It's Wednesday evening at The Naz in Broughton and around a dozen young people are creating sounds. A bit of a jam is going off on stage, while on the hall floor others are tuning their instruments. Even though everyone is having a laugh, it's all pretty serious when it comes to the music.
From this community run project on Great Clowes Street, two bands have already been formed - Operation Detonation and Insignia – and both played to an enthusiastic audience at the recent Alan Henning Talent Showcase in Higher Broughton.
"We did that gig and a Macmillan fundraiser and we're hoping to do one at Salford Precinct" says 12 year old Amber, Operation Detonation drummer "I've been coming here about three months, and I couldn't play the drums as well as I can now. I just wanted to get involved. Yeah it's good, I want to be in a band."
Operation Detonation, as the name suggests, is a tight, hard edged rock band with a bit of garage and punk thrown in. On lead vocals and lead guitar is 13 year old Jack... "I couldn't play anything when I first got here" he recalls "I've developed over the years."
And for 14 year old Rhys, who plays bass with the band, it's about the music and more... "It's bringing people together, making new friends, helping us learn our instruments and get better at what we do" he explains "I want to be in a band and it's fun to do."
Salford Musical Youth has only existed since January of this year, after a previous project folded. The young people wanted to carry on and mum, Kim Shaw, took up the reigns, with support from the Broughton Trust. Now volunteer music students from Salford City College and a professional musician attend every session...
"We help them play but we also want to get them used to playing in a band" says Nathan, one of the students who specialises in drums "They've done quite well and are starting to show themselves as a professional unit. They've gone past that stage where you can see that it's 12 or 13 year olds on the stage, and you can argue that people could pay to see them."
Drummer and singer Steph, a student who is currently doing loads of gigs with her own three piece group, Renegade Girls, agrees... "When we came they weren't in bands, just a bit scattered but now they're in bands, getting ready for gigs and performing confidently" she says.
Joss, who has a band called Insidian, and teaches piano and guitar, is well impressed by Salford's young talent... "They're great, some of them have come a long way, from seeing them at the start and then on stage at the Alan Henning night. It's about getting them playing together to get some experience of being in a band."
At its core, however, Salford Musical Youth is about providing whatever level of music-related help young people want.
"They come to us and tell us what they want to do" says Kim Shaw "It does tend to be a bit punk, rock, prog rock that genre, but if someone comes along and wants to rap that's fine. They tell us what they want to learn to play and then we've got volunteer and paid musicians who will show them how to play that instrument.
"Young people can come and jam, or learn an instrument or be in a band, whatever..." she adds "Some kids have come to us with no musical background but know that they want to do something. Music just speaks across all kids."
Salford Musical Youth is always on the lookout for donations of more instruments so that the project can grow... "We'd love some trumpets or brass instruments" says Kim "And we've got singers but we could do with some more..."
Salford Musical Youth meets every Wednesday 6pm - 8pm at The Naz on Great Clowes Street, Lower Broughton M7 1ZQ. £3.50 for the two hour session.
For further details see the Salford Musical Youth Facebook group – click here
Email salfordmusicalyouth@gmail.com or phone John 079277 25693
* See also previous Salford Star article on the Alan Henning Talent Showcase - click here
Photo by Steven Speed
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
