Grantham’s very own Little Drummer Boy is a sensation
TAKE one look at 10-year-old Caleb Preece and you might guess he wants to be a rock star.
Sporting a rocker’s shaggy hair-do and leather jacket, he would fit in nicely with the likes of Metallica and Porcupine Tree, bands he aspires to.
But it is not only the look Caleb has down to a tee, it is also the skill level. At age 10, he is studying at Grade 8, a level far beyond his years - in fact it is the equivalent of an A-level.
Teaching him is well-known Lloyd Courtenay, a drummer with ‘60s group Barron Knights.
Lloyd, of Kintore Drive in Grantham, said: “To get to that level at 10 is quite remarkable.
“For his age, Caleb is pretty incredible. He stands out in as much as he has got further than most other drummers I know.”
All that matters to Caleb, of New Beacon Road, Grantham, is that he enjoys drumming and that he is able to pursue his dream of touring the world as part of a famous rock band. And he is not afraid of the hard work he will have to put in first.
He said: “I want to go all the way with it. It’s my dream.”
To help him reach the dizzy heights of playing a sell-out gig at the O2, Caleb plays in two Grantham bands.
Caleb’s dad Barry is very supportive of his son’s passion for music.
He said: “It’s fantastic that he’s come this far. He gets stuck in and works very hard, practises after school. He deserves everything he gets.”
Lloyd added: “I can tell he practises every week. He plays something here, goes away and comes back the next week and he’s got it pretty much perfect.”
One drummer Caleb looks up to is Porcupine Tree drummer Gavin Harrison. The pair often exchange e-mails, the latest of which plastered a “big grin” on Caleb’s face, said dad Barry.
Caleb said: “He said he’d had a look at my videos and they were very good.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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