Sarah Downey has plenty of ear plugs available in the basement of her rural Marshalltown home - because there's a whole lot of rocking going on.
Her husband, Matt, has his band Exit 185 practice there regularly, and in the past year their two sons, Ryne, 11, and Tyler, 10, have started joining in on the jam sessions.
Ryne plays the electric guitar while Tyler prefers the drums. Both are currently going to the Iowa School of Rock, a two-week program in Ames that teaches music and provides interaction with young musicians.
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T-R PHOTO BY ANDREW POTTER
Brothers Tyler, 10, left, and Ryne Downey, 11, of rural Marshalltown, have started playing rock music during the past year and are currently in a two-week program known as the Iowa School of Rock in Ames. They are pictured jamming out in their basement.
"We're learning how to be in a band and how to interact with other people," Ryne said.
Both have tried their hand at several sports, but nothing has kept their interest quite like playing rock music. Their mom likes the fact that this budding interest in music is keeping them away from the television or video games.
"It's opened their eyes to what other fun things are out there," Sarah said.
Both seem to like making noise.
"It's just really fun that you can make different sounds with the guitar," Ryne said.
The noise doesn't seem to bother Matt, who got into music later in his life and is excited that his boys are starting young.
"I'm usually down there with them," he said.
Tyler, who takes drum lessons locally with Bill Wilson, is a bit on the soft spoken side so the drums are perfect for bringing out some emotion, and he said he likes "hitting things."
Their dad said aside from learning about music, the School of Rock is teaching his boys to interact with people they don't know and work together in a band. Ryne will be in sixth grade this fall and Tyler will be in fifth grade as both attend Lenihan Intermediate School. Ryne has also played the trumpet in the Lenihan band, taught by Paul Sibbel.
"I'm going to try to play in the jazz band this year with the guitar," Ryne said.
The School of Rock will have performances by the young musicians including Ryne and Tyler at 7 p.m. both Friday and Saturday at Zeke's on 3329 Lincolnway in Ames. Tickets are $10 at the door.