Guitar hero: Meet the child rocker who plays sell-out shows aged FIVE - after learning guitar on his Playstation
A mini-music prodigy is already performing in front of sell-out crowds after learning to play the guitar on his Playstation – aged just FIVE.
Talented Alexander Santarpia learnt to play the electric guitar after getting hooked on the hit game Rocksmith.
Incredibly, just 12 months later he now regularly performs in front of fans at his parents’ pub, picks up an average of £100-a-week in tips and even writes his own songs.
On Saturday he became one of the youngest musicians in Britain to gain three distinctions in guitar exams in just one sitting.
Usually, it takes players three years to pass all the exams.
The pint-sized rocker, nicknamed ‘Alexander The Great’, now has a large YouTube following and has appeared on stage alongside Indie star Jake Bugg.
Mum Annie, 31, who runs The Old Volunteer pub in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, said: 'When he was five months old, his favourite toy was a plastic guitar, we couldn’t get him off of it.
'We never asked him if he wanted to play, he just decided himself and began watching his dad who also played, but now Alexander is better than him.
'It wasn't long after that he got his first guitar, he was around 18-months-old and couldn't even walk properly, he kept falling over.
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'He loves to put on a show and plays at the pub all the time, people give him tips and he once got a £50 tip from a diner.
'He really is incredible and even Jake Bugg said so.
'Jake heard about him and came into the pub for a meal before they had a jamming session, it was great to watch and people couldn’t believe their eyes.
'He is really into his music, he wants to be a rock star when he is older and is very confident, myself and my husband support him and will carry on doing that.
'It is quite funny because now he likes to be called Alexander "The Great".
'He has eight guitars now and one of them he paid for himself with the money he got from tips.
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'It is all he has ever wanted to do, just play, and he has become a mini-celebrity because of it, people know who he is and come to see him play.'
Alexander stunned his music teacher when he passed his preliminary, grade one and grade two exams in just one sitting.
He is now practising for his grade three exam, which he plans to complete this summer.
The aspiring guitar hero said: 'I want to be a rock star when I am older, I love playing music and I love my guitars, I like to play to people and it feels good.
'It was great to play with Jake Bugg, we played "Smoke on the Water" and he gave me a pick afterwards that I still use today.
'My favourite bands are Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Avenged Sevenfold, hopefully I'll grow up and become a rock star.
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'I like playing in my mum and dad's pub and they like to watch me play, people are happy when I play and that makes me happy.'
Proud dad, Nick, 38, added: 'He picked it up properly after playing on the PlayStation and hasn’t looked back since.
'He plays Rocksmith, it takes a lot of hand eye co-ordination, especially for someone of his age, but he manages it and doesn’t even look at his fingers anymore.
'He’s written his own songs, they’re not very long, just a few words but everyone has to start somewhere.
'He is a genius and we are all so proud of what he is doing, as long as he enjoys himself, that is all we care about, we just want him to be happy and he is.
'He has a very special talent that not many people his age have and long may it continue.'
Alexander now has a private tutor, Carlos Thrale, who has worked for EMI records as a studio guitarist and recorded with Kate Bush, Queen, Pet Shop Boys and Iron Maiden.
Mr Thrale, who charges £20-a-lesson and has seen Alexander twice a week for the past four months said: 'I thought he might be a bit too young but when he came for an audition he was phenomenal.
'I've never heard anything like him. Anybody can go in and sit these exams but a five-year-old managing to achieve them in one sitting is just exceptional.'