Xfm is launching a nationwide search for the fourth year running to find the best school rock bands in the UK in association with Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock coming to Xbox 360 in November.
Once again the search will run across Xfm’s three radio stations based in London, Manchester and Scotland, with the champions from each winning the once in a lifetime opportunity to open one of Xfm’s Winter Wonderland gigs in either London, Manchester or Glasgow. There’s also £1,000 worth of Yamaha music equipment up for grabs for the winning schools.
Term time at the award winning Xfm Rock School starts on Monday 29th October when we will be asking school bands from up and down the country to upload a cover version of a classic or current Xfm track to the station’s website. Any Xfm track will do from the Rolling Stones to The Stone Roses, The Kinks to The Kooks. They can even create their own page on the Xfm website, adding photos, biographies, additional music and for the first time video footage.
Some of the biggest and best bands in the world met in the school playground including U2, The Thrills, Ash, Supergrass and The Jam, proving that starting early can really pay off.
Xfm Breakfast Show DJ, Alex Zane, who was once in a band when he was at school although by his own admission, not a very good one says: “You know you’re not very good when your guitarist had to sit down to play his solos and your singer was tone deaf. I was the singer. This years Rock School is going to be the best yet as there is so much talent out there and we’re gonna find it, using a new machine I’ve invented - I just need to get it legalised in this country. We’re going to find the next Arctic Monkey’s or at least The Monkees, I’ll be happy with either! ”
Last year Xfm was inundated with entries from school bands all over the UK desperate for their big break in the music business. In London it was a band called The Attics from Twickenham who took the title. They bowled the judges over with their rousing version of Sum 41’s ‘Motivation’ and won the chance to play on the legendary Brixton Academy stage opening for the likes of Kasabian, The Kooks and The Feeling at Xfm’s Winter Wonderland.
A big Rock School success story is 2005’s winning band The Flaming Monkeys, who at the time they won had an average age of just 11. They have since done a tour of Scotland, played a number of festivals including the o2 Wireless at Hyde Park and been announced the winners of the best Live Unsigned Act at the Vodafone Live Music Awards 2007.
The Flaming Monkeys lead guitarist Ben Allison said “Without XFM Rock School we would not be where we are today. We have achieved so much in just two years and winning the competition gave us a huge launching platform, and of course we got to play at good ol’ Winter Wonderland at Brixton Academy. The whole experience was one of the best and most exciting times of our lives and our families lives!”
Xfm plays the best indie-rock music and has radio stations in London, Manchester, Scotland and South Wales from November. It has given some of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll acts in the world their first ever radio play including The Libertines, The White Stripes and Razorlight to name but a few. Xfm’s Winter Wonderland is the station’s flagship charity gig in support of Shelter and will this year take place on four consecutive nights in December at the Glasgow Academy, The Apollo in Manchester, Cardiff University and the Brixton Academy in London. The winning bands will not only get to perform to a sell out crowd in one of the four cities, but will also play on the same bill as some of the hottest rock ‘n’ roll acts around today.
Bands have until 5pm on Wednesday 27th November to upload their cover versions at www.xfm.co.uk/rockschool and then Xfm listeners will vote online for their favourite band in each region. The top five in each area will then play their version before a panel of experts during the breakfast show on Friday 7th December, who will decide their fate. Bands must still be at school and aged 18 or under to enter. For full terms and conditions please go to www.xfm.co.uk/rockschool now.
Xfm plays the best indie-rock music and is available in London on 104.9FM in Scotland on 105.7-106.1FM in Manchester on 97.7FM and coming soon to South Wales on 106.8 – 107.3. Xfm is also available nationally on Sky digital, Virgin Media, Telewest, HomeChoice and online at www.xfm.co.uk.
You can also listen to Xfm on DAB digital radio in most major UK cities.
Once again the search will run across Xfm’s three radio stations based in London, Manchester and Scotland, with the champions from each winning the once in a lifetime opportunity to open one of Xfm’s Winter Wonderland gigs in either London, Manchester or Glasgow. There’s also £1,000 worth of Yamaha music equipment up for grabs for the winning schools.
Term time at the award winning Xfm Rock School starts on Monday 29th October when we will be asking school bands from up and down the country to upload a cover version of a classic or current Xfm track to the station’s website. Any Xfm track will do from the Rolling Stones to The Stone Roses, The Kinks to The Kooks. They can even create their own page on the Xfm website, adding photos, biographies, additional music and for the first time video footage.
Some of the biggest and best bands in the world met in the school playground including U2, The Thrills, Ash, Supergrass and The Jam, proving that starting early can really pay off.
Xfm Breakfast Show DJ, Alex Zane, who was once in a band when he was at school although by his own admission, not a very good one says: “You know you’re not very good when your guitarist had to sit down to play his solos and your singer was tone deaf. I was the singer. This years Rock School is going to be the best yet as there is so much talent out there and we’re gonna find it, using a new machine I’ve invented - I just need to get it legalised in this country. We’re going to find the next Arctic Monkey’s or at least The Monkees, I’ll be happy with either! ”
Last year Xfm was inundated with entries from school bands all over the UK desperate for their big break in the music business. In London it was a band called The Attics from Twickenham who took the title. They bowled the judges over with their rousing version of Sum 41’s ‘Motivation’ and won the chance to play on the legendary Brixton Academy stage opening for the likes of Kasabian, The Kooks and The Feeling at Xfm’s Winter Wonderland.
A big Rock School success story is 2005’s winning band The Flaming Monkeys, who at the time they won had an average age of just 11. They have since done a tour of Scotland, played a number of festivals including the o2 Wireless at Hyde Park and been announced the winners of the best Live Unsigned Act at the Vodafone Live Music Awards 2007.
The Flaming Monkeys lead guitarist Ben Allison said “Without XFM Rock School we would not be where we are today. We have achieved so much in just two years and winning the competition gave us a huge launching platform, and of course we got to play at good ol’ Winter Wonderland at Brixton Academy. The whole experience was one of the best and most exciting times of our lives and our families lives!”
Xfm plays the best indie-rock music and has radio stations in London, Manchester, Scotland and South Wales from November. It has given some of the biggest rock ‘n’ roll acts in the world their first ever radio play including The Libertines, The White Stripes and Razorlight to name but a few. Xfm’s Winter Wonderland is the station’s flagship charity gig in support of Shelter and will this year take place on four consecutive nights in December at the Glasgow Academy, The Apollo in Manchester, Cardiff University and the Brixton Academy in London. The winning bands will not only get to perform to a sell out crowd in one of the four cities, but will also play on the same bill as some of the hottest rock ‘n’ roll acts around today.
Bands have until 5pm on Wednesday 27th November to upload their cover versions at www.xfm.co.uk/rockschool and then Xfm listeners will vote online for their favourite band in each region. The top five in each area will then play their version before a panel of experts during the breakfast show on Friday 7th December, who will decide their fate. Bands must still be at school and aged 18 or under to enter. For full terms and conditions please go to www.xfm.co.uk/rockschool now.
Xfm plays the best indie-rock music and is available in London on 104.9FM in Scotland on 105.7-106.1FM in Manchester on 97.7FM and coming soon to South Wales on 106.8 – 107.3. Xfm is also available nationally on Sky digital, Virgin Media, Telewest, HomeChoice and online at www.xfm.co.uk.
You can also listen to Xfm on DAB digital radio in most major UK cities.
