Our Story
A great place to learn music
Beach Cities Rock Club was founded by professional musicians on the idea that the joy of music is for everybody - a place where anyone can learn to understand and communicate in the language of music. We believe goals are paramount to the measurement of success, and that nobody's goals are exactly the same.
With that philosophy we hatched our school's mission statement:
To guide students towards artistic achievements in a safe, creative, and goal oriented environment.
meet our MGMT team
biff cooper
CEO / Instructor
sara cooper
COO / Scheduling Manager
Dr. Ira
Head Voice & Band Instructor
Mr. Alex
Guitar, Bass Instructor
Mr. GREG
Guitar, Bass, Piano Instructor, Band Director
Mr. Matt
Band Director / Instructor
Miss. Reese
Female Vocal, Piano, Guitar, Uke Instructor
Mr. Cody
Program Director
Our Story
Beach Cities Rock Club, centrally located in San Clemente, serves as South Orange County’s vibrant home for music lessons. Founded by dedicated professional musicians, our school offers a wide range of lessons—piano, voice, guitar, saxophone, drum, violin, and ukulele—to students in San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and Ladera Ranch. Driven by the belief that music is for everyone, we’ve created a space where students of all ages and backgrounds can learn, connect, and grow in their musical journeys. Each student works toward their unique goals, whether it’s learning the saxophone, composing on the piano, or mastering a violin solo.
At Power Plant Records, where Beach Cities Rock Club is based, we emphasize a supportive, goal-oriented environment, aligning with our mission to inspire artistic achievement. This space, inspired by legendary music hubs, brings together a record store, recording studio, and music school under one roof, where visitors can see music education and professional recording happen side by side.
Our school isn’t just about learning—it’s a community. Serving San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano, and Ladera Ranch, Beach Cities Rock Club has become a go-to spot for local musicians and aspiring artists seeking quality music lessons. Whether you’re looking for guitar, saxophone, drum, or violin lessons, Power Plant Records and Beach Cities Rock Club are committed to fostering growth and artistic exploration in every student.
OC weekly 2019
Nestled in an unsuspecting San Clemente shopping center is the epicenter of South County’s burgeoning music scene: Power Plant Records. An all-in-one record store, recording studio and music academy, Biff Cooper’s shop has essentially evolved into what he calls “a community center for artists.”
Power Plant Records is much more than the average record store, which is what Cooper always intended. “The vision for the layout was [for it] to be kind of like Motown Records,” he explains. “They had studios at the back of the shop that were separated by windows. So potentially, there could be three different recording artists in there, and you could see them all working while you were just looking through the shop.” Indeed, on any given day at Power Plant, it’s likely you’ll see some learning, teaching, writing, recording or producing going on.
Cooper—a lifelong South County resident, musician, sound engineer and all-around music aficionado—admits that much of the inspiration for the shop’s “community vibe” came from an unlikely source: Johnny Winter. The Texas blues legend, who was scheduled to play a gig down the street at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano, sent his manager into the shop to talk to Cooper. “He said that when Johnny was a kid, his mom would just drop him off at the local record store when she went to work,” Cooper recalls. “So he was just hanging out there, meeting different types of people and listening to all kinds of music. He said that if it weren’t for the record store, Johnny wouldn’t have become a musician and that the music industry is different because those types of hubs don’t exist for people to congregate at anymore. It’s kind of like holy ground.”
One can’t help but imagine how proud Winter would be if he stepped into Power Plant today. With more than 150 students, an eclectic roster of recording artists and seemingly endless opportunities for musicians to network, the shop has garnered a culture all its own. Since it seems to be the go-to recording spot for all genres, it’d be difficult to find a South County artist who hasn’t been there. Among the most notable groups to come through Power Plant are the Flytraps. “Their Sunset Strip R.I.P. album was recorded, mixed, and mastered here,” Cooper says. “One of those songs made it onto a Marvel TV show, so that was pretty cool.”
He also organized an “Artist Networking” clipboard inside the shop and on its social media pages, so musicians could exchange contact information and connect with one another to collaborate. This act of community engagement led to the predominantly rock-oriented Power Plant attracting hip-hop artists. “That’s how we got hooked up with these hip-hop guys; they love vinyl and cassettes,” Cooper says. “So we started veering a little bit more into that arena.” Cooper has been not only recording some of these artists, but also working on music videos with them.
Cooper is so much more than a record-store owner. He’s a visionary who isn’t afraid of growth and change. Having found that music lessons are the most lucrative aspect of Power Plant, he hopes to share that strategy. “We want to help record stores stay open,” Cooper says. “So our dream is . . . to open up more locations for lessons in the back of other record stores.”
🎶 Our Story – Beach Cities Rock Club
Beach Cities Rock Club isn’t just a music school — it’s a creative refuge. A record store. A DIY space. A place built for musicians who don’t always fit in, and a place where art actually matters.
We opened our doors in 2012 with a simple but powerful vision: combine music lessons, vinyl records, and live music under one roof — and make it all feel human, real, and rooted in community. We’re proud to be a mom-and-pop shop, independently owned and operated by artists and musicians who live and breathe this culture every day.
🎸 Built for the Artists Who Don’t Fit the Mold
Beach Cities Rock Club was founded to give artists — especially young ones — a place to belong. We wanted to create the kind of space we wish had existed when we were growing up. A third place. A real music scene. Not just a place to take lessons, but a place where expression, experimentation, and connection happen every day.
We’ve seen students go from barely speaking to performing confidently onstage. We’ve watched quiet kids become bandleaders, and introverts turn into vocalists. Parents have told us we changed their kid’s life — and that’s what keeps us going.
📻 More Than Music Lessons
Beach Cities Rock Club has always been more than just a school:
We launched a streaming radio station that reached listeners around the world.
We’ve hosted student bands, high school DJs, open mics, and record release shows.
We write hand-detailed descriptions on every used record we sell — because we believe in discovery and context, not just collecting.
We don’t try to look corporate or slick. Some music schools feel like dentist offices with guitars on the wall. We want ours to feel like a place where music is alive — and you can feel that the moment you walk in.
🎯 What We Believe
Education removes fear — so we teach theory, but we also teach how to create.
Art is emotional, not mechanical — technique is important, but so is honesty.
Local matters — we serve San Clemente, Dana Point, and San Juan Capistrano because this is our community.
Music is for everyone — especially those who feel like they don’t belong anywhere else.
We’re not just trying to be the best music school in South Orange County — we’re trying to build a space that feels genuine, welcoming, and meaningful.
✊ Still DIY. Still Local. Still Rocking.
Beach Cities Rock Club is proud to be a mom-and-pop music school and record store, built from scratch and sustained by a community of passionate students, musicians, families, and weirdos.
We're here to stay — and we’re just getting started.
