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The former Guns N’ Roses drummer – he’s now with Velvet Revolver – was dropping by to unveil a new drum set for the school, and to jam with about 50 eager students.
Inside the auditorium, the atmosphere buzzed with a low-level excitement, rose to a frenetic whisper, then exploded into riotous screams as Sorem entered.
Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit program aimed at filling gaps in public schools where music and arts funding has been obliterated in the economic crunch, brings celebrities like Sorem to schools to encourage the next generation of artists.
“We’re one of the leading organizations for free instruments and music programs,” said program coordinator Miranda Altman. “What we do is we get kids improvising, writing songs, performing popular music. These visits are a way to get kids excited about it.”
In Pasadena alone, Little Kids Rock serves around 900 students.
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congratulations Matt, You rock in the life of this kids, I can see their big smile and the bright in their eyes thx to u
you r my heru my best drummer love
Matt:
I truly enjoyed watching the video clips of you and the kids at the Pasadena School. I’m now parenting a little boy who’s 9 (Andy, my girlfriend’s son) and he’s an amazingly talented young drummer. Being in rock band/school band in our town (Davis, CA) definitely keeps Andy fired up. And he also loves it when he gets to meet ‘n’ greet a drummer who’s “pro.” (Not too many in Davis, but occasionally he and I go to shows in Sacto or the Bay Area.)
Anyway, as you know I’m sure, getting up-close access to a gracious and giving hero (rock star, sports star, etc.) when you’re a lad can provide an indelible soul-stamp of motivation for life. When I was a kid around 10-years-old, my Dad took me to see Buddy Rich wail when Buddy and his band were doing a gig in Sacramento (circa 1969). Seeing what “real,” big-league drumming looked like “live” and up-close made a huge impression on me. In fact, it’s what got me started (off the snare and onto the kit) and it’s part of what has kept me going as a hobby/semi-pro drummer for the past 40 years.
Thanks sincerely (as a parent) for taking time out and doing community contact with kids interested in music. Mr. Sorum, it is, indeed, a very cool and noble thing to do.
Hope all is going well for you!! (Seems like it is!!) Looking forward to feeling like a kid again and watching you play live sometime in 2011. Saw you with VR awhile back. You guys friggin’ rocked!!
Best,
Brad Henderson, author/drummer/UC Davis professor in writing/huge Sorum fan & champion
@bradhenderson1 (twitter)