Music can be one of those things that divide the generations. But a Bath band whose members range in age from 17 to 77 is proving music can also break down such barriers.
The Amazing Street Cred Band, fronted by Richard Ingham, has become known in the city for its lively blues and rock and roll numbers, with tunes by Fleetwood Mac, Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters in its repertoire.
And when it comes to making great music the band has proved there really isn't an age gap.
Richard, who lives in Devonshire Buildings, founded the band in 2007 when a musician failed to turn up at a community event he was running.
The vocalist asked pianist and keyboard player Torsten Jensen (CORR)– who was then just a teenager – if he would play and they sounded so good they decided to form a band.
"Torsten and I decided to put the band together, at the time he was only 14," said Richard, who also plays the rhythm guitar.
"We then did our first gig at The Mission Theatre and we sold out – we had to turn people away. We have been doing about a gig a month ever since and this line-up has been together a year or so.
"I was 71 when I started and the lead guitarist we have got now is in his late 50s."
Richard, a writer and journalist, added: "Working with young people is really good fun and we have all become really good friends."
The full line-up is Sam Street on drums, who is 24; Brian Allen, lead guitar, 62; Adam Laughton, keyboards, 17; Sam Watkins, bass, 17; Richard Ingham, vocals and rhythm guitar, 77, and Matt Buckingham, sound, 18.
Matt was the bass guitarist, but pressure of school work and exams stopped him going to the band's weekly rehearsals.
His interest in sound and equipment had meant that this was one of his areas of responsibility in the band, and he now concentrates on that.
Previous members were Torsten Jensen, Michael Graves and Scott Barter.
All the band members are talented musicians, with Richard having formed a number of scratch bands to play at street parties.
He has also managed a band in Swaziland
The band's most recent gig was in memory of Peter Bale at the Mission Theatre.
It raised £600 for the Dorothy House hospice charity.
Peter's death last autumn was the inspiration for the concert, called Rock'n'Raise.
Peter had been a friend of the theatre for more than 40 years and an active fundraiser for charities.
To find details of future gigs visit www.amazingstreetcredband.co.uk.
