- Hi, I'm Kate Perdoni. - And I'm Michael Gadlin.
Welcome back to "Arts District" from Rocky Mountain PBS.
- Denver's Swallow Hill Music has hosted concerts
and workshops for 40 years, and they have
over 60 instructors who teach everything,
from private lessons to group classes.
- Chad Johnson, otherwise known as Chadzilla,
is one of those instructors.
He uses his unique history as a rock and roll drummer
to inspire young students at the Swallow Hill House of Rock.
- "Arts District's" Jeffrey Dallet shows us
how much these young players enjoy their first
rock and roll experience.
(drum sticks tapping)
(drums beating)
- He's very energetic. - Bo-blap-bo-blap-bo-blap.
- He kind of shows you how you're supposed
to play a certain part.
- He's very relaxed, but makes sure you get the work done.
- Dude. - Yeah, I'm having
a really fun time.
- [Jeffrey] He's the perfect leader for newcomers
to the band scene. - It's just really fun
to play with a band, if you haven't
had any band experience before.
- [Jeffrey] He's the unique staple
of the Swallow Hill Music Association,
House of Rock Music Camp since 2007.
- Yeah!
I like to call myself a musician, and a music educator.
(singing)
- [Jeffrey] An educator with flair.
- When I fill out census forms or whatever,
or even tax forms, I say I'm a music educator. (laughs)
Because I think musician is a red flag right, immediately.
Yeah, (laughs) and even worse if you put drummer.
(laughing)
I play guitar, and bass, and keyboard,
and sing, and write music, and play
a lot of percussion instruments too.
But really I have a career in the music industry
because of my drumming.
- [Jeffrey] Chad Johnson, AKA Chadzilla, breaks the youth in
with rock and roll.
- This week is, we call it The First Band.
Then stop.
I like to call it First Band, because it's for students.
We've got kids from 12 to 16 years old in this camp.
This is their first band, and the whole purpose of this
is to like, help kids understand
what it's like to be in a band.
- [Jeffrey] What better way to learn rock and roll,
then from a rock and roll veteran?
- I've played every big venue really, in Colorado,
from Red Rocks and Fiddler's Green,
and the Fillmore, The Boulder Theater.
- [Jeffrey] He's got stories galore.
- One of the best stories for me,
when I knew really, when I knew
that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life,
I was playing a college frat party in Greeley.
And there I was, 13 years old, playing a frat party.
I could get all the free Dr. Pepper I wanted.
I had Doritos, any kind of chip I wanted there.
All the college girls thought I was so cute.
Aw, so cute, and I got paid 50 bucks.
- [Jeffrey] Girls, chips, and drag?
- I started an 80s cover band,
and we did the Film on the Rocks at Red Rocks.
And we did that on a Thursday,
and then on Sunday we dressed in drag to play
the Lions Lair, the same band for like
a thing to combat domestic violence.
- [Jeffrey] Those were the days.
But things change, well sort of.
- I don't drink Dr. Pepper anymore.
I don't really eat Doritos anymore.
But I don't make much more than 50 bucks (laughs)
for a gig anymore, so.
- [Jeffrey] From his heart.
- He is listening. (laughs)
- [Jeffrey] It's really about the kids now.
- My really, my deep down, 100% focus
is to help them become themselves as musicians,
and to make their own band, and to go out
and be part of the music community in Denver.
Dude, you got it bro!
I am, for them, what I wanted when I was their age.
- [Jeffrey] Chadzilla has the personality.
- When you play this song, with this band,
we will worship you-- - Coupled with a special way
of connecting to the students.
- It's kind of something that I'm pretty proud of actually.
We develop a really good relationship.
You know, the students, kind of right off the bat.
- He definitely connects with us,
and tries to create a good family,
and make us really a band,
because before, we were just some people.
And now we're together, working together and creating music.
- I treat them as people.
I treat them as musicians that are just a little bit
closer to the beginning of their musical journey.
And I love to tell them that I'm just the same as you,
I'm just older and more experienced.
But I'm just a musician, just further down the line.
Just like you.
- [Jeffrey] And that knack
for generating interest in learning.
- At first, I really, really didn't wanna be here.
My mom signed me up for this, and I didn't want to go.
But I learned that it was better and better.
And I eventually actually really enjoyed coming here.
- Our piano player this week, Charlotte,
the first thing she said when she walked in the door,
I asked her what she plays, she said she plays the triangle.
I was like good, right on, well you're gonna play
the rectangle too, it's the keyboard.
And the circle, which is the tambourine. (laughing)
- [Jeffrey] And above all, it's just fun.
Like a bucket of, what?
- A bucket of fish, yeah. (laughing)
Bucket of fish, bucket of fish.
I love to use little toddler references
to help kids remember certain things, especially drummers.
It's kind of fun to get these things in your head
to remember what they sound like and how to play them.
Learning how to count as a musician,
and learning how to read music
is very important in that process
of them learning how to read music, and learning the theory,
and learning the techniques of their instrument.
Just these things that can get in their brain
that just can help them remember.
The bucket of fish is this cool little thing,
that if you go and you see a live band play,
once the drummer gets done with the song,
you'll hear them go (makes drumming sound).
That's a bucket of fish.
(drum hits)
That was wicked!
(drumming) Yeah!
And so it's funny to just remind Eli,
at the end of the song,
bucket of fish (makes drumming sound).
(drumming) Yeah!
- [Jeffrey] And in the end, he'll leave his mark of joy
like only he and music can.
- I really hope that they can,
more than anything, have confidence in themselves.
To find themselves, to find themselves musically,
and really, more than anything,
just that music will bring you joy.
And when you're in dark times in your life
and you know, strange stuff is happening
with your family or with your friends or whatever,
that you can pick up your guitar
or you can sit at your drums,
and in 10 minutes you'll feel better.
That's really what it's about for me.
♪ And if you ever
- Chadzilla, the man, the myth, the legend
has contagious energy. - So do you.
- Thank you. - What a perfect person
to introduce young folks to the world of rock and roll.
- Absolutely, you can learn all about Swallow Hill,
their ongoing concert series, music school and more
at swallowhillmusic.org.