Karina Oakes
Karina first started to play bass guitar aged 14, when she attended Realistic Rock’s’ Beginners To Band Members’ workshop in 2008, which taught her the basics on technique and performance. She then began taking private bass lessons with Rob Paterson and in April 2009, she performed two songs at the Easter Showcase at Bourne Hall with other private lesson students.
Karina is currently in a band called ‘The Final Rumour’, who formed in October 2009, with Laura, Jodie and Katheryn. Together they are working with Robin and Toy to write original songs and work on covers. They have performed at a variety of different local venues including Epsom Playhouse and they hope to be recording soon.
She now works on reception part time at Realistic Rock and is continuing her bass lessons with Mark Wallis. Karina is currently in year 11 at Rosebery School and hopes to have a career involving music in the future.
Nicole Green
Nicole’s first introduction to music was a guitar her mum bought her for her 12th birthday. She has been playing ever since and has reached a grade 7 Rock School standard and also achieved grade 2 on the piano.
She started guitar lessons with former Realistic Rock tutor Michael Bradley and has played at several showcases at Bourne Hall and Epsom Playhouse. In 2008, Nicole attended the ‘Get in a Band and Play’ course in which her band ‘The Last Doubt’ won the votes at Leatherhead Theatre for the best band. Nicole later joined punk/ska band ‘Autumns’ Fire’ but is currently focusing on her exams.
After a week on work experience at Realistic Rock at the beginning of 2009, Nicole was offered a position at Realistic Rock and is currently working on reception part time. She has a place at Kingston college to study Music production and is intending to continue her career in the music industry.
Sam Pearce
Sam started performing when he was 12 as a singer for his previous band The Dukes and also started to play guitar when he was 12. He later he took part in Realistic Rock’s ‘Get In A Band And Play’ course in 2008 and wrote and performed two songs with a band called ‘1 2 3 4’. After this course he stared singing lessons with Toy Valentine and then Matt Steemson and went on to take part in the Realistic Record Deal course later that year where his band ‘Innuendo’ helped raise £100 with their song ‘I just can’t get away’, which they went on to perform at The Epsom Playhouse.
At the start of 2009 Sam also started group guitar lessons with Robin Henderson and completed the whole syllabus. Sam also participated in Live Performance Workshop and performed at Bourne Hall with a unique cover of ‘Let Me Entertain You’ as well as singing for another course. Sam met Gus Van Manen on the course and they decided to form ‘Sound Proof’ in March 09, later joined by Chris Alger and later Joe Turner. They have an average age of 15 and are now busy rehearsing and writing songs with Robin as well as performing at numerous venues.
During his work experience at Realistic Rock in the summer of 2009, Sam worked in the shop, on reception, and also assisted on group guitar courses as well as beginner workshops. He now works for Realistic Rock on a part time basis.
Sam is currently in year 11 at Wallington County Grammar School and has been accepted into The Academy of Contemporary Music and will start full time guitar studies next year. Sam hopes to have a career in music production or music performance.
Katheryn Davies
Katheryn started learning guitar when she was 13 years old and soon became enthusiastic about playing music. After seeing an advert in a local newspaper she attended ‘Beginners To Band Members’ course at Realistic Rock and after being playing there for ten weeks she performed Sweet Child Of Mine at The Epsom Playhouse which was her first experience of performing on stage.
Since then she has taken part in many Realistic Rock courses including Live Performance Workshop and Realistic Record Deal, a highlight of which was recording a song in the Realistic Rock studio. This gave her a good understanding of how music technology worked and inspired her to want become a part of the music industry. These courses also helped her in her performing skills and she has taken part in many showcases at Epsom Playhouse and Bourne Hall.
Kateryn is now currently in a girl band called ‘The Final Rumour’, formed in October 2009. They are now busy working writing new songs and working on new covers helped by Robin and Toy at Realistic Rock. They have performed at a number of venues already including at the Christmas Showcase at The Epsom Playhouse, which was very exciting for them and has motivated them for the future. They hope to be recording soon and playing as many gigs as possible!
Katheryn has also recently started working part time on the reception at Realistic Rock which has given her many new experiences and new responsibilities. She isnow preparing for her GCSE’S at St Andrews School in Leatherhead and hopefully will be attending Reigate Collage in the next school year, where she will be taking a BTEC in Music Performing before continuing her career in music.
