School's out for rock music

Rock musicians give lessons to pupils

Children at a Leicestershire school are being given lessons in rock 'n' roll.

Teachers at the Dixie Grammar School, Market Bosworth, took the action to inspire pupils to take up instruments such as the guitar and drums.

As well as organising tuition in the art of pop, they also booked rock band Alive to do a gig in the school hall.

They hope the move will encourage youngsters to take up crafting their own tunes in the face of the fashion for manufactured pop bands.

'Guitars neglected'

Music teacher Sarah Ennis said: "The keyboard has become the in-thing - although they are very accessible it means that guitars and drums have been neglected."

Alive's manager Peter Ross organised a series of gigs by the band in schools across the country to help attract a new audience to rock and to give pupils the chance to feel the power of raw music.

He said: "A lot of artists nowadays don't perform their own songs.

"They are told what to do, what to play and what to look like - it is not so much pop idols and pop puppets."