I noticed a press release regarding the Barnet Council Rock School scheme on the council website today - http://www.barnet.gov.uk/press_releases.htm?id=1870 - Now as I run a recording and rehearsal studio, I'm biased. The more people who get into music the more customers I get, so it's great for me. Thought I'd better declare an interest before someone leaves a sarcastic comment. Oh and before you think I'm plugging something, the scheme is noting to do with me or my business, we're not involved.
Anyway, why is this such a good idea? Well every 13-19 year old (the target age group for the scheme) practicing at home, is one who is doing something useful and not hanging around on street corners. Playing in a band is one of the greatest pleasures in life. I've played in a rock band for 30 years (as of next month). It has brought me more pleasure than just about anything. I started playing when I was 15 and it gave me bags of self confidence. I was very shy and awkward before I started a band. Whilst I'm biased towards rock music, playing classical music is just as enjoyable. My wife has played Clarinet for the BBC Elstree Band for 15 years and has thoroughly enjoyed it. My musical career took me all around Britain as well as to Sweden, Finland and Belgium. Just imagine where I'd have got to if I'd been any good?
I started my studios - Mill Hill Music Complex - in 1979 when there really was nowhere to play for young bands and no help from the council. We originally started as a musicians collective (we all left our amps etc there and rented the space to friends bands for beer money). As the business built up we became more professional. Luckily one of my friends is an accountant, who was able to guide us through the minefield of dealing with the taxman. I well remember in 1986 going to the bank with my business plan to build up the studios. They laughed at this scruffy punk rocker and told me to get lost. I drew up a second, very scaled back plan, wore a suit and got told to get lost again.
I then went back to them and asked for a personal loan for a car and they lent me the money. Funny thing was that the "professional" bank who had turned down my plan, gave me the money and lost the paperwork. I didn't pay a penny back for three years. Eventually I owned up (I'm honest !!!). They said if I'd said nothing, I could have had it for free. I ended up doing IT contracts during the day and investing the money I was earning back into the studio. I often worked a 9-5 week and then did a 7pm-3am stint at the studio doing building work. I'd get 4 hours sleep, shower and go back to work. By the time we'd built up to 4 studios and a shop, I could afford to pay someone else to do the work.
For most of this period, I had to put my Band "The False Dots" to one side. Not enough hours in the day. Now we're established and the band is back in business. That's what I had to do to get somewhere to play with my band. Thanks to Barnet's rock school scheme young people aged 13-19 are getting a foot on the ladder. If you are in that age group and are looking for a band, check out the scheme. I can promise you that the effort will be worth it.
I must also say that I noticed that Barnet Schools yet again had some of the very best results in the country. It seems to me that Fiona Bulmer is doing a fine job in charge of Barnets education and young people services. As I've got three children at three different schools in Barnet, I must say I'm very pleased to read of the success and pleased with what Fiona is doing. She seems to get on with the job and doesn't court the headlines. Well done Fiona.
P.S Thought I'd give you a giggle and post a couple of pictures of the Dots. The one at the top was taken in the Tiki Club in Belgium in December 1985. The one in the middle was taken in 1980 whilst we were making a video. The one at the bottom was taken at the Mill Hill Music Festival in 2005 at the Mill Hill Sports club.
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