Shropshire brothers' band to support Bon Jovi

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Two Shropshire musicians, one of whom is a guitarist with one arm, are preparing for the biggest gig of their lives - after winning a competition to support rockers Bon Jovi.

Brothers Keith and Stuart Alexander, from Wem, are preparing for the show at Old Trafford, Manchester, later this month with their five-piece Liverpool-based band Xander and The Peace Pirates.

And while Keith has no right arm his musical talent as a guitarist shines through because he uses his left on the fretboard and a metal hook attached to a prosthetic limb to strum the strings.

Proud mum Val Matthews, from Wem, said she hoped the band's latest success would be a springboard to bigger things.

She said: "They went to the Thomas Adams School and are quite in demand, getting lots of views on You Tube.

"Keith is remarkable to watch because he has no right arm and once I said he would never be able play guitar but now he really wipes the floor with everyone else. If there is such a thing as a God-given gift then he has it.

"I funded their music lessons when they were children at Quina Brook and they believe in making it on their own merit, so it has been well worth it now they are playing with Bon Jovi."

The band features lead guitarist and singer Keith, Stuart on rhythm guitar, vocalist and bassist John Bird, drummer Jake Woodward and Chris Howard on keyboards.

They entered a radio station's competition which invited musicians to submit their demo online for the once in a lifetime chance to support the Livin' On A Prayer stars.

And their blend of bluesy rock featuring whispers of Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones proved a hit with voters, who chose the band as winners.

Stuart said: "I'm a Bon Jovi fan. I bought Slippery When Wet the week it came out. This is the start of something massive for us."

The band is promoting its debut album 11 and is looking to follow in the footsteps of 1980s British rockers Def Leppard, who took the world by storm even though their drummer famously had just one arm.

The gig will be at Old Trafford cricket ground on June 24. For details visit www.xanderandthepeacepirates.com

By Tom Johannsen