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1 Views
08:27:45 05/18/12
Learning to Drive Too Hard, Thinking Of Giving Up?
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 08:27:45 05/18/12
Are you one of those provisional licence holders who was very enthusiastic about learning to drive, and couldn't wait for your first driving lesson , but now after a few sessions you are finding out that it is not as easy as you thought or maybe you are even almost at test standard but are having major problems with a few things such as multi-lane roundabouts or a manuever, then I want to encourage you to keep on working at it and not give up on learning to drive .
The same applies to those of you that might have failed the driving test more than 3 or 4 times, as it could be very discouraging, but I personally know someone (not one of my learners) who only passed after 11 attempts! This person is now a good safe and confident driver, who has put those failures behind, been able to get a decent job due to having a full driving licence and earns more than they could have dreamed of, but more importantly have learnt that life is full of obstacles, and only by not giving up do you have a chance of getting what you want in life.
I know times are hard, and money is tight, which is why you need to make sure you have the right driving instructor while learning to drive, as you want the best training especially if you have weaknesses that you struggle with.
It is not your fault if you find a particular driving skill difficult, your instructor should be able to break the process down so you can understand, while choosing a suitable location to practise so you can grasp the principles. Once you unserstand how to deal with the situation you then will have to practise this first without any pressure (quiet roads) and then gradually build up to more busy areas. At the same time the instructor will go from full talk through where they tell you every single instruction step by step, then reducing instructions by prompting via questions to make sure you have memorised/understood the process through to the stage whereby they withdraw all instructions (you are fully independent) and rarely have to prompt you.
It is important that you remember that everyone learns at different paces, so just because a sibbling, friend the same age or other people you know passed after a specific number of driving lessons does not mean that the same has to apply to you. The other thing to remember is that even if you are very academic and have never failed an exam or test before , the DSA practical car driving test is not a written examination or one where you can skip questions or take long thinking about what needs to be done. There are situations where split second decisions need to be made, and nerves can play an important role in how you perform, so if you have not had enough practise or experience you could commit a serious driver error which could lead to failure!
So as I said at the beginning on this article, you need to keep working hard, make any changes that are necessary for you to succeed, get as much knowledge of the UK road and traffic signs , by keeping a copy of the official highway code with you and read in between lessons so you can make those split second decisions more confidently.
With hard work, and enough practise, there is no reason why you should give up on learning to drive or not achieve the dream of getting a full UK driving licence and buy that car you always wanted.
Important Driving Test Advice Video
Can Anyone Learn to Drive ?
If you require high quality affordable driving lessons from a very helpful, patient and fully qualified instructor who will adapt the training to suit your individual needs and give you an honest opinion of what you need to do in order to pass the driving test, then why not call or send me a text message on 07956233032
Thinking about becoming an instructor? Don't just make a decision based on the red driving school advertisements or marketing information, do the proper research and know all the different ADI training including PAYG options available to you.
Subscribe to my Driving Test Tips so you don't miss any future articles and get DSA updates direct to your inbox by Email . The service is provided and powered by Google Feedburner, so I don't personally keep your email addresses, and you can remove yourself anytime after passing the driving test with just one mouse click, you can also follow UKADI on twitter or join my UKADI Facebook page. Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk
2 Views
22:48:30 05/17/12
It's Casual - Live in Studio B - Part 1 - The New Los Angeles
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 22:48:30 05/17/12
Part 1 of It's Casual performing live at Mevio Studios in San Francisco
For the entire performance CLICK HERE
WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER MYSPACE YOUTUBE
BIO:
Like most Angelenos, Eddie Solis is pissed about the traffic on the 101. Unlike most Angelenos, Eddie Solis writes songs about being pissed about the traffic on the 101.
Solis’ band, an impossibly loud punk/hardcore duo called It’s Casual, addresses transit issues with an urgency hitherto unmatched in the realm of urban planning. Imagine Henry Rollins at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting, all neck veins and municipal outrage, and you get the picture.
Onstage, Solis’ eyes bulge amid a shock of curly hair, his throat emitting the collective war cry of a million frustrated commuters: “Los Angeles! There’s too many people! I want them to go away!”
His isn’t the Los Angeles of Priuses, Pilates and brunch, but the L.A. of undocumented immigrants, hardcore music and bus-stop delays. After nearly 10 years of ceaseless yelling, It’s Casual have a busy year ahead of them, what with slots on Fu Manchu’s North American tour, a forthcoming sequel to their ’08 ode to the city, The New Los Angeles, and, maybe, a European tour.
“We’ve been working at it and believing in this kind of music — which I call L.A. hardcore or L.A. skate rock — every day,” says Solis. His gaze is unflinching, and his voice is smog-raspened. He calls It’s Casual “L.A.’s only two-piece hardcore band” and is serious about his art. “I don’t take it lightly. It all comes from deep within.”
It’s Casual formed in 2001, the name inspired by a line in Cameron Crowe’s obscure follow-up to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, called The Wild Life. In it, a character played by the late Christopher Penn replies with “It’s casual” every time he is asked a question. Solis currently has a similar relationship with drummers — he’s between them. As far as a third member? “We kept trying to find a bassist, and they kept flaking,” Solis says.
The band’s sonic boom is amazing, considering there are only two of them. The secret to their sound is a unique pedal and mic’ing system. Solis’ guitar is actually wired to two amps for added punch. The results are so thunderous that fellow musicians have been known to come early to shows to watch him set up. (“There is a special formula with different pedals,” he explains of his sound. He’s trying to register it as intellectual property.)
It’s Casual’s first record, The New Los Angeles, came out in fall 2007, and was inspired by Solis’ commute from Pico Rivera to Hollywood. Tracks include “EZ Pass,” about the public transit ticket, and “The Red Line” (the handy subway that connects North Hollywood to Union Station). Most of It’s Casual’s songs last around two minutes and contain no more than three or four lyrics, hammering home their message with a directness most public servants and council officials have yet to master. Even Councilman Bill Rosendahl, chair of Los Angeles’ Transportation Committee, is impressed. “Music is a good way to get transportation messages across,” he says during a recent phone call, adding that he hoped It’s Casual were aware that plans for the Purple Line are afoot. “They should write a song about the Purple Line!” he enthuses, suggesting possible lyrics, singing: “The Purple Line/In my lifetime!”
