Pete Academy Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I've been watching some clips of the Rockschool series from the 80s on YouTube. I used to love it. Would something like that work today, especially with the amount of people playing instruments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) I was a fledgling bassist when Rockschool was first screened - unmissable tv at the time. This was the age of learning songs by constantly lifting the needle from your vinyl so I found it a revelation. Not sure if it would work now though..... How strange now looking back to think that mobile phones & the internet was the far fetched stuff of Sci-fi at the time of screening. Puts it into perspective really. I'm going to check it out on Youtube later!! Edited June 11, 2013 by White Cloud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlloyd Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 It was on during the school holidays, wasn't it? Brilliant series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 [quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1370979205' post='2108286'] Would something like that work today, especially with the amount of people playing instruments? [/quote] Are there more people playing now than then or vice versa? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I remember Wilco being interviewed on it, demonstrating how he played both lead and rhythm at the same time. Oh! and Deidre Cartwrights green boiler suit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 (edited) I too used to love Rockschool back in the day , and have revisited it more than once on YT . I think it most cetainly would work today . The only problem would be that television has to compete with material on new media such as Youtube , so that might be a sticking point regarding it's commissioning . Another thing to consider is that a lot of kids who would have aspired to play drums , bass , guitar , keyboards or be a singer in our day now want to be a DJ/mixer/ producer , and so you are more likely to get a series showing kids how to do scratching on the turntables and a bit of break dancing than how to play chord inversions or do a bit of thumb slapping . Young people nowadays seem to lack the dedication it takes to learn how to play . That makes me sound old , doesn't it ? Edited June 11, 2013 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted June 11, 2013 Author Share Posted June 11, 2013 I've just been watching the funk series. Henry Thomas is a great player, and I love his Westone Thunder III slung high up under his chin. His slap bass lesson is classic...thumb, pluck, then professional standard riffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 [quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1370980936' post='2108326'] I've just been watching the funk series. Henry Thomas is a great player, and I love his Westone Thunder III slung high up under his chin. His slap bass lesson is classic...thumb, pluck, then professional standard riffs. [/quote] This one as well. [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rGbIoii9A-4#!"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rGbIoii9A-4#![/url] Yep, it was a fun series. Garry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Most people still didn't even have video recorders when the first series of Rockschool was on in 1983 , so you had to watch it and then try and remember what you had seen . I can easily get a bit emotional when I watch it again now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Did i see john taylor in one espisode....with a pick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jah Wibble Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) I love these vids, they're brilliant. I love how they explain in a quintessentially polite British way how the music works (almost in the spirit of the voice at the beginning of Stanley Clarkes "We Supply").......then break out in that wicked funk jam, puts a smile on my face every time, all great players. I stumbled across the episode where they're all dressed up extreme 80's the other day-well funny, check Henry's pants. 1st time I saw the funk vid I told a good friend of mine about this thing I'd seen.......only to discover the drummer was his GF's dad! Ha ha! Edited June 12, 2013 by Jah Wibble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 [quote name='iconic' timestamp='1370990763' post='2108497'] Did i see john taylor in one espisode....with a pick?[/quote] Yup, this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eKTM__dabo Also features John Entwistle & Wilko Johnson. Interesting comparisons in that between Ian Paice & Carl Palmer. Paicey uses a paradiddle to lay down two different grooves, whereas Palmer just shows off. My strongest memory of that series is of the clips featuring Sly & Robbie. Subtitles would have really helped back then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 [quote name='Jah Wibble' timestamp='1371018362' post='2108597'] I 1st time I saw the funk vid I told a good friend of mine about this thing if seen.......only to discover the drummer was his GF's dad! Ha ha! [/quote] Geoff Nichols ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jah Wibble Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 [quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1371033485' post='2108804'] Geoff Nichols ? [/quote] Yep. Never met him though, heard he's extremely funny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jah Wibble Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 To go back to the OP Think it'd be great to have something like that again. I know with youtube it's easy to get instructional vids of hero's and virtuoso's alike. But as a way to get kids actually picking up instruments at a young age instead of being chained to makin musak on laptops and computers (which is totaly valid and has its place), I think it'd be great to have something like Rockschool to get kids thinking about different kinds of music available to them. Sorry just broke my soapbox, I'll be back in a min.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 I loved Rockschool I got a lot of influences from the guest musician clips, Musician Channel from about '05 was better and more detailed with in depth lessons on all instruments including vocals (That latino looking girl who never wore a bra!) I leaned a lot from the drumming lessons. Pity it did not last. [url="http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a14452/musicians-tv-channel-launches-soon.html"]http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a14452/musicians-tv-channel-launches-soon.html[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2004gdavi Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 I was so taken with the series that I bought the companion book. Not as good as watching the series though. Some of the musicians involved are associated with the current Rockschool grade exams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodster Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 [quote name='Geddys nose' timestamp='1371036694' post='2108869'] I loved Rockschool I got a lot of influences from the guest musician clips, Musician Channel from about '05 was better and more detailed with in depth lessons on all instruments including vocals (That latino looking girl who never wore a bra!) I leaned a lot from the drumming lessons. Pity it did not last. [url="http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a14452/musicians-tv-channel-launches-soon.html"]http://www.digitalsp...nches-soon.html[/url] [/quote] I think her name was Samira khan...? Also featured Jamie Humphries and the late Graham Fox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 That was her it was a bit of a weird format when she was learning the drums with that guy with the tattoos, He was a excellent drummers as was Graham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigmartini Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Rockschool introduced me to some of my all time favorite bass players. I'd never actually seen someone play bass before watching that show. Larry Graham's explanation on the role of the bass was and still is the best piece of advice I've ever received. For those who haven't seen that episode....... [media]http://youtu.be/s-vPM-MlCLs[/media] Pay close attention to 21-36 sec on the video. This has gone a long way for me. So many things that I learned from watching that show have stayed with me, and helped me throughout my 32 years of playing bass in all situations. Very grateful for Rockschool!! Please by all means..... Bring it back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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