from the BBC
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Welcome to the school of hard rocks.

Row upon row of students belt out a tune on electric guitars, as tutors analyse the finer points of their techniques.

Deafening to the uninitiated, the aim is to provide the next generation of Bon Jovis, Darknesses and Led Zeppelins.

The 350 or so young people studying at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music (Bimm) are well aware of the effort needed to achieve a life of globetrotting and glory.

Several have already appeared on Top of the Pops. Speedway, a band started by a group of recent graduates, has had two top 20 hits.

Bruce Dickinson, one of Bimm's directors, wants nothing less from the singer-songwriters, keyboardists, guitarists and drummers he and his 40 colleagues are teaching.

'That nice Mr Gallagher'

He said: "We are not looking for virtuosos who can sing and play; we are looking for a strong work ethic and a desire to make it.

"Some of our best students have not been amazingly strong musically when they've arrived but have worked to improve.

"No successful band has an image of being professional and reliable, but behind the scenes you have to be professional.

"I was at a party once where Noel Gallagher, despite all his previous success with Oasis, was wandering around, thanking people for working on his record.


Bruce Dickinson wants his students to work hard to achieve their goals

"The reason bands like his are so successful is that they have substance and are professional."

"Substance" is a word Mr Dickinson uses a lot.

Students have to learn the history of all forms of popular music, looking at the works of artists as diverse as Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix.

read the whole thing at news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/3543943.stm