It’s not all subways and off-ramps. Solis ventures into other matters. “Cholas Are Loyal,” for example, is all about the advantages of dating Latinas. And It’s Casual’s next album, The New Los Angeles II: Less Violence, More Violins, is inspired primarily by the California education budget deficit. “Do you think It’s Casual will translate in Europe?” he wonders, aware of his band’s distinctly local messages. But wherever there is a rush hour, there are people who identify with Eddie Solis.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles County, Solis is “the result of basically growing up around a gang-infested area with lots of negativity.” He turned to music and skateboarding as an escape, and was 15 when he started his first band — a Ramones cover group called Endless Vacation, which played shows in his parents’ living room. He got “the heaviness” from his father, who used to carry his young son around the house on his shoulders while listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the Who. “They weren’t handing me money to buy me instruments,” Solis says, “but they were, like, ‘Hey, listen, we know you wanna do this, so here’s our backyard and here’s our living room.’ Which is pretty punk.”
His parents let him build a halfpipe in the back, and Solis would “put Slayer on the radio superloud” and learn skateboarding tricks with his friends. “That would be Friday night, and then Saturday we would have a show on the ramp and take donations to keep it refurbished.” Skate videos informed his taste in music — the teenage Solis would grab a pen and paper and pause the VCR to jot down names of bands like Black Flag, Dinosaur Junior, Hüsker Dü, “… all the good stuff on SST.”
Fast-forward to 1993, when Solis started interning at metal record label Century Media, which gave him a taste of hardcore commuting. Taking the bus from Pico Rivera to the label’s headquarters in Santa Monica every day was a formative experience, but he only lasted about a month (“Well, you know, it was a long trek”). That job led to a position at Priority Records, down the street in the CNN building. That’s where he learned how to sell records, a job he still does today as sales manager at doom-metal label Southern Lord.
Solis also worked as a publicist for Black Flag at SST, under the label’s founder, Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. Basically it was the gig of Solis’ 15-year-old dreams. “I took the job because I thought it would be great to work for an icon, a legend,” he says. It was there that he learned the philosophy of DIY.
Three years ago, while strolling down the road near the Southern Lord offices in East Hollywood, Solis came upon the Relax Bar, a 150-person capacity Thai karaoke bar with an orange awning. Solis has single-handedly transformed it into a hub for L.A.’s heavy music scene. He’s booked more than 400 thrash, doom, noise and punk bands there in the last three years. “I was going to lunch, walking past the Relax Bar and the door was open. I saw a stage and it had this dark, musty kind of vibe. Kind of grim in terms of the atmosphere but real positive in terms of what you could do there. I thought, if I could get these owners on the same page and book any format — whether it’s satanic black metal or really avant-garde stuff — that would be great.”
The Relax Bar’s owners, despite not being fluent in English, supported Solis’ vision, prompting the most unlikely cultural union since Weezer recruited Kenny G. “They had a guy translating as I tried to describe the kinds of bands I wanted to book, using metal as my main focus. I said ‘Ozzfest, no — not those kinds of bands. Stuff that’s a little more creative, full of more soul, and more organic.” He played them some It’s Casual and High on Fire and a selection of punk and grindcore CDs, and they seemed to like it. Turns out the ballad-loving Thai karaoke bar owners, like Solis, possessed an unyielding passion for DIY. “They know how much work it is to bring your gear out, record your own stuff and self-release records,” says Solis. “They are all musicians themselves.” It’s been a happy union ever since, with some of the gnarliest underground bands in L.A., from Municipal Waste to Chingalera, rocking the Relax Bar’s tiny stage amid the perpetual aroma of green curry and ginger — and, when the door pops open, the faint smell of bus exhaust.
0 Views
22:39:27 05/17/12
It's Casual - Live in Studio B - Part 2 - The Red Line
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 22:39:27 05/17/12
Part 2 of It's Casual performing live at Mevio Studios in San Francisco
For the entire performance CLICK HERE
WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER MYSPACE YOUTUBE
BIO:
Like most Angelenos, Eddie Solis is pissed about the traffic on the 101. Unlike most Angelenos, Eddie Solis writes songs about being pissed about the traffic on the 101.
Solis’ band, an impossibly loud punk/hardcore duo called It’s Casual, addresses transit issues with an urgency hitherto unmatched in the realm of urban planning. Imagine Henry Rollins at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting, all neck veins and municipal outrage, and you get the picture.
Onstage, Solis’ eyes bulge amid a shock of curly hair, his throat emitting the collective war cry of a million frustrated commuters: “Los Angeles! There’s too many people! I want them to go away!”
His isn’t the Los Angeles of Priuses, Pilates and brunch, but the L.A. of undocumented immigrants, hardcore music and bus-stop delays. After nearly 10 years of ceaseless yelling, It’s Casual have a busy year ahead of them, what with slots on Fu Manchu’s North American tour, a forthcoming sequel to their ’08 ode to the city, The New Los Angeles, and, maybe, a European tour.
“We’ve been working at it and believing in this kind of music — which I call L.A. hardcore or L.A. skate rock — every day,” says Solis. His gaze is unflinching, and his voice is smog-raspened. He calls It’s Casual “L.A.’s only two-piece hardcore band” and is serious about his art. “I don’t take it lightly. It all comes from deep within.”
It’s Casual formed in 2001, the name inspired by a line in Cameron Crowe’s obscure follow-up to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, called The Wild Life. In it, a character played by the late Christopher Penn replies with “It’s casual” every time he is asked a question. Solis currently has a similar relationship with drummers — he’s between them. As far as a third member? “We kept trying to find a bassist, and they kept flaking,” Solis says.
The band’s sonic boom is amazing, considering there are only two of them. The secret to their sound is a unique pedal and mic’ing system. Solis’ guitar is actually wired to two amps for added punch. The results are so thunderous that fellow musicians have been known to come early to shows to watch him set up. (“There is a special formula with different pedals,” he explains of his sound. He’s trying to register it as intellectual property.)
It’s Casual’s first record, The New Los Angeles, came out in fall 2007, and was inspired by Solis’ commute from Pico Rivera to Hollywood. Tracks include “EZ Pass,” about the public transit ticket, and “The Red Line” (the handy subway that connects North Hollywood to Union Station). Most of It’s Casual’s songs last around two minutes and contain no more than three or four lyrics, hammering home their message with a directness most public servants and council officials have yet to master. Even Councilman Bill Rosendahl, chair of Los Angeles’ Transportation Committee, is impressed. “Music is a good way to get transportation messages across,” he says during a recent phone call, adding that he hoped It’s Casual were aware that plans for the Purple Line are afoot. “They should write a song about the Purple Line!” he enthuses, suggesting possible lyrics, singing: “The Purple Line/In my lifetime!”
