Walsall Academy
I was invited to address four hundred and eighty sixth formers from the Walsall Academy on 2nd October 2006. The Academy is one of the new government schools and was an impressive school to visit, of special interest to me, was the dedication to music and art, coupled with great discipline on the way the students behaved and conducted themselves around the school. The facilities were fantastic; the music department was full of keyboards and guitars, the Art department inventive and inspiring, the computer department, up to the minute and great facilities for sport. Also a fine restaurant where I enjoyed breakfast before an 8.50 am Assembly appearance.
My talk involved my early years in Walsall, including my senior school years at Joseph Leckie School, my beginnings, from a love of music through the DJ and club years. My breaks at Record Companies, my own business, the Stock Aitken & Waterman years through to Managing Director of the World’s largest Independent Record Company.
We concluded with a question and answer session which I always find exciting as the questions are always varied and at least once during these sessions a question jolts a memory I haven’t thought of in years.
The students were intelligent and probing in their questions; my hope is that it may inspire one or two to succeed in their own careers.