Meet the young Horsham brothers who are polishing their Queen and Foo Fighters covers ready for first major gig

Sam and Ben Holder have been playing rock and roll together for the past year, but have now officially launched their first band - and named it Lightning.

Dad Rob says they got the bug early, watching him and his bandmates in Status Quo tribute act Quo-Caine.

"They were up there with glowsticks sitting behind the PA during gigs," he says. "They always loved it and wanted to stay to the end."

The pair happily played with toy instruments as tots, and it was no surprise to their Mum Hazel or their dad when they wanted to graduate to the real thing.

Singer and guitar player Sam's been having lessons on his Fender from Rob for four-and-a-half years, while Ben started drumming lessons for a year ago and is working towards his Grade 3 exam on his Mapex kit.

The boys, who both attend Warnham Primary School, practice in Ben's room - aka the studio - at their home in North Horsham.

They starting playing at their school talent show last year and then the school fete, but are looking forward to their first headline spot at Roffey Social Club on Saturday, March 23.

They'll be raising money in support of Drum4Ringo, an interactive charity campaign in memory of Nick 'Ringo' Southall. In aid of Cancer Research UK, Dementia UK, Winston's Wish & Dogs Trust.

Sam says: "We play rock and roll, all different types from Queen, Thunder, ACDC, Foo Fighters, and Slade. We really like it and want to do more gigs."

His says his favourite song of all time is Queen's 'Now I'm Here', and while he loves singing and playing covers, he'd like to try his hand at writing his own songs too.

Ben loves Thunder's 'I Love the Weekend' but says his number one song to play is Green Day's 'American Idiot'.

Sam, who is currently in Year 6, hopes that when he starts secondary school in September he'll meet more budding musicians their own age who can join the band - all the moment the boys are helped out by their dad and his Quo-Caine bandmate Andy Hosegood.

Sam says: "We need a lead guitarist and a bass player. We really want to form a decent band and earn some money out of it."

Rob says: "It's great to hear Sam sing, he can reach notes I can't hit!

"I do the solos but he's learning them and he's started doing some now too. It'd be great for them to find someone their own age to be in the band."

All are welcome to the gig at Roffey Social Club, Spooners Road, Horsham, at 8.30pm on Saturday March 23. Entry is free.

To follow the band's progress, follow Lightning Sam and Ben Rock and Roll Covers Band on Facebook.