It’s not all subways and off-ramps. Solis ventures into other matters. “Cholas Are Loyal,” for example, is all about the advantages of dating Latinas. And It’s Casual’s next album, The New Los Angeles II: Less Violence, More Violins, is inspired primarily by the California education budget deficit. “Do you think It’s Casual will translate in Europe?” he wonders, aware of his band’s distinctly local messages. But wherever there is a rush hour, there are people who identify with Eddie Solis.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles County, Solis is “the result of basically growing up around a gang-infested area with lots of negativity.” He turned to music and skateboarding as an escape, and was 15 when he started his first band — a Ramones cover group called Endless Vacation, which played shows in his parents’ living room. He got “the heaviness” from his father, who used to carry his young son around the house on his shoulders while listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the Who. “They weren’t handing me money to buy me instruments,” Solis says, “but they were, like, ‘Hey, listen, we know you wanna do this, so here’s our backyard and here’s our living room.’ Which is pretty punk.”
His parents let him build a halfpipe in the back, and Solis would “put Slayer on the radio superloud” and learn skateboarding tricks with his friends. “That would be Friday night, and then Saturday we would have a show on the ramp and take donations to keep it refurbished.” Skate videos informed his taste in music — the teenage Solis would grab a pen and paper and pause the VCR to jot down names of bands like Black Flag, Dinosaur Junior, Hüsker Dü, “… all the good stuff on SST.”
Fast-forward to 1993, when Solis started interning at metal record label Century Media, which gave him a taste of hardcore commuting. Taking the bus from Pico Rivera to the label’s headquarters in Santa Monica every day was a formative experience, but he only lasted about a month (“Well, you know, it was a long trek”). That job led to a position at Priority Records, down the street in the CNN building. That’s where he learned how to sell records, a job he still does today as sales manager at doom-metal label Southern Lord.
Solis also worked as a publicist for Black Flag at SST, under the label’s founder, Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. Basically it was the gig of Solis’ 15-year-old dreams. “I took the job because I thought it would be great to work for an icon, a legend,” he says. It was there that he learned the philosophy of DIY.
Three years ago, while strolling down the road near the Southern Lord offices in East Hollywood, Solis came upon the Relax Bar, a 150-person capacity Thai karaoke bar with an orange awning. Solis has single-handedly transformed it into a hub for L.A.’s heavy music scene. He’s booked more than 400 thrash, doom, noise and punk bands there in the last three years. “I was going to lunch, walking past the Relax Bar and the door was open. I saw a stage and it had this dark, musty kind of vibe. Kind of grim in terms of the atmosphere but real positive in terms of what you could do there. I thought, if I could get these owners on the same page and book any format — whether it’s satanic black metal or really avant-garde stuff — that would be great.”
The Relax Bar’s owners, despite not being fluent in English, supported Solis’ vision, prompting the most unlikely cultural union since Weezer recruited Kenny G. “They had a guy translating as I tried to describe the kinds of bands I wanted to book, using metal as my main focus. I said ‘Ozzfest, no — not those kinds of bands. Stuff that’s a little more creative, full of more soul, and more organic.” He played them some It’s Casual and High on Fire and a selection of punk and grindcore CDs, and they seemed to like it. Turns out the ballad-loving Thai karaoke bar owners, like Solis, possessed an unyielding passion for DIY. “They know how much work it is to bring your gear out, record your own stuff and self-release records,” says Solis. “They are all musicians themselves.” It’s been a happy union ever since, with some of the gnarliest underground bands in L.A., from Municipal Waste to Chingalera, rocking the Relax Bar’s tiny stage amid the perpetual aroma of green curry and ginger — and, when the door pops open, the faint smell of bus exhaust.
0 Views
22:21:27 05/17/12
It's Casual - Live in Studio B - Part 3 - EZ Pass
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 22:21:27 05/17/12
Part 3 of It's Casual performing live at Mevio Studios in San Francisco
For the entire performance CLICK HERE
WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER MYSPACE YOUTUBE
BIO:
Like most Angelenos, Eddie Solis is pissed about the traffic on the 101. Unlike most Angelenos, Eddie Solis writes songs about being pissed about the traffic on the 101.
Solis’ band, an impossibly loud punk/hardcore duo called It’s Casual, addresses transit issues with an urgency hitherto unmatched in the realm of urban planning. Imagine Henry Rollins at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting, all neck veins and municipal outrage, and you get the picture.
Onstage, Solis’ eyes bulge amid a shock of curly hair, his throat emitting the collective war cry of a million frustrated commuters: “Los Angeles! There’s too many people! I want them to go away!”
His isn’t the Los Angeles of Priuses, Pilates and brunch, but the L.A. of undocumented immigrants, hardcore music and bus-stop delays. After nearly 10 years of ceaseless yelling, It’s Casual have a busy year ahead of them, what with slots on Fu Manchu’s North American tour, a forthcoming sequel to their ’08 ode to the city, The New Los Angeles, and, maybe, a European tour.
“We’ve been working at it and believing in this kind of music — which I call L.A. hardcore or L.A. skate rock — every day,” says Solis. His gaze is unflinching, and his voice is smog-raspened. He calls It’s Casual “L.A.’s only two-piece hardcore band” and is serious about his art. “I don’t take it lightly. It all comes from deep within.”
It’s Casual formed in 2001, the name inspired by a line in Cameron Crowe’s obscure follow-up to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, called The Wild Life. In it, a character played by the late Christopher Penn replies with “It’s casual” every time he is asked a question. Solis currently has a similar relationship with drummers — he’s between them. As far as a third member? “We kept trying to find a bassist, and they kept flaking,” Solis says.
The band’s sonic boom is amazing, considering there are only two of them. The secret to their sound is a unique pedal and mic’ing system. Solis’ guitar is actually wired to two amps for added punch. The results are so thunderous that fellow musicians have been known to come early to shows to watch him set up. (“There is a special formula with different pedals,” he explains of his sound. He’s trying to register it as intellectual property.)
It’s Casual’s first record, The New Los Angeles, came out in fall 2007, and was inspired by Solis’ commute from Pico Rivera to Hollywood. Tracks include “EZ Pass,” about the public transit ticket, and “The Red Line” (the handy subway that connects North Hollywood to Union Station). Most of It’s Casual’s songs last around two minutes and contain no more than three or four lyrics, hammering home their message with a directness most public servants and council officials have yet to master. Even Councilman Bill Rosendahl, chair of Los Angeles’ Transportation Committee, is impressed. “Music is a good way to get transportation messages across,” he says during a recent phone call, adding that he hoped It’s Casual were aware that plans for the Purple Line are afoot. “They should write a song about the Purple Line!” he enthuses, suggesting possible lyrics, singing: “The Purple Line/In my lifetime!”
