Ex-Status Quo drummer has Wirral pupils rockin' all over the hall in masterclass

During his two-hour session at St Anne's Catholic Primary School in Rock Ferry this afternoon, he invited children to bang the drum. Pupils and staff then accompanied him in a performance.

Over the last 15 years, he has taken his drum workshop to more than 6,000 primary and senior schools across the UK and as far afield as the Falkland Islands.

Following the session, he told the Globe: "I’ve been going around schools doing this for many years.

"It's all about inspiration; because a lot of these kids will never have been in front of a live musician before, especially drums, which are a very powerful instrument.

Jeff Rich gives some drumming tips to Johnny Lavelle at St Annes Catholic Primary School Rock Ferry

"I get loads of emails from parents and kids, saying how much it’s inspired them and kids have gone onto become drummers themselves.

Jeff Rich this afternoon

“I had one email from a parent whose son is now playing in America.

“He saw me when he was 10, went on to do a percussion degree in London and is now a professional drummer.”

Looking back on his own path to music, the 63-year-old said: “I never had anything like this at my school. I had to do it the hard way, playing pots and pans in the kitchen.

Jeff Rich gives some drumming tips to pupils at St Annes Catholic Primary School 

"I took any weekend job, cleaning cars and stuff, to get money to buy a snare drum and gradually built the kit up."

Jeff was Status Quo’s drummer from 1986 to 2000, but left to share his music skills with young people.

Jeff Rich gives some drumming tips to pupils 

He said: “I come from a really deprived area of London, my parents couldn’t afford for me to do it.

“But I went out and got into the music business. It’s all about determination. If you want to do it, go for it.

Jeff Rich gives some drumming tips to Ciara Sutton during this afternoon's masterclass

“There are more opportunities to get into school nowadays than there was when I was in school.

"If any schools want to get in touch with me, they can find me on the website www.jeffrich.co.uk.”

Former Status Quo drummer Jeff Rich gives drumming tips to pupil

Looking back on life on the road with Quo bandmates Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt, he said: "there were so many highlights, difficult to say, but Live Aid was among them.

"We also played Knebworth twice, once with Queen and a few other bands for charities.

"Each time there was a quarter of a million people in the audience."

Jeff Rich gives his masterclass

Asked if he’d do it all again, he replied: "Not really, I’m quite happy doing what I’m doing now.

“I got fed up doing the tours and never saw my kids grow up first time round.

“You’re away four to five months at a time and when you come back you’re doing TV work or are in the studio recording.

“Your life’s not your own.

“I’ve got a three-piece band called Triple J and we're about to record some tracks for an album, which is quite fun. It’s all rock/blues stuff, and is a really good band.”

Jeff Rich gives some drumming tips to pupil Madison Hughes

"If things hadn’t worked out in music, I wanted to become a journalist.

"I was good at English in school; always had a penchant for the written word and loved writing stories, but as it happened I went on to do rather well for myself in music."

Lorraine Prescott, acting headteacher St Anne’s Primary said: “It was absolutely brilliant.

“We started the morning assembly by telling pupils that we had someone from one of the most famous bands in the world, but I don’t think they believed me.

“We’ve had some brilliant people visit us, but no-one as famous as Jeff. The children were really excited.”