Jason Mendonca - Early Life

Early Life

Mendonça was born of an English mother and a Portuguese father in the west London suburb of West Drayton and educated in Hillingdon. The youngest of four children, he was raised in a house where music was always being played; either by his sister on the piano or his older siblings listening to bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and the Sex Pistols, as well as a collection of classical music records that the family owned.

He had piano lessons from the age of 5 and at primary school began playing B flat Cornet. Later playing Cornet from age 7 and then Baritone Euphonium with the Yiewsley and West Drayton Silver Band. At the age of 10, he acquired a three quarter size Spanish guitar from his Uncle and attempted a few basic chords.

Soon after starting secondary school at age 11, already keenly interested in bands such as Rush, Iron Maiden, Motörhead and Black Sabbath, he was introduced to the music of Jimi Hendrix by a school friend. This was the turning point at which Mendonca realised he must obtain an electric guitar. Allegedly saving up £4.50 a week from a Saturday job, he accumulated sufficient funds to buy a guitar from the older brother of a classmate.