It’s not all subways and off-ramps. Solis ventures into other matters. “Cholas Are Loyal,” for example, is all about the advantages of dating Latinas. And It’s Casual’s next album, The New Los Angeles II: Less Violence, More Violins, is inspired primarily by the California education budget deficit. “Do you think It’s Casual will translate in Europe?” he wonders, aware of his band’s distinctly local messages. But wherever there is a rush hour, there are people who identify with Eddie Solis.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles County, Solis is “the result of basically growing up around a gang-infested area with lots of negativity.” He turned to music and skateboarding as an escape, and was 15 when he started his first band — a Ramones cover group called Endless Vacation, which played shows in his parents’ living room. He got “the heaviness” from his father, who used to carry his young son around the house on his shoulders while listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the Who. “They weren’t handing me money to buy me instruments,” Solis says, “but they were, like, ‘Hey, listen, we know you wanna do this, so here’s our backyard and here’s our living room.’ Which is pretty punk.”
His parents let him build a halfpipe in the back, and Solis would “put Slayer on the radio superloud” and learn skateboarding tricks with his friends. “That would be Friday night, and then Saturday we would have a show on the ramp and take donations to keep it refurbished.” Skate videos informed his taste in music — the teenage Solis would grab a pen and paper and pause the VCR to jot down names of bands like Black Flag, Dinosaur Junior, Hüsker Dü, “… all the good stuff on SST.”
Fast-forward to 1993, when Solis started interning at metal record label Century Media, which gave him a taste of hardcore commuting. Taking the bus from Pico Rivera to the label’s headquarters in Santa Monica every day was a formative experience, but he only lasted about a month (“Well, you know, it was a long trek”). That job led to a position at Priority Records, down the street in the CNN building. That’s where he learned how to sell records, a job he still does today as sales manager at doom-metal label Southern Lord.
Solis also worked as a publicist for Black Flag at SST, under the label’s founder, Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. Basically it was the gig of Solis’ 15-year-old dreams. “I took the job because I thought it would be great to work for an icon, a legend,” he says. It was there that he learned the philosophy of DIY.
Three years ago, while strolling down the road near the Southern Lord offices in East Hollywood, Solis came upon the Relax Bar, a 150-person capacity Thai karaoke bar with an orange awning. Solis has single-handedly transformed it into a hub for L.A.’s heavy music scene. He’s booked more than 400 thrash, doom, noise and punk bands there in the last three years. “I was going to lunch, walking past the Relax Bar and the door was open. I saw a stage and it had this dark, musty kind of vibe. Kind of grim in terms of the atmosphere but real positive in terms of what you could do there. I thought, if I could get these owners on the same page and book any format — whether it’s satanic black metal or really avant-garde stuff — that would be great.”
The Relax Bar’s owners, despite not being fluent in English, supported Solis’ vision, prompting the most unlikely cultural union since Weezer recruited Kenny G. “They had a guy translating as I tried to describe the kinds of bands I wanted to book, using metal as my main focus. I said ‘Ozzfest, no — not those kinds of bands. Stuff that’s a little more creative, full of more soul, and more organic.” He played them some It’s Casual and High on Fire and a selection of punk and grindcore CDs, and they seemed to like it. Turns out the ballad-loving Thai karaoke bar owners, like Solis, possessed an unyielding passion for DIY. “They know how much work it is to bring your gear out, record your own stuff and self-release records,” says Solis. “They are all musicians themselves.” It’s been a happy union ever since, with some of the gnarliest underground bands in L.A., from Municipal Waste to Chingalera, rocking the Relax Bar’s tiny stage amid the perpetual aroma of green curry and ginger — and, when the door pops open, the faint smell of bus exhaust.
0 Views
21:54:59 05/17/12
It's Casual - Live in Studio B
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 21:54:59 05/17/12
It's Casual performs live at Mevio Studios in San Francisco
BIO:
Like most Angelenos, Eddie Solis is pissed about the traffic on the 101. Unlike most Angelenos, Eddie Solis writes songs about being pissed about the traffic on the 101.
Solis’ band, an impossibly loud punk/hardcore duo called It’s Casual, addresses transit issues with an urgency hitherto unmatched in the realm of urban planning. Imagine Henry Rollins at a City Council Transportation Committee meeting, all neck veins and municipal outrage, and you get the picture.
Onstage, Solis’ eyes bulge amid a shock of curly hair, his throat emitting the collective war cry of a million frustrated commuters: “Los Angeles! There’s too many people! I want them to go away!”
His isn’t the Los Angeles of Priuses, Pilates and brunch, but the L.A. of undocumented immigrants, hardcore music and bus-stop delays. After nearly 10 years of ceaseless yelling, It’s Casual have a busy year ahead of them, what with slots on Fu Manchu’s North American tour, a forthcoming sequel to their ’08 ode to the city, The New Los Angeles, and, maybe, a European tour.
“We’ve been working at it and believing in this kind of music — which I call L.A. hardcore or L.A. skate rock — every day,” says Solis. His gaze is unflinching, and his voice is smog-raspened. He calls It’s Casual “L.A.’s only two-piece hardcore band” and is serious about his art. “I don’t take it lightly. It all comes from deep within.”
It’s Casual formed in 2001, the name inspired by a line in Cameron Crowe’s obscure follow-up to Fast Times at Ridgemont High, called The Wild Life. In it, a character played by the late Christopher Penn replies with “It’s casual” every time he is asked a question. Solis currently has a similar relationship with drummers — he’s between them. As far as a third member? “We kept trying to find a bassist, and they kept flaking,” Solis says.
The band’s sonic boom is amazing, considering there are only two of them. The secret to their sound is a unique pedal and mic’ing system. Solis’ guitar is actually wired to two amps for added punch. The results are so thunderous that fellow musicians have been known to come early to shows to watch him set up. (“There is a special formula with different pedals,” he explains of his sound. He’s trying to register it as intellectual property.)
It’s Casual’s first record, The New Los Angeles, came out in fall 2007, and was inspired by Solis’ commute from Pico Rivera to Hollywood. Tracks include “EZ Pass,” about the public transit ticket, and “The Red Line” (the handy subway that connects North Hollywood to Union Station). Most of It’s Casual’s songs last around two minutes and contain no more than three or four lyrics, hammering home their message with a directness most public servants and council officials have yet to master. Even Councilman Bill Rosendahl, chair of Los Angeles’ Transportation Committee, is impressed. “Music is a good way to get transportation messages across,” he says during a recent phone call, adding that he hoped It’s Casual were aware that plans for the Purple Line are afoot. “They should write a song about the Purple Line!” he enthuses, suggesting possible lyrics, singing: “The Purple Line/In my lifetime!”
