Paice, Tichy and Mason back Learn To Play day

Paice

Paice

© STR/Reuters/Corbis

Ian Paice and Brian Tichy are among those set to lend UK music stores a hand later this month for national Learn to Play day.

The day will see shops all over the country offer special events and free lessons.

Brian Tichy will be joined by Whitesnake bandmates Doug Aldrich and bass player Michael Devin at Sheehan's in Leicester, while Deep Purple drumming behemoth Ian Paice will drop in to Drumwright in Reading.

Paice said: "Being given the gift of being able to create music is an incredible thing and most people don't allow themselves this pleasure. That's a shame. Try it, you could just make your life a whole lot more fun."

Pink Floyd's Nick Mason is also a big fan of the scheme, saying: "Learning an instrument isn't about becoming a star, anymore than learning to swim means you want to become a haddock. It makes friends, teaches you the real advantages of working with other people to achieve a common goal, and provides an enormous sense of sheer pleasure when almost any music is produced. I've been doing it for over forty year and still love it."

For more details visit www.learntoplayday.com.

Rich Chamberlain

Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).