School of rock
Music campers practicing for June 13 festivalBy GARRETT NEESE, DMG Writer
Article Photos
HANCOCK - In the waning minutes of a three-hour practice Thursday night, PJ Olsson was leading his band through the chord changes of his new song.
He strummed an A, then a D as the band members looked on.
"We just finally resolved, oh my lord, then that sets us up for the last chorus," he said.
Olsson's band shares all the qualities of a typical unit - pounding drums, quick fretwork, acrobatic keyboard playing - in addition to a unique one - they're all 15 years old or younger.
The 16 musicians, part of the initial Rock Camp, will perform the final set at the Houghton Arts & Music Festival on June 13. Until then, they'll continue with three-hour practices six days a week.
The band will be accompanied by dancers from the Superior School of Dance, which is lending them studio space for rehearsals.
The idea is one Olsson and Susie Landers of Good Times Music had been kicking around for several years.
"Some of these kids have been coming to Good Times Music since we opened five years ago to take lessons," she said. "I'm really proud of them tonight."
Seven of the 10 songs are from an album Olsson's working on now. Another one will be a collaboration with Hannah Bethel.
If all goes well, he said, they'll also write a new song for the festival.
Olsson hopes to make the Rock Camp an annual event. But he doesn't just want them to come together every year; he wants to bring kids together in the hope that they'll form bands.
"Right now, most of the bands are 40 and over. ... I'm hoping if we do this two, three, four years in a row, they'll come together, and change the community," he said.
Even if they don't become professional musicians, it's still an experience that will benefit them for the rest of their lives, he said.
"That's important, that they carry it with them, whether they become a doctor or whatever," he said.
One of the guitar players is John Gosland, an eighth grader from Washington Middle School in Calumet. He liked the opportunity to learn about the music business and play in front of other people.
"It's going awesome," he said. "For two days, we've been learning a lot of stuff so far. After two weeks, I bet we'll have a lot of it down. We're all working together pretty nice."
The band's getting help from other local music talent: Olsson's father, Milt Olsson (or as he told the kids to call him, "Doc,"), Mike Irish and Mark Lucier.
They'll also work on the look of rock: Adam Johnson of Brockit is doing a photo shoot with them on Monday.
"They're going to come up with attitude, and we're going to do some of it with lights and smoke," said Todd Brassard of co-sponsors Brassard Media, who is filming the practices for a documentary.
During Thursday's final number, Olsson danced around the room, clapping his hands. As it descended cacophony, Olsson waved it to a halt. But he never stopped smiling.
"Like any great band, it turned into a train wreck at the end," he told them. "But we'll work on that."
To follow the Rock Camp's progress, go to pjolssonsrockcamp2009.wordpress.com.
Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com.
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inmyopinion
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05-29-09 4:03 PM
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GREAT!! I've always love PJ Olsson's music and am so glad he is teaching kids. This is something great for kids to do and I really hope that he's still having Rock Camp when my child is old enough to attend in about 11 years!!
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