It’s not all subways and off-ramps. Solis ventures into other matters. “Cholas Are Loyal,” for example, is all about the advantages of dating Latinas. And It’s Casual’s next album, The New Los Angeles II: Less Violence, More Violins, is inspired primarily by the California education budget deficit. “Do you think It’s Casual will translate in Europe?” he wonders, aware of his band’s distinctly local messages. But wherever there is a rush hour, there are people who identify with Eddie Solis.
Born and raised in East Los Angeles County, Solis is “the result of basically growing up around a gang-infested area with lots of negativity.” He turned to music and skateboarding as an escape, and was 15 when he started his first band — a Ramones cover group called Endless Vacation, which played shows in his parents’ living room. He got “the heaviness” from his father, who used to carry his young son around the house on his shoulders while listening to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and the Who. “They weren’t handing me money to buy me instruments,” Solis says, “but they were, like, ‘Hey, listen, we know you wanna do this, so here’s our backyard and here’s our living room.’ Which is pretty punk.”
His parents let him build a halfpipe in the back, and Solis would “put Slayer on the radio superloud” and learn skateboarding tricks with his friends. “That would be Friday night, and then Saturday we would have a show on the ramp and take donations to keep it refurbished.” Skate videos informed his taste in music — the teenage Solis would grab a pen and paper and pause the VCR to jot down names of bands like Black Flag, Dinosaur Junior, Hüsker Dü, “… all the good stuff on SST.”
Fast-forward to 1993, when Solis started interning at metal record label Century Media, which gave him a taste of hardcore commuting. Taking the bus from Pico Rivera to the label’s headquarters in Santa Monica every day was a formative experience, but he only lasted about a month (“Well, you know, it was a long trek”). That job led to a position at Priority Records, down the street in the CNN building. That’s where he learned how to sell records, a job he still does today as sales manager at doom-metal label Southern Lord.
Solis also worked as a publicist for Black Flag at SST, under the label’s founder, Black Flag guitarist Greg Ginn. Basically it was the gig of Solis’ 15-year-old dreams. “I took the job because I thought it would be great to work for an icon, a legend,” he says. It was there that he learned the philosophy of DIY.
Three years ago, while strolling down the road near the Southern Lord offices in East Hollywood, Solis came upon the Relax Bar, a 150-person capacity Thai karaoke bar with an orange awning. Solis has single-handedly transformed it into a hub for L.A.’s heavy music scene. He’s booked more than 400 thrash, doom, noise and punk bands there in the last three years. “I was going to lunch, walking past the Relax Bar and the door was open. I saw a stage and it had this dark, musty kind of vibe. Kind of grim in terms of the atmosphere but real positive in terms of what you could do there. I thought, if I could get these owners on the same page and book any format — whether it’s satanic black metal or really avant-garde stuff — that would be great.”
The Relax Bar’s owners, despite not being fluent in English, supported Solis’ vision, prompting the most unlikely cultural union since Weezer recruited Kenny G. “They had a guy translating as I tried to describe the kinds of bands I wanted to book, using metal as my main focus. I said ‘Ozzfest, no — not those kinds of bands. Stuff that’s a little more creative, full of more soul, and more organic.” He played them some It’s Casual and High on Fire and a selection of punk and grindcore CDs, and they seemed to like it. Turns out the ballad-loving Thai karaoke bar owners, like Solis, possessed an unyielding passion for DIY. “They know how much work it is to bring your gear out, record your own stuff and self-release records,” says Solis. “They are all musicians themselves.” It’s been a happy union ever since, with some of the gnarliest underground bands in L.A., from Municipal Waste to Chingalera, rocking the Relax Bar’s tiny stage amid the perpetual aroma of green curry and ginger — and, when the door pops open, the faint smell of bus exhaust.
0 Views
05:00:10 05/12/12
Suicide Bombing Against Forced Demolition Kills Three
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 05:00:10 05/12/12
Suicide Bombing Against Forced Demolition Kills Three
For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me A message posted by a netizen on Tengxun Weibo states that on May 10th a woman blew herself up in a village office building in Qiaojia County of Yunnan Province. The woman died immediately, also killing two office staff members and injuring 14 others. According to local villagers, the woman was informed by the local government that they would forcibly demolish her house. Being unsatisfied with government's decision, she blew herself up at the official building where she had been instructed to sign the forced demolition compensation agreement. According to a villager in Baihetan County, information about the suicide bombing has been quickly blocked. No more details have been released. [Villager from Baihetan County]: "I heard that it's because of a conflict with the government's land acquisition. A villagers' committee was blown up. All information was blocked not long after it happened. No one can get in there to see what's going on." NTD called the Propaganda Department of Qiaojia County to obtain further information. However, the officer there did not reveal any details: [Propaganda Department of Qiaojia County, Staff Member]: "The reason (for the suicide bombing) is still under further investigation. It's the police department's duty. We don't know much." According to a BBC report, 4 seriously injured staff members have been sent for treatment to Kunming, the ... From: NTDTV Views: 108 2 ratings Time: 01:45 More in News & Politics
0 Views
01:18:26 05/08/12
MusicDishTV Presents Gimme Dat By Industry Ready V
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 01:18:26 05/08/12
The video "Gimme Dat" takes a very interesting approach as the plot is laid out in a story form and the talented young rapper enters telling a deep, sobering, but very real story and asking the question that separates humans from the apes from which we supposedly evolved - Why? Why must things be the way they are? He then gives some very hard core answers that slice straight through to the truth like a knife cutting through butter. It's not Robin Hood, it's "robbing in the hood."
A serious mix of interesting piano, drums, synth, and percussion make this a message that is easy to listen to. The video director was very talented in aggressive in his (or her) approach. The music is one of a kind with lyrics that will captivate you, delivering the sad details about what's going on in the hood and describing the mentality of young brothers who do the terrible things with which our television screens and newspapers are bombarded. "Gimme Dat" is real talk set to music, and at the end, you will find yourself wanting to hear and see more, and you might just find yourself wanting the "bad guys" to get away. Nicely done.
