ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
An often misunderstood and underappreciated local 12-year-old blew the socks off his peers, teachers and family yesterday afternoon at the Hasbrook Road Public School talent quest.
Jack McElroy, a Libra, spoke candidly to The Advocate about why he chose to stand up there alone with nothing to keep him company except a cheap Yamaha bass guitar and an even cheaper amplifier and why he chose to learn Metallica’s seminal 1991 smash hit, Enter Sandman.
“Because it’s a fucking track, you old grandpa,” said McElroy.
“Metallica is my favourite band and I’ve saved all their albums onto my phone from Spotify. The bass guitar is my favourite instrument, it’s the fucking tits,”
“I tried to get the backing track with all the other instruments so I’d have something to play along to but fuck it, rock’n’roll. Give me a cigarette.”
A number of Jack’s teachers commended him on his performance and they hope it heralds a new direction in his life – one away from the many vices that befall the modern tween in regional areas.
His headmaster, Bernice Roach, said that it’s tough being 12 these days and the added pressures to be ‘cool’ and ‘with it’ are much harder thanks to social media and left-wing politics.
“Jack has had confidence and self-esteem issues for a while,” said Roach.
“But it was heartwarming to see him build the confidence up to perform in front of so many peers and staff. It’s so rewarding as a teacher to help a talented little turtle like Jack emerge from his shell,”
“I’m not much of a metalhead, I’m more of a bottle-of-chardonnay-and-Fleetwood-Mac type of woman, but I’m sure he really nailed it.”
More to come.
