Any love for the tv series "Rockschool" from the early 80s.

StanleyAccrington

I thought it was as cool as at the time.....and I fancied Deirdre Cartwright.

EricTheWeary

Obviously, best TV series ever. Deidre wrote ( and still does as far as I know) a lot of the rockschool grades stuff. 

AlexC

They used to get good people as interviewees on prerecorded clips. I remember Gary Moore doing thirty seconds of Sultans Of Swing on his Les Paul and it sounded exactly like Knopfler. Why he was doing that however is lost in the ensuing mist of my memories.
(i am, of course, expecting some TFB member to track this clip down on the net.)

Philly_Q

I liked it and remember it well.  But the School was never Rock enough for me. 

I've just googled Deirdre Cartwright to see what she's up to - turns out her band played my local jazz venue in Streatham about six weeks ago.

pmbomb

I remember it. There were episodes for all kinds of odd music and then, finally, metal and they all had a blast at last.

Phil_aka_Pip

Deirdre Cartwright, Henry Thomas et al = all good musicians and nice people, seen a lot of them play live in their respective bands, and in some cases had lessons with them as well

strumjoughlamps

I remember an episode with Vince Clarke showing us midi/pc/keyboard... it was like space magic 

exocet

In The early 90's I  lived in the flat above Geoff Nicolls the drummer in Rock School.

Blaendulais

I watched it and dreamt my parents would get me a guitar.  They didnt.  

scrumhalf

Philly_Q said:

I liked it and remember it well.  But the School was never Rock enough for me. 

I thought so at the time.

WAsn't Henry Thomas also known as Henry "King Thumb" Thomas?

ArchtopDave

I missed this at the time, but I do remember watching "Rock Follies" which featured Deirdre Cartwright, if I remember correctly. 

Philly_Q

scrumhalf said:

Philly_Q said:

I liked it and remember it well.  But the School was never Rock enough for me. 

I thought so at the time.

WAsn't Henry Thomas also known as Henry "King Thumb" Thomas?

Yes, but whether or not that was anything to do with his bass playing, I have no idea.

prowla

She looked like Paul Young on a bad hair day.

thermionic

It was perfect timing for me, just the right kind of information at the right stage of my development.

Also my first introduction to the great Wilko Johnson.

Philly_Q

ArchtopDave said:

I missed this at the time, but I do remember watching "Rock Follies" which featured Deirdre Cartwright, if I remember correctly. 

Wasn't that Julie Covington?

But Cartwright might have had a non-acting role as a backing band member or something, I don't remember it that well.

EricTheWeary

Philly_Q said:

ArchtopDave said:

I missed this at the time, but I do remember watching "Rock Follies" which featured Deirdre Cartwright, if I remember correctly. 

Wasn't that Julie Covington?

But Cartwright might have had a non-acting role as a backing band member or something, I don't remember it that well.

Ooh and Rula Lenska! 

Philly_Q

EricTheWeary said:

Philly_Q said:

ArchtopDave said:

I missed this at the time, but I do remember watching "Rock Follies" which featured Deirdre Cartwright, if I remember correctly. 

Wasn't that Julie Covington?

But Cartwright might have had a non-acting role as a backing band member or something, I don't remember it that well.

Ooh and Rula Lenska! 

I associate Rula Lenska with two things:

1. Dennis Waterman.

2. A long-ago TV review of some awards programme where the reviewer described her as having "yards of flab" hanging over the back of her strapless dress.

Iamnobody

Looks great! Before my time but I’d watch it now.

EricTheWeary

Philly_Q said:

EricTheWeary said:

Philly_Q said:

ArchtopDave said:

I missed this at the time, but I do remember watching "Rock Follies" which featured Deirdre Cartwright, if I remember correctly. 

Wasn't that Julie Covington?

But Cartwright might have had a non-acting role as a backing band member or something, I don't remember it that well.

Ooh and Rula Lenska! 

I associate Rula Lenska with two things:

1. Dennis Waterman.

2. A long-ago TV review of some awards programme where the reviewer described her as having "yards of flab" hanging over the back of her strapless dress.

She was a very foxy woman, although watching her on Celeb Big Brother crawling around with George Galloway rather ruined the memories. 

I was convinced she was in Life and Loves of a She Devil with hubby Dennis but that turns out to have been Patricia Hodge. 

Anyway, Rockschool was shown on PBS and you could buy the videos and there was a book I believe. So, I guess it was quite successful. 

peteri

Watched all of these as someone just starting out at that time. 

Remember they clearly didn’t love all the styles (she clearly wasn’t a metal player ) but they did give it a good crack and they could certainly play. 

It was great how they explained the gear and also the quality of the musicians. Gary Moore showing his Les Paul, Strat and pedals (at clearly insane volumes), Ian Paice and Bootsy Collins talking about solos. 

Just wow!

StanleyAccrington

exocet said:

In The early 90's I  lived in the flat above Geoff Nicolls the drummer in Rock School.

Looks like Geoff is still gigging.

http://www.climaxceilidhband.co.uk/bio.asp