Email: tv@musicdish.net
Website: http://www.followthescriptmultimedia.com
Music: http://youtu.be/tKAwmXQ-8pg
Author: MusicDishTV
Tags: industry ready hip hop rapper new york music video
Posted: 08 May 2012
Rating: 0.0
Votes: 0
0 Views
18:10:17 05/03/12
Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Eric LeGrand - BR5+
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 18:10:17 05/03/12
Tampa Bay Buccaneers sign Eric LeGrand - BR5+
Follow @Bleacher5 on Twitter: www.twitter.com Follow @DesiSanchez on Twitter: www.twitter.com Like BR5 on Facebook: www.facebook.com Subscribe to BR5 on YouTube: goo.gl Eric LeGrand had a dream when he was a child. One most young kids share: "I always wanted to go to the NFL," he said. So when he got the call from his former coach at Rutgers Greg Schiano, he was ecstatic. Not because he hadn't heard from Schiano in a while, but because Schiano is currently the Head Coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Normally a coach asking a former college player to join a 90-man offseason roster wouldn't be very noteworthy, in LeGrand's case, it's monumental. As most know, LeGrand has been in a wheelchair since October of 2010 when he was paralyzed from the neck down while tackling Malcolm Brown in a game against Army. "It may not be the circumstances that I wanted, but I'm there," LeGrand said. "I had no idea, no idea, this was going to happen. Honestly, it's amazing. It is. It really is." LeGrand's mom, Karen LeGrand was eavesdropping on her son's half of the conversation between him and Coach Schiano. "I knew it was coming so I was listening in," she said. "And I heard Eric say, 'Are you serious, coach? Really? No, you're not serious.' He was just super, super excited about it and I was excited for him. For him to get that feeling of being signed as a free agent like the rest of his teammates, it means the world to him." It was an incredible move and a truly incredible moment ... From: BleacherReport Views: 670 24 ratings Time: 00:55 More in Sports
6 Views
11:50:56 04/09/12
ETCG visits Rosedale Technical Institute
[LESS INFO] 6 VIEWS | ADDED 11:50:56 04/09/12
ETCG visits Rosedale Technical Institute
Visit me at www.ericthecarguy.com Visit Rosedale at www.rosedaletech.org This video documents my trip back to where I got my automotive education, Rosedale Technical Institute in Pittsburgh PA. I have to say that it was probably the most life changing thing that I ever did because since I left that school after getting my automotive education my life has improved dramatically. As I said in the video I'm not saying that you have to go to Rosedale to get your automotive education but if you're serious about getting into the automotive field I strongly suggest you find a school that's right for you and get an education in the automotive arts before you get a job in the automotive field, without it I feel you won't do as well and won't be as effective as a technician. Link to part 1 of the ScannerDanner video www.youtube.com Stay dirty ETCG From: EricTheCarGuy Views: 11810 426 ratings Time: 07:01 More in Autos & Vehicles
1 Views
16:01:14 04/06/12
Moguler Made! : Movie Quest 040 : THE SUPER FANS OF MANCHESTER!
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 16:01:14 04/06/12
Moguler Made! : Movie Quest 040 : THE SUPER FANS OF MANCHESTER!
For iPhone/iPad users, check out the videos by clicking the links below: CLICK HERE TO START: www.youtube.com LIVE CHAT WITH RUSS AND CHAD OF HEY KILLER!! Wednesdays, 12pm-5pm EST at: livestream.com Oh, and they leave it on a lot randomly during the week while they work. Like them on Facebook to get notified when they're online! facebook.com Submit your favorite Youtube videos by sending a message directly to heykillerfilms on Youtube, on the Hey Killer Facebook at facebook.com/heykillerfilms, on Twitter @heykillerfilms, or by email at heykillerfilms@gmail.com. Our first Friday show brings us another great round of Moguler-Made movies! Plus, someone finally sent in a video in regards to getting Russ a superfan! Will the people of the UK go for Russell and his shenanigans, or will they spit on his image when asked to support him? Okay, that's maybe a bit extreme, but seriously, check it out on this week's episode of Movie Quest! Stale Mate of the Third Kind: www.youtube.com Younger: www.youtube.com The Butterfly Effect: www.youtube.com Miss-Guided: www.youtube.com The Stink: www.youtube.com Movie Quest Outro: www.youtube.com Bad Timing: www.youtube.com Psycho Murder Attack: www.youtube.com Click the link at the top of this list to watch all the videos in the proper order. Music Kevin MacLeod www.incompetech.com From: indymogul Views: 8518 61 ratings Time: 04:19 More in Film & Animation
0 Views
01:00:42 04/06/12
Republicans Threaten Judges, Accuse Obama of Judicial Intimidation
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 01:00:42 04/06/12
(Clips of Tom Delay and John Cornyn quoted below start after the 1:00 mark.)
On Monday, President Obama unsurprisingly expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Even less remarkable, Obama rightly reminded Americans that "conservative commentators" have for years said "the biggest problem on the bench was judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint -- that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law." Nevertheless, Republicans quickly accused the President of "unprecedented" effort to "intimidate the Supreme Court."
Of course, this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black (to put it mildly). After all, denouncing " judicial activism " has been a GOP talking point for years. Not content to rest there, the party's members of Congress and presidential candidates have pushed to limit the federal judiciary's jurisdiction on a range of issues, abortion not least among them. And as their incendiary rhetoric during the Terri Schiavo saga and other episodes reveals, Republican leaders didn't hesitate to issue none-too-thinly veiled threats of violence against the nation's judges .
Following the President's statement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell led the GOP charge: >
"This president's attempt to intimidate the Supreme Court falls well beyond distasteful politics. It demonstrates a fundamental lack of respect for our system of checks and balances."
While Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Karl Rove all called the President a "thug," McConnell doubled-down on Thursday, insisting Obama should "back off" because "the independence of the court must be defended."
Of course, back in 2005, McConnell played a pivotal role in the GOP effort to disregard the 19 rulings by Florida and federal courts, including the Supreme Court, in the case of Terri Schiavo . As he explained to an incredulous Brit Hume of Fox News: >
What we simply did was grant to the courts an opportunity to review the case, something they do in habeas corpus petitions in death penalty cases all the time. It's not unusual for a death decision. And in effect, that's what's happening here. >
A decision to let Ms. Schiavo die would be reviewed in the courts. That's all Congress did. The courts took a look at it, decided not to review it. And this tragic matter obviously is soon going to come to an end.
Not if Texas Senator John Cornyn had his way. Cornyn, himself a former chief judge of the Texas Supreme Court and author in 2010 of an attack on Obama nominee Elena Kagan titled, " I Sense a Judicial Activist ," took the Republican assault on the judiciary to a new and frightening level. Cornyn was one of the GOP standard bearers in the conservative fight against so-called "judicial activism" in the wake of the Republicans' disastrous intervention in the Terri Schiavo affair. On April 4th, Cornyn took to the Senate floor to issue a dark warning to judges opposing his reactionary agenda. Just days after the murders of judge in Atlanta and another's family members in Chicago, Cornyn offered his endorsement of judicial intimidation: >
"I don't know if there is a cause-and-effect connection, but we have seen some recent episodes of courthouse violence in this country...And I wonder whether there may be some connection between the perception in some quarters, on some occasions, where judges are making political decisions yet are unaccountable to the public, that it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where some people engage in, engage in violence."
