Naperville teenagers Adam Bodtke and Andrew Russell have something in common with 90-year-old Willie Nelson.
They’re all musicians who performed this summer on the BMO Harris Stage on the SummerFest grounds in Milwaukee.
And, like the lyrics from one of Nelson’s best-known songs, best friends Bodtke and Russell “just can’t wait to get on the road again.”
Both are part of the School of Rock AllStars band, a status attained by less than 1% of all 62,000 School of Rock musicians around the globe. The AllStars bands spend their summers on tour
Their AllStars tour commenced last week in St. Louis, took them to Indianapolis, Louisville and Nashville, and wound up Saturday in Memphis.
In each city, they played with house bands from local Schools of Rock.
They are living the dream, they said, playing live music for people around the Midwest during their summer vacation from school.
“When you’re onstage doing what you love, it’s an experience you can’t explain,” Russell said.
Will this lead to careers in music? Who knows.
But it does guarantee they will have terrific topics for those “how did you spend your summer” essays in high school this fall.
Bodtke, 16, will be a junior at Naperville Central High School, and Russell, 17, a senior at Naperville North.
Each developed a love for music when they were much younger.
Russell said he began dabbling with keyboards when he was 4.
“We had a lot of good music around the house,” he said. “I saw Billy Joel at Wrigley (Field) when I was 9 or 10. That got me into School of Rock because I wanted to start playing that genre. I love his songwriting,” Russell said.
Bodtke took a similar route.
“I heard a lot of music played at home. Classic rock, ’80s music, alternative rock. It’s all over (the place),” he said.
The guitar “seemed like such a cool instrument” to Bodtke, who said Stevie Ray Vaughan and David Gilmour are two of his favorite guitarists.
Learning to play was “challenging,” he said.
“But, like anything, you pretty much have to put in the work, practice and push yourself and learn harder songs every day. Practice a couple hours each day and you’ll get better,” he said.
That approach obviously paid off when Bodtke and Russell were selected for the School of Rock AllStars band after a grueling three-part audition process.
“There were lots of nerves and adrenaline, for sure,” Bodtke said. “This is it. You have to be pretty much perfect. Have to show them what you’re made of.”
Bodtke played “The Real Me” by The Who and “(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth” by Metallica for his audition.
Russell selected Joel’s “Prelude/Angry Young Man” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish.”
Earlier this summer the AllStars band played a Naper Nights concert at Naperville Settlement, doing a 45-minute set before the headliner. In a couple of weeks, they have a gig in Coal City.
As expected, their parents are proud and excited. They tag along with the band when it’s on the road.
“We’re going on tour,” Allison Russell, Andrew’s mom, said with a laugh.
His father, Mike Russell, said he is “obviously excited for the future. … This kind of experience can springboard him.”
Staci Bodtke added: “I’m so proud of them, so excited for them. The experience will be great for them.”
Rudolphe De Kruyf, who is dating Staci Bodtke, noted “they’re high achievers within their music. And, they’re great students, great kids. I learn a lot from these guys.”
Looking ahead, Russell said he someday wants to work in the studio helping other musicians.
“I want to keep music in my life and production is a cool aspect,” Russell said.
Bodtke agreed.
“Like he said, I want to keep music in my life. It’s pretty much a lifestyle at this point,” said Bodtke, who finds stress relief strumming a guitar.
It’s the same for keyboards, Russell said.
“If you have a tough day or with nothing to do,” he said, “you sit down, start playing and get in that zone.”
If you want to experience their music live, the band is scheduled to play at Naper Settlement at 5 p.m. Aug. 16.
Steve Metsch is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
