Brendon hopes to raise the roof for CHAS       

By Sarah Johnson NEXT week, Friday the 13th will be lucky for CHAS. Twelve-year-old rock star Brendon Neill, from the village of Forgandenny in Perthshire, is preparing to raise the roof with a rock solid idea. The young musician and his dad Jack, who is also his manager, are in the final stages of organising a gig at Whispers Nightclub in Perth — with all proceeds going to CHAS.  Brendon explains, “We read how CHAS’s revenues were falling after the Asian Tsunami and thought it was terrible. After reading in The Sunday Post about what CHAS do, I felt I wanted to help. I’ll be a child raising money for children.

Brendon all dressed up and ready to rock!

“We have three local bands and three from England. I’ll be the main and last event on the night, playing for about an hour.”  The event, which starts at 8 pm with doors open at 7.30, is an over-18s venue with one exception — Brendon, of course. Jack says, “Concorde Music and Whispers in Perth are selling tickets and Whispers have said money from tickets sold on the door before midnight will go to CHAS.  “We’ll be selling programmes, which, along with sponsorship, should cover costs, allowing all proceeds from tickets and a CD Brendon has made to go to CHAS.”  For one so young, Brendon surprises everyone with his music and Jack is proud of his rock star son. It all began when he asked for an acoustic guitar when he was nine.  Jack says, “His mum Donna and I thought it would be a nine-day wonder, but he started playing and we’ve no idea where the music comes from. He is years beyond his age.” Performance Donna taught her son four chords and Elton John’s Crocodile Rock. Soon Brendon had written a song built around those four chords.  He then proceeded to teach himself some more, and his first live performance was a rendition of Crocodile Rock at a talent show when he was in primary five.  The acoustic guitar was just the beginning for Brendon.  He says, “I got my first electric guitar on my 10th birthday in 2002 and became a little more serious, but it wasn’t until my 11th birthday, when I was given a four-track recording system, that I started writing my own songs.” A keyboard followed and since Christmas Brendon has taught himself bass guitar.  When his song Galaxy 4 was aired on Radio Tay FM, no-one could believe someone so young could have written, performed and produced a song so well. Last October, Brendon played his first live gig at the Kintail Lodge in Bridge of Earn. “I did two sessions in one day. I’ve played a few more gigs since then, but one of the best was a rock concert in the Forgandenny Hall with two bands supporting me.” Dream Now he’s played many gigs in and around Perth, but the most notable was at Kilgraston School for Girls in Bridge of Earn. “It was amazing,” Brendon admits coyly.  “I signed 50 autographs for girls afterwards and was interviewed for the school magazine.” Surely that must be every young boys dream! Last week Brendon started at the independent Strathallan School in Forgandenny after being awarded their Music Scholarship.  He can’t wait to get even more involved with music. “I listen to as much music as I can. My main interest is heavy rock. “The CHAS gig will be my biggest so far, but one day I’ll do even bigger. All I need now is a recording contract.” Brendon adds, “Music is everything to me and if it can help raise money for CHAS then I’ll be delighted.”

You can e-mail us at: hospice@sundaypost.com