Facing criticism for his remarks seemingly endorsing right-wing retribution against judges, Cornyn held his ground . "I didn't make the link," he said on Fox News Sunday, adding with a note of sarcasm: >
"It was taken out of context. I regret it was taken out of context and misinterpreted."
As it turns out, Cornyn was merely echoing the words of the soon-to-be indicted House Majority Leader Tom Delay . On March 31st, Delay issued a statement regarding the consistent rulings in favor of Michael Schiavo by all federal and state court judges involved: >
"The time will come for the men responsible for this to answer for their behavior, but not today."
As the New York Times reported: >
Saying that the courts ''thumbed their nose at Congress and the president,'' Mr. DeLay, of Texas, suggested Congress was exploring responses and declined to rule out the possibility of Congressional impeachment of the judges involved.
The impact of tacit conservative endorsement of violence against judges cannot be dismissed. After all, it extends to members of the Supreme Court of the United States. In March 2006, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg revealed that she and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor were the targets of death threats . On February 28th, 2005, the marshal of the Court informed O'Connor and Ginsburg of an Internet posting citing their references to international law in Court decisions (a frequent whipping boy of the right) as requiring their assassination: >
"This is a huge threat to our Republic and Constitutional freedom...If you are what you say you are, and NOT armchair patriots, then those two justices will not live another week."
Neither O'Connor nor Ginsburg were shy about making the connection between Republican rhetoric of judicial intimidation and the upswing in threats and actual violence against judges. While Ginsburg noted that they "fuel the irrational fringe," O'Connor blamed Cornyn and his fellow travelers for "creating a culture" in which violence towards judges is merely another political tactic: >
"It gets worse. It doesn't help when a high-profile senator suggests a 'cause-and-effect connection' [between controversial rulings and subsequent acts of violence]."
Of course, O'Connor and Ginsburg weren't the only targets of right-wing retribution, serious or otherwise. After sentencing Scooter Libby to 30 months in prison in 2007, Judge Reggie Walton reported receiving death threats. That episode followed a January 2006 joke by best-selling conservative author and media personality Ann Coulter , who mused in January 2006, "We need somebody to put rat poisoning in Justice Stevens' creme brulee." (When Justice David Souter announced his resignation from the Court in 2009, Red State editor and CNN regular Erick Erickson responded by tweeting, "The nation loses the only goat f--king child molester to ever serve on the Supreme Court in David Souter's retirement.")
Apparently, Coulter's judicial rat poison would have been just fine with Montana Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg . Just weeks after the Tucson slaughter that claimed the life of circuit judge John Roll , Rehberg responded to a recent ruling by declaring he wanted to " put some of these judicial activists on the Endangered Species list ": >
"Environmental obstructionists found a federal judge in Missoula that was willing to ignore the scientific evidence as well as the expert opinions of on-the-ground wildlife managers here in Montana. And he ruled last August that the grey wolf had to remain on the Endangered Species List. >
When I first heard his decision, like many of you I wanted to take action immediately. I asked: how can we put some of these judicial activists on the Endangered Species List? I am still working on that!"
And so it goes.
Of course, the Republican criticism of President Obama's own critique of judicial activism started long before this week's comical accusation (shockingly echoed by a GOP appointee on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ) that Obama doesn't believe in the concept of judicial review. This week, Senator McConnell resurrected the GOP's bogus charge that Obama "browbeat the Court during the State of the Union."
As you'll recall, Republican leaders feigned outrage over President Obama's criticism of the Court's Citizens United decision during his 2010 State of the Union. Utah Senator Orrin Hatch called it "rude," adding "It's one thing to say that he differed with the court but another thing to demagogue the issue while the court is sitting there out of respect for his position." As usual, Texan John Cornyn took it a step further , calling Obama's strong disagreement with the Court "hysterical" and insisting : >
"I don't think the president should have done what he did in trying to call out the Supreme Court for doing its job. They are the final word on the meaning of the United States Constitution, even when we don't like the outcome."
Unless, that is, a Republican is in the White House.
After all, George W. Bush's Supreme politicking during his State of the Union speeches was a regular fixture of his presidency. For three straight years ( 2004 , 2005 and 2006 ), President Bush denounced "activist judges" and insisted "for the good of families, children and society, I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage." On the very day Samuel Alito joined the Roberts Court, Bush used his 2006 SOTU for a victory lap: >
"The Supreme Court now has two superb new members -- new members on its bench: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. I thank the Senate for confirming both of them. I will continue to nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of the law and not legislate from the bench."
Of course, Bush had his own unique view of the constitutional separation of powers. As he put it in 2000: >
"The legislature's job is to write law. It's the executive branch's job to interpret law."
So much for the nine robed people who sit in the Supreme Court. Which is just fine with the GOP, just as long as one of their own is seated in the Oval Office.
(This piece also appears at Perrspectives .)
