School turns students into rock 'n' rollers

TOWN 'N COUNTRY There's a reason it's called rocking out.

"Rock (music) is supposed to be fun," founder and owner of American Rock School, Dave Arazmo, said. "You rock out to have fun - rock music is fun."

That's why Arazmo opened his rock school in 2003, which, in seven short years, has expanded to two locations in Town 'N Country and Tampa Palms. American Rock School specializes in teaching students of all ages guitar, bass, drums, piano, vocals - basic rocking-out skills to use toward forming a band for gigs or participating in the school's bi-annual recitals.

"We try to be more involved than, 'Oh, (practice) for half an hour and be done with it,'" Arazmo said. "We want to teach music and show that it can be about a band and working together. It shouldn't just be taught like it's routine, as something you always do like take out the trash. It should be fun to do because rock music isn't a chore.

"There's a reason (songs such as) 'Ironman' (by Black Sabbath) and 'Smoke on the Water' (by Deep Purple) are taught to beginners. It's the thing that got handed down - the recipe that is just how to play guitar. It's the songs they pick up quickly, so it shows that classic rock can be used to teach music."

From AC/DC to Led Zeppelin, as well as modern bands such as Weezer, Seether and the likes, classic rock music is used in nearly every lesson, even as the school can break off to other genres such as jazz, blues and metal.

"We've got from 4-year-olds to adults doing drum lessons," said Arazmo's business partner and wife, Mari. "We have no age limit - anyone can come learn rock music and just embrace it. It's for the passion and the love of the music here.

"That passion shows in what Dave does - he's the musical one, and he brings his passion to teaching and running their school for rock."

Dave used to teach guitar lessons at Seminole Rock Store, but left to open the Town 'N Country location in November 2003, then called Tampa Guitar School. At the beginning, the school struggled to earn its keep, just like an up-and-coming band looking for its big break.

When Dave hired Mari to run the business side of the school, ARS became more organized and successful. Once Dave changed the name and opened the second location in Tampa Palms, the school grew big, like the headliner at a show.

"My business is to handle the business," Mari said. "He's great at music, but not business. That's where I come in: handling the hiring of teachers with good personalities and making sure the school runs smoothly.

"I'll be the vice principal, handing all the behind the scenes stuff that's not music."

Walking into the school is like stepping into the 2003 comedy "School of Rock" starring Jack Black. While Arazmo isn't as eccentric as the movie's lead character nor familiar with the movie, the same principles apply - learning music and how to rock it.

"I like rock music," said 14-year-old Aaron Ortiz, who is learning the drums. "I do this because I'd like to be in a rock band. I like playing that better than in a school band, something I've never had because of the small schools I've gone to.

"Rocking out is way more fun, besides."

Similar to other after-school activities, such as karate, learning rock music, or becoming a better musician, builds confidence, helping students find the rocker within.

"Kids become more outgoing, especially once they get better," Mari said. "They'll come in all shy, but once they get out of their shell, they really turn it on at the recitals and here during the lessons. It's like rock music just opens them up."

Dave also gets students to open up, as he teaches the more advanced classes at his school. He'll take the next shredder under his wing, but he'll look out for every student, realizing the potential a guitar, and his school, can tap.

"I've always thought it would be really cool to be all about music at a place - a school that taught nothing but great music," Dave said. "To just be able to push music as education, but from the same angle that it 'should' be taught. We look for musicians and teachers that embrace music as a teaching tool for anything.

"I hate that music can be so boxed in when it's taught in schools. We're not like that. We're here to free that music and just let the rocking out happen."