Hendrix, Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin are the subjects most would only dream of learning in school.
But in Linthwaite pupils’ fantasies came true when Ricky’s School of Rock opened its doors.
Found around the back of an unassuming warehouse block in the Colne Valley Business Park, it has been mining potential stars since it opened its doors in 2006.
It is the pet project of Ricky Comiskey, 45, who created the school to help people conquer their fear of performance.
He said: “I just wanted to get people on a stage and help them to be themselves.
“I thought the school would be a great way of doing this and making people who love rock happy.”
His brainwave for the school also came shortly after he split with a band.
“We’d just broken up and I was teaching guitar on my own at different people’s houses, which was quite isolating.
“So I thought it would be great to bring everyone under one roof and get them rocking together.”
Thousands of pupils young and old have since passed through his doors, whose ages range from five to 70-year-olds.
There they are mentored by Ricky, who also acts as a musical matchmaker.
“They make friends and set up bands of their own with kids from other schools or other residents and if I see someone that’s really promising I’ll try pair them with someone else.”
They also get a taste of the rock and roll life of touring bands, by performing at the school’s own rock venue, where they get their own rider and learn how to book gigs of their own.
“We have to make some substitutions though, they don’t get spirits and champagne but sweets and Iron Bru instead.
“And of course there aren’t the groupies or any cases of pants being thrown on stage.
“We try keep it as real as possible – I’d describe it as organised chaos.”
Real life rockers have also taken up teaching positions at the school, including Nine Black Alps guitarist David Jones and US guitarist Jennifer Batten.
It’s the latest musical adventure for Ricky, who picked up his own guitar when he was 18.
“I had just split with my first love and was heartbroken.
“I heard the Crossroads film inspired by blues legend Robert Johnson and it just captured everything I thought, so I made myself learn how to make that sound myself.
“I bought a £7 guitar.
“It was terrible but I kept at it and learned how to play.”
But it was only by chance that he decided to go pro.
“I decided to try make a career out of hair dressing and was just on my way to an interview when I was stopped by a friend.
“He was going to an interview for music at the old Kirklees Technical College.
“I didn’t even realise you could do such a thing so I joined him on a whim, did the interview and got a place that day.
“I gained some GCSEs, an A-level in music and a teaching certificate and then started to teach others at the college.
“I’ve not looked back since.”
These days he does not have much time to get on the stage himself, but has found himself busy with writing his first musical.
“I fell into it by accident after I started working with a friend.
“We’re just waiting to hear back from the British Foundation Forces, who we hope to get help from to put it on.
“I tell myself the same line I tell my students.
“We are here for a finite number of days so the aim is to be as happy as possible for most of them.
“For them and me, we do that by rocking out.”
