with characters, making casting less of a problem.
Me And My Ron is a 1920s Noel Coward inspired musical, which is Me And My Girl in reverse!!
Come and see this show at the Harpenden Public Halls, Herts on July 17,18 and 19.
Turn Your Radio On is a 1950s rock n’ roll musical, revolving around the battle of the airwaves between the BBC and Radio Luxembourg as seen through the eyes of legendary manager Harry Slime.
The Beat Goes On continues the Harry Slime saga in the Beatles era of Maharishis and record company moguls.
My surprise appearance in the recent Queens of British Pop on BBC 1 brought some memories and a few phone calls from obscure friends who wondered about the reference to Queens of Pop!! It featured the video below of me and the other Springfields. That’s me on the left with Dusty and her brother.
I discovered Cat Stevens in 1965. He was christened Steven Giorgiou, changed it to Steve Adams, then to Cat Stevens. Now ? He’s Yusuf Islam. We had a few hits together, and we are still good friends! Oh, and the bass player on the original recording was John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.
This is Shakin’ Stevens first hit, and one of my productions. The vid clip is from the Oh Boy! show in the early 80s.
His backing band was Fumble, who supported David Bowie on his first US tour. The band included old mates Des Henley on guitar and Mario Ferrari on bass. Oh, and they came from Weston Super Mare!
The most frequent question on this subject is…’what is a record producer?’ After 45 years, the best answer I have is this. A record producer is the same as a film director. A movie director chooses his script, finds his actors and oversees the making of a film. A record producer does exactly the same, with sound. He/she is also one part politician, one part musician ( if you’re lucky) and one part nanny. The ‘politician ‘part keeps the artists happy and a band’s warring factions at bay. The ‘nanny’ side wipes the artist’s nose and boosts their egos when necessary. The ‘musicians’ bit? Well, thats a little more complicated. Music education, rock schools; its all out there.You can even take a degree in Music IT, music tech, and of course popular music. This may make you feel fine, and somehow qualified. Qualified for what? Do you have ears or don’t you? Would you have picked Duffy’s latest song, or agreed with Gary Barlow that using two old Paul Simon songs to create Take Thats current single was the right way? Are you aware of your music history, and thus the stregth of a great song? If the answer is truthfully yes, then who needs a bloody degree? I never had one, and still managed to achieve 52 hit singles and 25 gold and platinum albums.
LESSON ONE.
You do not have to be a musician to be a record producer. Yes, I know, it helps, but some have been notoriously unmusical, like Mickie Most . His strength however, was being able to pick a hit song in embryo form. That takes a certain talent and self belief, but it applies today as it did then. The musician/producer is streets ahead in terms of direct musical input, but will flounder in artistic integrity unless he/she also has the ability to pick potential hits, and that means being ‘commercial’ regardless of your preferred music genre.
So, you want to be a record producer? First thing is to find what you think is the ‘next big thing’, and put your time and money where your mouth is. I have re-designed rockmasters to be able to talk directly to all those interested in production, so watch this space for the next episode of how to become a record producer.
