BY CHRISTIE ELIEZER

We ask three musicians about their involvement in Weekend Warriors — and discover that it’s completely changed their lives.

We recently profiled Weekend Warriors, a four-week program where musicians aged between 40 to 60 form a band with players they’ve just met and rehearse for a concert. Many gave up their teen love for music to get jobs to support their families. Now years later, they had dreams of playing in a band again.

The Weekend Warriors program was initiated by the Australian Music Association following research by the Association that showed there were large numbers of former musicians wanting to get back into playing rock n’ roll. The problem was that there were too few opportunities available to return to playing without the hassle of establishing a permanent band. The Ellaways Music and Carroll’s Total Music Solution stores were the first people in Australia to get behind the program, giving Brisbane’s former musicians the chance to make the music they love and have fun all over again.

The Association is now developing the Weekend Warriors program nationally, with new locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Lismore, Toowoomba and Horsham starting in the next few weeks. It is anticpated that new locations will be added in Tasmania, Adelaide and the ACT before the year’s end.

Joning is easy, you state what kind of music you like, the instrument you play, and the level of your skill. All potential Warriors attend a “jam” after which the organisers match you up with four or five of the other musicians. You pay your $200 participation fee, then you are away! Four weeks of rehearsals follow complete with all the latest gear, plus a ach to make sure you’re ready forband’s debut gig.

Tony LeClezio  is a truck driver, aged 46, who played guitar for 30 years but had never been in a band before. "I never took it seriously until a few years ago."

Cam Patterson used to play in high school bands and, at 36, runs his own accountancy firm. What got him interested in Weekend Warriors was that the instruments, the coaches and rehearsal room were supplied.

Bob Kennedy played piano accordion from 7 to 16. But racing motorbikes, and later being in the military, stopped him from forming a band. Now 45 and a jet engine technician with the air force, he took guitar seriously two and a half years ago, playing at home. One day he was at Ellaways looking at guitars when he saw a Weekend Warriors ad.

Q: What was the process of getting the band together like?

Tony: "I wanted to play AC/DC and Creedence. We had a meeting at Ellaways to meet the other players and discuss which eight or 10 songs to play. For the next four weeks, we got together once a week and rehearsed for four hours. We called ourselves Ol’105 (a pun on the 70s band Ol’55).”

Cam: "From jamming with different combinations, some bands formed naturally. I saw another singer I wanted to work with, I liked the way he sang and performed, and he felt the same about me. We were Mike & The Mechanical Hips. “

Bob: "You’re under a bit of pressure because you have a limited amount of time to learn songs with strange people, and you have to make it work on stage. You can’t pull out half way. I love that whole concept, we played blues and rock, the last band was called Swamp Fox. “

Q: What do you remember about the concert?

Tony: "I was terribly nervous. There were six bands on the bill, they brought their families and friends. There was great camaraderie, we had flashing lights and great sound. I was on such a high, doing what I’d always wanted to do. I got home at midnight and couldn’t get to sleep until 4 am."

Cam: "It was at the Aspley Leagues club. What stood out to me was that the singer and I had a similar performing style. We did six songs but it felt like it was over in a minute. It was exhilarating. My wife said I looked really happy up there. Our drummer is my brother, and his kids were there. They draw pictures at school of their dad and their uncle in a band, I think I’ve got credibility there!"

Bob: "Walking on stage was harrowing, I’d never been in front of an audience like that. After the first song, when the 300 people applauded, I was determined not to let it stop. The worst thing was your mates and family were there, so if you made a mistake they’d let you have it for the rest of the week. But it was unbelievable."

Q: How has Weekend Warriors changed your lives?

Cam: " It’s a positive effect, your life becomes complete if you’ve had that dream in you. The band continues to rehearse, occasionally we play a show. We’re talking about writing songs. I don’t know if we’ll make money.  I have a studio at home. I’m over capitalised in guitars — there’s an accountant’s term! I’ve got eight guitars now! — and listening to a lot more music."

Bob: "People look at you differently because you’ve achieved something. I’m seeing more bands and listening to more music. I went to the Byron Bay blues festival and watched the performers and learned. We’ve been doing some recording on my four-track recorder, we don’t sound bad at all. We had a party on my farm, put up a stage, we started playing at 5 in the afternoon and were still going at 4.30 am."

Tony: "Watching people dance to music I’m playing just makes me feel great.  I got four kids, aged 8 to 15, and they reckon their old man’s a rock star! The band’s been together for eight months, we rehearse every week. We got 31 songs already. Donna the singer has some lyrics she wants me to put music to. We’re not in it for the money, we’re doing it for the love."

For more information about Weekend Warriors or online registration, visit www.weekendwarriors.org.au