Young people from the Outer Hebrides have been rocking and rolling with John Sinclair - a keyboard supreme who played in the Ozzy Osbourne band for 17 years.

Twenty-five young people took part in the first Rock School ever to be held in the Outer Hebrides last week. Previously, the young people had to travel to Ullapool to take part in the workshops there, but with support from Careers Scotland HIE Innse Gall and assistance from Young Musicians Hebrides (YMH), Rock School was able to come to the Isle of Lewis.

John, along with four additional musicians from the Highlands, has been working with Highlands and Islands Enterprise Careers Scotland as part of Summer Rock School 2007 which is taking place at various venues in the Highlands and Islands. 

The workshops in Stornoway were hosted by Lews Castle College and aimed at young people aged 14 to 19 in school and beyond with a growing interest in music but need some direction, guidance and input to show them the value of their interest.

YMH provide opportunities for young local people to learn to play a range of musical instruments and offer them the opportunity to perform through musical groups at various public events throughout the year. The organisation has been instrumental in helping to set up a plug and display facility for band members. Called Rock and Record, it includes a recording room which is also used as a teaching room by Young musicians Hebrides.

Jane Gray from YMH said: "These young Rock hopefuls have been looking forward to this since January, when they turned up in the office asking to put their name down for Rock School, and they haven't been disappointed.  The tutors work alongside the bands respecting them as fellow musicians, which has really challenged them to achieve new standards of performance.  Rock School is a great opportunity for young people to explore their musical potential with professional support and encouragement."

The event culminated with a showcase performance open to the public, and the young people left feeling more inspired to take a creative approach to career planning.

Rodney Jamieson, key worker at Careers Scotland said: "Basic life skills such as communication, teamwork and decision making are all acquired as a by-product of learning to be in a band. These are vital for career planning and career resilience in a rapidly changing job market. The feedback so far has been positive and we hope to bring Rock School back here to the islands next year."

John, who has also played with Uriah Heep and the Cult, is able to tell true tales of his life in the most hedonistic and glamorous era of modern music. He is open about the battle he has won over addiction and is keen to help others make healthy choices. John is a trained therapist and said: "I had to seriously address these problems so I can relate to youngsters who often have self-esteem issues themselves. It's great to see people respond and blossom through a medium like rock music and most of all - having fun."

One of the tutors who has been heavily involved in the design and delivery of the workshops is local musician Jim Hunter who will work alongside Robbie Dunsmore - a Dingwall based musician and sound recordist, Terry Small - producer, performer and song-writer and Gareth Ince from Inverness rock band Jyrojets.

Over the three days, the young people got inputs on performance, music technology and recording, visual presentation (making a DVD) and stagecraft, along with song writing.  The visiting experts were at hand with advice based on their real life experiences of the music industry.

The participants were also be able to access details of initiatives, music contacts and other programmes that may be of interest to them and their possible future involvement in music over the three day workshop.