IT’S Super Mario meets Dr John. Michael de Grussa—ex-Kill Devil Hills bassist and session pianist for Eskimo Joe—has opened a music school/retro gaming shop in North Perth.
Conscious that many teens end up tossing their violins in the bin, de Grussa wanted to inject fun into lessons by having retro games consoles to play while they wait and less emphasis on scale-based learning.
“I wanted music lessons to be fun and thought the addition of retro games would entice people to come back,” he says. “We still cover all the technical aspects of playing, but there’s more emphasis on learning songs and enjoying yourself. For whatever reason, all the musicians I know are into gaming as well.”
As well as offering piano, guitar and singing lessons from qualified teachers, de Grussa repairs and sells retro games consoles, Betamax tapes, laserdiscs and musical accessories.
Since opening Player 1 in Fitzgerald Street last month, de Grussa says he has been inundated with requests for retro games and equipment.
“As far as I know we might be the only retro games shop in Australia, definitely in Perth,” he says. “I’ve been getting calls from over east and all across Australia.”
Over the next few months, he plans to start selling full-size arcade machines and hosting kids’ birthday parties in a games room at the rear of the 170sqm building.
“I wanted to go fully retro and use an Amiga as a till and a dot matrix to print receipts, but it dawned on me that it might be a bit flaky and unreliable,” he laughs.
Player 1 is the 32-year-old’s debut business venture, but he is already a successful stand-up comic and musician.
“I’ve always been into collecting retro games and fixing them, as well as music, so I thought I would combine the two interests,” he says.
“I looked around my house one day and realised I had seven Sega Saturns.
“It was a bit overkill, unless six of them broke, so it was time to do something with them.”
You can check out Player 1 at http://www.facebook.com/player1australia.
by STEPHEN POLLOCK
Perth Voice Interactive 
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