Status Quo drummer visits Belfast school

Published Tuesday, 13 November 2012
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Rock and roll drummer Jeff Rich of Status Quo fame has been inspiring a new generation of musicians in north Belfast.

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The 'Rockin All Over the World' star was passing on his expert skills to the pupils at Belfast Boys Model School.

"We used to come over regardless of what was going on because we had a big fanbase here and they wanted to see us and we felt we owed it to the fans to come over and do the concert," he said.

Status Quo have recorded over 60 chart hits in the UK, 22 of which have reached the UK Top Ten. They formed in the late 60s and famously opened Live Aid at Wembley Stadium in 1985.

The band played in Northern Ireland years ago when most other bands wouldn't, which Jeff says was down to their big following in the region.

"We used to come over regardless of what was going on because we had a big fanbase here and they wanted to see us and we felt we owed it to the fans to come over and do the concert," he said.

Jeff started playing drums when he was nine years old, and started playing in bands in school.

He said after 15 years with the band he left as he said he "got fed up of touring".

"I never saw my first two kids grow up," he explained. "I met my current wife and she wanted babies, so we've got two little 'uns, and I didn't want the same thing to happen again, to be away from them for four, five, six months at a time."

"Today I'm trying to inspire the students, it's as simple as that," he said.

I'm trying to get them involved in music in general showing that music is a fun thing to do. It's something that anyone can get involved in.

Jeff Rich, former Status Quo drummer

And he is certainly doing just that, as he has now appeared at over 5,000 schools.

Vice Principal Alan Logan said staff and pupils were excited to have Jeff visiting and that the boys were keen to get a rock drumming 101 lesson from him.

"The boys absolutely love drumming and you know years ago boys would have been drumming on the desk, and we thought there's something here we need to channel," he said.

And it seems despite the generation gap, the pupils are just as keen as their teachers to learn from an expert.

"It's unbelievable it's really weird like how it's such a small school and Jeff Rich is coming," one pupil said.

"I'm a big fan of the band and I love them. I want to learn everything about the drums," another excited student told UTV.

Unfortunately for parents and possibly neighbours of the children he has inspired is Jeff's advice for success- which is practice, practice and more practice.

© UTV News
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1 Comments
Angela Kenny in Belfast wrote (192 days ago):
This is just to inform you that he also done a workshop at Ashfield Girls School last Tuesday
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