I love rock ’n’ roll / So come and take your time and dance with me — Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Walk into the band room at Horace O’Bryant School any afternoon, and you’ll hear anything but marches, scales and the usual repertoire by Henry Mancini and others.
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, a quartet of young musicians, including a vocalist, was working through the unmistakable sound of Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll.” Another group, in a smaller rehearsal room, was practicing Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
Band director Crystal Hendricks at the end of the last school year launched an entirely new music class — rock band — and it’s jammin’.
“We had a few kids sign up last year, but this year it has really taken off and we have about 38 middle schoolers,” Hendricks said on Sept. 23 while wandering amid four different groups of young musicians, plugging in amps, adjusting volumes and correcting the timing of a budding electric guitarist. “The first song I made them learn was ‘Sound of Silence’ by Simon & Garfunkel, and they hate it.”
But the other four songs have been more popular with the kids. In addition to Joan Jett and Michael Jackson, the rock band class is learning “Country Roads” by John Denver and “Where Is the Love” by the Black-Eyed Peas.
As if a middle school rock band class wasn’t cool enough, the local community has equipped the class with instruments and gear.
“Remember a few weeks ago, when that water line broke and traffic was backed up for hours trying to leave the island?” Hendricks said. “While everyone was sitting in traffic scrolling on their phones, I posted to the Key West Locals Facebook page, saying we had started a rock band class and would be happy to accept any donations of used instruments or equipment.”
The local music community’s response was deafening.
“Oh my gosh,” Hendricks said. “We got two electric drum sets, keyboards, microphones, amps, several electric guitars and electric basses — and the donations are still coming in.”
“One guy even made us all custom guitar picks on his 3-D printer,” a student added before Hendricks broke the class into four groups, each to practice a different song.
The groups weren’t ready to be recorded yet, but are hoping to be ready to perform next month.
Stay tuned to keysweekly.com for more information about their concert. And email Crystal Hendricks at crystal.hendricks@keysschools.com if you have any gear to donate.
In the meantime, rock on, HOB.
