Speed Control

A bunch of local kids turned the volume up to 11 and channelled their inner rock stars this week at School of Rawk, part of Stratford Summer Music programming this season.

“One, two, don’t mess up,” hollers Graeme Peters as he counts the beginner class into an unplugged version of KISS’s “Rock and Roll All Nite” in the basement of the Stratford Masonic Concert Hall.

Peters is the lead vocalist and guitarist of Speed Control, which includes Jody Peters and Ian March -- they were part of the BargeMusic series.

It’s not on his resume but Peters is also a classic rock swagger coach extraordinaire.

There’s going to be a lot of “Smoke on the Water” in Stratford over the next few weeks. The Deep Purple tune is one of the other songs the class -- with kids predominantly between nine and 12 -- learned to play. It's a big deal considering most of these kids have never held a guitar or drum sticks before.

Peters stops the lesson to yell out, “Who's Gene Simmons?”

Silence.

“Come on. Who's Gene Simmons?”

More silence.

Then the sound of drums permeates the room -- tss tss, dat dat dat, blang.

Two future rock stars, Alexander “Big Al” Damjanovski, 10, and Emma “Apple” Reid, 8, take turns learning tunes like AC/DC’s “Rock and Roll Ain't Noise Pollution”.

Alexander got electronic drums for his birthday about a year ago.

“I like hitting stuff, a lot. I like the rocker style to drumming because it's loud and crazy and you don't have to hold back at all,” he said.

Blang.

There's a lot to know with all those chords and strings. But equally important is how you stand during a solo and exactly when to jump to end a song. Peters stopped short of teaching the beginners to light their guitars on fire a la Jimi Hendrix.

Peters left home in Yukon to attend the University of Toronto for jazz drumming. He graduated and toured the world in a jazz band. But while in Toronto he went to see a lot of shows and his “inner rocker came out.”

When he went back home to Yukon he started teaching music in schools.

“I have seen funding for music completely dry up. If I didn’t have music in school I probably would not do well -- I'm a typical ADD kid.”

Word started to spread about the classes and now he travels around the country. He teaches kids everything from the E chord to The Who guitarist Pete Townshend’s windmill.

In fact, a 75-year-old man sailing the world with his wife bought a $7,000 guitar and joined one of the Rawk camp beginner classes on Vancouver Island with primarily seven- to nine-year-olds. The senior practised until he had blisters on his fingers. The point, Peters says, is that anyone can learn to play something.

The Attitudez, an all-girl band that has mastered the overhead clap, played a plugged-in version of “Rock and Roll All Nite” anchored by Emma on drums. At the end of the song, in the quiet that followed, Jada Kraemer, 9, broke the silence.

“I can’t hear out of this ear,” she yelled pointing to the left side of her face.

“Good,” Peters called back.

The bands will perform for an audience for the first time today and it's guaranteed to be loud.

“It’s just fun -- the thought of being a rock star. It’s an escape from reality,” Peters said.

laura.cudworth@sunmedia.ca
- The Beacon Harold, Stratford August 24,2012

A trio from the Yukon known as Speed Control got the crowd moving Sunday afternoon in Stratford.

Their “History of Rock & Roll” - starting with a rendition of the classic 1943 Mills Brothers “Paper Doll” through Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash to the 90's Nirvana – was enjoyed by many as part of the Stratord Summer Music’s free music on the barge.

The band is also teaching young musicians at SSM’s School of Rawk, starting Monday August 20th.

Half day programs are being offered for ages 9 and up, with special one-on-one evening sessions for youth and adult bands. The classes wil be held at Stratford’s Masonic Concert Hall

You can register as a band, or on your own. You can bring your own instrument, or they can provide one for you. According to Melisa Graham of Stratford Summer Music, no experience necessary – just a strong attitude!

Yahama have provided instruments for kids at no charge to play including Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Electric Piano, and a complete stage Drum Kit. Singers are also welcome.

Courses include: The Rock Starts Here: For Beginning Rockers; Rock on Stage: For Intermediate Rockers; Bring Your Own Band! For Youth and Adult Bands; Release Your Inner Rocker: For Adult Rockers Only! In addition, all rockers will play in the concert showcase STRATFORD ROCKS! on Friday for all their friends and family.

The cost for 5 half day programs is $100 per person. One-on-one evening sessions are $50 an hour.


- I on Stratford-August 20, 2012