Why are we different?

With all of the Music Schools out there, what makes us different?

We'll let Co-Founder Hugh explain it...

"One thing: Joe Hart!"

Joe's too busy practicing scales, so I'll tell you how The School of Hard Rocks is different from other music schools and music camps.

First and foremost, Joe is an actual working musician!

I mean, look at him.

Does he look like anything other than a real musician through and through? He doesn't need to have short hair or look "normal" for a real job. He's a musician and that's it.

You would be shocked if you knew how much of the staff at some music schools work "day jobs" that do not involve playing music. At The School of Hard Rocks, our staff are real working musicians. Music isn't a "hobby" for us... it's our life! And we bring that passion to everything we do.

And having Joe run the school was a total no brainer.

Here are a few of the cool things that Joe Hart has done:

He have been playing guitar, bass, keyboard, and singing (somewhat) for over 22 years.

He graduated from Westwood High School in 1986 and received a Bachelors of Arts in Music from The University of Massachusetts at Boston in 1991.

He founded the music production company, Rabbath Recordings, and has recorded and released 14 CD's including 10 CD's of original material.

He has written and self-published four books (two fiction, and two music instructional), and has written a number of magazine and newspaper articles on various topics.

He was a guest performer at the first Sky Academy Guitar Seminar (organized by guitar legend Uli Jon Roth) at the University of California in Los Angeles in 2006, and was invited back to perform at the second Sky Academy at the Musician's Institute in Hollywood, CA in 2007.

Here is a partial list of musicians that Joe Hart has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with during the amazing Sky Academy concerts: Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions and solo artist), Chris Poland (Megadeth), Don Dokken, George Bellas, Jeff Scott Soto (Yngwie Malmsteen and Journey), Chris Impellitteri, Joe Stump, Robbie Krieger (The Doors), Johnny Hiland, Kofi Baker (great drummer and Cream drummer Ginger Baker’s son), Michael Angelo Batio (check him out on YouTube -- he’s wild!), Michael Ehre, Francis Buchholz (Scorpions), Phil Woodward, Richie Onori, Jay Gates, Adrian Galysh, Warren De Martini (Ratt), Andrew Shulman, Paul Gilbert, Rob Pagliari, Roy Z (worked with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and Rob Halford of Judas Priest), Steve Smyth (Testement), Tony Franklin (worked with John Sykes of Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy fame and worked with Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin!!), Ule W. Ritgen, Stuart Smith, Mark Boals (Yngwie Malmsteen)

That's a rocking list of players, huh?

He was a finalist in a worldwide guitar competition playing "Smoke on the Water" by Deep Purple. One of the judges, John Trickett, Chairman and CEO of recording company Immergent, said this about Joe's entry: "amazing solo -- man you can play!"

He has had his music reviewed in print publications with comments like: "Joe displays a blistering array of metal licks and tricks." - Metronome Magazine (the largest local music magazine in Boston) and "Joe Hart's guitar sound is as big as the Grand Canyon, and twice as deep!" - Boston's Sound Check Magazine (another local magazine)

And Joe knows more than just how to play. He knows musical gear inside and out. In fact, he has designed, built, and repaired guitars, amplifiers, effect pedals, and all sorts of various musical stuff. He's kind of like a musical mad scientist!

And with all of these accomplishments, he's still a super cool guy.

And if all of this isn't enough to make you realize that The School of Hard Rocks is really something special, then just do a Google search on some of the people associated with our school and check out all of our individual band sites, personal sites, MySpace sites, etcetera. Then do a search of some of the people associated with other schools and read up on them. Heck, some of the band camps don't even list the people that you'll be working with! What's up with that?