Ben Allison
Ben started playing guitar at the age of 9 but it wasn’t until he was 11 and started lessons with Realistic Rock founder Robin Henderson (and later with Geroid Grant & Adam Hooton) that his real passion for music began.
Formed and managed by Richard & Robin Henderson, Ben became lead guitarist with The Flaming Monkeys in 2004. Just over a year later TFM won Xfm’s Rock School competition and went on to support the Kaiser Chiefs, Editors and Hard-Fi at Xfm’s Winter Wonderland at the Brixton Academy. This opened doors to TV & radio (including Blue Peter), a feature in the Daily Telegraph magazine and other national publications. Ben became the band’s lead singer at the end of 2007.
Other credits include playing to Jimmy Page at Gibson Guitars London HQ, a tour of Scotland where they played to over 60,000 people, O2 wireless Festival (2006), Reading (2007), the Birmingham NEC, filming for itv.com’s ‘Web Lives’, winning the Kerrang! Award for Best Live Unsigned Act at the Vodafone Live Music Awards 2007 and the Kerrang! Kerrademy Award for the Best Unsigned Act 2007.
Ben is a keen songwriter and has collaborated with Richard & Robin, Chris Leonard (Son Of Dork), Dougal Donnelly, Cliff Jones (Gay Dad) & The Collective (A). All of this by the age of 15!
Ben left TFM in 2008 and now focuses on writing & recording his own music as well as teaching at Realistic Rock.
Matt Steemson
Matt first started playing guitar age 14 and started playing in a local band soon after. With high aspirations to develop his musical skills, he started singing and song writing, becoming the front man and creative force behind his band.
Matt went on to study at the Academy of Contemporary Music (ACM) earning himself a Diploma and Higher Diploma in guitar. During this time he was chosen to sing and play guitar at the Music Publishing Associations (MPA) 125th birthday party as well as perform at the Guilfest festival in 2006 alongside Billy Idol, Gary Numan and The Stranglers.
During Matt’s guitar studies at ACM, his vocal talent was recognised from stepping up to front many college bands. He received special recommendation from ACM’s head vocal tutor Nic Rowley to proceed onto studying a BA (Hons) Degree in Vocals and graduating in 2009.
Matt has extensive live, studio and audition experience as well as playing on BBC radio, Red Funnel ferries and UK Entertainment TV. He has also worked as an Artist Liaison for the Great Escape Festival and Oxjam events with such bands as Kasabian, The Maccabees, Kissy Sell Out, Metronomy, Dan Black, Mumford & Sons, Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip, ABC and White Denim.
Lloyd Hurrell
Lloyd first picked up an electric guitar at the age of 10 and through forming a band with his primary school classmates, took the first step to becoming a musician.
His interest and passion for guitar meant that he soon took lessons and by the time he was 15 he had achieved Grade 8 in electric guitar from Thames Valley University. Lloyd also obtained and A* grade in music GCSE and went on to study music at A-Level.
At the age of 16, Lloyd enrolled on Realistic Rock’s first ‘Get in a Band and Play’ course, providing further live experience in the Epsom & Ewell area.
Now age 22, Lloyd has completed his degree at Exeter University and has become a certified teacher. Alongside his studies he has spent 4 years relentlessly gigging at local venues around the south-west, honing his songwriting and performance skills. During this time he has also broadened his musical horizons and become an accomplished singer and song writer.
Now back in Epsom, Lloyd is concentrating on writing and performing his own material as well as teaching guitar and live performance at Realistic Rock Academy.
Ferg Priddle
Ferg studied a range of skills at many music institutions including the Academy of Contemporary Music, The Brighton Institute of Modern Music and more recently at Gateway School of Recording where he was awarded a first class degree.
Ferg has studied guitar techniques, song writing and Aavanced Recording giving him a great grasp of what it takes to be in the music industry.
With his band he signed a production deal that saw him working with Ken and Brian Foreman previously of the Thrashing Doves and also Sam Blue of UltraVox. This also saw him touring the UK and Wales with Violent Delight and Schism.
Ferg specialises in blues rock and can teach music theory, guitar techniques and has expert knowledge of various music software programs and studio practice. Ferg is a previous member of the Realistic Rock team and has had vast experience leading workshops, teaching one to one guitar lessons and music production.
James Hatcher
James is a degree graduate from the Academy of Contemporary Music with a wealth of experience in the music industry.
His band, Films of Colour, have given James experience of working with managers, booking agents, PR companies, Lawyers, distributors, record companies and publishers. They have toured with major acts (including Cage The Elephant) across the UK, had their music synced on X Factor, recorded at some of the world’s most prestigious studios (including AIR and Strongroom) and had plays and reviews on mainstream radio (Radio 2/BBC 6 Music) and press (The Sun/The Independent/The Guardian).
Aside from his original music, James has also played for top 10 artists: Katrina and the Waves, Jaki Graham, Bucks Fizz and Angie Brown, as well as many of the UK’s leading tribute acts: JK as Robbie, Micky Jay (Michael Jackson), Faye as Kylie, A Tribute to Madonna, American Four Tops, Queen B, The American Drifters, Maybe Gaga, The Black Eyed Teaz and Jayne as Annie Lennox.