Not since the first rock music boom of the 1960s has there been a more appropriate time to take up playing the guitar. With inspirational bands in every conceivable genre, legions of young people and adults are getting the urge to play this versatile instrument. It is hard to credit that when I first started playing over 30 years ago, the electric guitar was still looked down upon as an inferior instrument. It was only just tolerated in schools, its playing confined to the dusty areas behind the school stage by spotty youths whose enthusiasm far outweighed their ability. Now there are schools and colleges dedicated solely to the teaching and playing of contemporary music.

The guitar of my dreams has always been the Fender Stratocaster. I have never been able to get on with the Gibson Les Paul, hence I have managed to find a photo of Jimmy Page with one! I believe he used a Strat for many tracks on "Presence" and of course he used a Telecaster on "Led Zeppelin I". It was with immense pride that I finally bought one in 1980, when I had been playing a mere 7 years.

I took on my first guitar pupil in 2000, and now have over 50 students learning guitar and bass, both privately and up to GCSE level at local schools. It is with great pleasure that I introduce learners to the work of the masters. In fact many of my students prefer the vast back-catalogue of great guitar music to the stuff that they hear now. The style of music which we all prefer is definitely rock/metal in flavour, although pop styles are also catered for. I do not teach Classical or Folk. My own qualifications for the task are over thirty years experience playing in bands, and several years of teaching many different abilities of student. I am pleased to say that I have guided many through the Rockschool Grades 1 to 8. I myself have Rockschool Grade 8 (distinction) and am a member of the Registry of Guitar Tutors.