Status Quo’s former drummer Jeff Rich had students at a Chester high school getting ‘down, down deeper and down’ to his beats and rhythms during a percussion master class.
During his hour and half session at Queen’s Park High School in Handbridge, he invited students to try out a variety of percussion instruments while giving them an insight into the music industry.
Students and staff then accompanied him in a rhythm based mini performance ending with a finale which enabled student ‘drummers’ to play his own personal drum kit.
Jeff said: “It’s all about inspiration, because a lot of these kids will never have been in front of a live musician before, especially drums, which are a very powerful instrument.”
Jeff was Status Quo’s drummer from 1986 to 2000, but left to share his music skills with young people. Since then, he has taken his drum workshop to more than 7,000 schools across the UK.
Looking back on his own journey to music, he said: “I never had anything like this at my school. I had to do it the hard way, playing pots and pans in the kitchen. I took any weekend job, cleaning cars and stuff, to get money to buy a snare drum and gradually built the kit up.”
He added: “I come from a really deprived area of London, my parents couldn’t afford for me to do it. But I went out and got into the music business. It’s all about determination. If you want to do it, go for it.”
Headteacher Lyndsay Watterson said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Jeff to our school and to hear his story. His motivation behind running these workshops is not only to share his passion for music, but also to encourage students to pursue their dreams and push themselves to the next level - something which we regularly promote here within Queen’s Park High School.
“I am sure that all the students who attended the workshop will have been inspired by his evident enthusiasm and talent.”