0 Views
00:35:33 03/24/12
President Obama on Trayvon Martin
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 00:35:33 03/24/12
President Obama on Trayvon Martin
President Obama weighed in on the case of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old unarmed teen shot by the yet to be arrested George Zimmerman: "If I had a son he would have looked like Treyvon," Obama said shortly, addressing the victim's parents. "I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness that this deserves and that we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened." The Young Turks host Cenk Uygur breaks it down. campaign2012.washingtonexaminer.com Subscribe to The Young Turks: bit.ly Find out how to watch The Young Turks on Current by clicking here: www.current.com The Largest Online New Show in the World. Google+: www.gplus.to Facebook: www.facebook.com Twitter: twitter.com From: TheYoungTurks Views: 79370 1289 ratings Time: 03:21 More in News & Politics
1 Views
19:56:00 03/23/12
Obama on shot teenager: "My son would look like Trayvon"
[LESS INFO] 1 VIEWS | ADDED 19:56:00 03/23/12
Obama on shot teenager: "My son would look like Trayvon"
www.euronews.com The killing of an unarmed black teenager by a mixed race man in Florida has provoked an outcry, with many critical of the police handling of the case. 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was visiting his father in an Orlando suburb. The boy was carrying a bag of sweets and a can of soft drink as he walked through the gated estate. It was raining and he had his hood up. A neighbourhood watchman, George Zimmerman, thought he was acting suspiciously and called the police. After an altercation, the 28-year-old then shot the boy dead. He claims he was attacked and acted in self-defence. Eyewitnesses have given conflicting accounts. President Obama clearly sympathises with the teenager and his family. "My main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin. You know, if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon. And, you know, I think they are right to expect that all of us, as Americans, are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened," he said. Protesters have held rallies, demanding to know why police failed to arrest Zimmerman or investigate properly. More than a million people have signed an online petition started by Martin's parents. "We really appreciate it. We want justice for Trayvon," said his mother. With the president's intervention, the case shows every sign of growing into a major national controversy. Find us on: Youtube bit.ly Facebook www.facebook.com Twitter twitter.com From: Euronews Views: 385 5 ratings Time: 01:25 More in News & Politics
0 Views
19:56:00 03/23/12
Obama on shot teenager: "My son would look like Trayvon"
[LESS INFO] 0 VIEWS | ADDED 19:56:00 03/23/12
Obama on shot teenager: "My son would look like Trayvon"
www.euronews.com The killing of an unarmed black teenager by a mixed race man in Florida has provoked an outcry, with many critical of the police handling of the case. 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was visiting his father in an Orlando suburb. The boy was carrying a bag of sweets and a can of soft drink as he walked through the gated estate. It was raining and he had his hood up. A neighbourhood watchman, George Zimmerman, thought he was acting suspiciously and called the police. After an altercation, the 28-year-old then shot the boy dead. He claims he was attacked and acted in self-defence. Eyewitnesses have given conflicting accounts. President Obama clearly sympathises with the teenager and his family. "My main message is to the parents of Trayvon Martin. You know, if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon. And, you know, I think they are right to expect that all of us, as Americans, are going to take this with the seriousness it deserves and that we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened," he said. Protesters have held rallies, demanding to know why police failed to arrest Zimmerman or investigate properly. More than a million people have signed an online petition started by Martin's parents. "We really appreciate it. We want justice for Trayvon," said his mother. With the president's intervention, the case shows every sign of growing into a major national controversy. Find us on: Youtube bit.ly Facebook www.facebook.com Twitter twitter.com From: Euronews Views: 160 5 ratings Time: 01:25 More in News & Politics
10 Views
12:49:27 03/21/12
Driving Test Tips 10 steps to pass
[LESS INFO] 10 VIEWS | ADDED 12:49:27 03/21/12
Special Driving Lessons Offer!
2 hrs for £40 Limited Time Only (normally £25 per hr)
Call 07956233032 today, quote UKADI2
*T%C apply, Driving Tests not included.
As an experienced London driving instructor who has helped many learner drivers pass the driving test over the last 10 years, I would like to give you some free tips to pass your next car test.
It is important that you realise that the DSA car test is tough, and it is not easy to pass as evidenced by the low national pass rate of about 40%. It only takes one mistake for a candidate to be failed by the DSA examiner if that driving error was deemed serious or dangerous, so these videos and the additional 10 Driving Test Advice Tips have been put together to help you pass the DSA practical car assessment on your next attempt. The information might be simple and obvious for some of you, but all the same bear them in mind and concentrate fully during the 40 minutes the examiner is assessing you so that your dream of driving a car unsupervised can be realised on your next attempt, as my experience from almost 10 years of helping various people pass the driving test has shown that many capable and well prepared provisional licence holders fail not because they are bad drivers, but made simple avoidable errors either due to lack of knowledge or not taking my advice seriously enough!
Visit my special website for those of you who are taking your driving test in the Mill Hill centre NW7 London .
Video 1 Multi-Lane Major Roundabouts
Before I begin, may I remind you that this website of mine is full of invaluable advice based on almost 10 years of ADI experience, so if you are really serious about passing, I strongly suggest you bookmark this blog, subscribe and go over the many other free online articles and videos posted here, you can never be overprepared, and who knows which tip it might be that saves you from making a serious error.
The DSA is making a major change to the theory test in January 2012 .
Video 2 Independent Driving on the Test
Practical Tips To Help You Pass Next Attempt.
1. Arrive at the DSA driving test centre on time. Know your centre location (make sure you have the right details as many candidates have turned up at the wrong address), how to get there, and if possible visit a day earlier to know if there are any road works or local restrictions in place (important if you are not using an approved driving instructor ADI ). Arriving for your appointment early will allow you to be more at ease. If you don't follow this tip and arrive more than 5 mins late for your driving test appointment, the DSA examiner will not take you out, you will lose your booking fee and not be able to get another appointment for at least another 10 days.
2. Master the UK highway code!.
This is probably one of the most ignored advice tips that I constantly give to all my learner driver clients. It is one of the simplest, cheapest and easiest ways of making sure you are fully prepared (apart from practicing driving a car according to DSA standard) for the test. The small highway code booklet should be your closest companion once you have a driving test booked, take it everywhere you go, reading it in your free time, as it will help with understanding road signs and markings, lane disicpline, how to deal with different types of junctions, other road users like pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and generally solidify your knowledge of how to drive in the UK.
Many times test candidates are not sure of how to deal with a particular situation, with different views being given even by qualified instructors! If you have read through the highway code a couple of times, you will always know the correct procedure, as DSA examiners will follow the highway code as this is the accepted standard. Just because you have passed the theory test doesn't mean you know everything or will remember it if you do not revise. It does not matter if people around you know that you are preparing for a driving test, what is more important is that you are not one of the drivers that the examiners tell "sorry you have not passed on this occasion, would you like me to tell you why?". Go and find your highway code booklet NOW and start reading it, what have you to lose? You do have a lot to gain from it!
3. Get a good night's rest before the day of your driving assessment a tip easily overlooked.
4. A test tip to help anxious candidates is that Rescue remedy or Kalms might help with your driving test nerves (seek professional advice before using medication if you are driving), and remember being a little nervous is okay as it gets your adrenalin flowing, which helps you to perform in high pressure situations.
5. Use the toilet before you depart to the driving test centre (not all have facilties for learner drivers, DSA Barnet is an example), as you don't want to be caught short just before meeting the dsa examiner. A driving test tip I regulary give to my learner drivers.
6. During the 40 minute drive, deal with the present, don't try and predict the dsa examiner route, what set exercises you are going to get, which direction you are going to be told to go. You will pass the driving test if you successfully and safely carry out each step at a time.
7. Another driving tip is to make progress if it is safe to do so, but obey all road signs and markings, slow doesn't always mean you are being safe, and you could fail the test for driving too slow !
8. Make sure you understand any instructions you are given, if in doubt, ask for the driving examiner to repeat it.
9. Don't panic if you make a mistake, correct it and move on, dwelling on a driving error could cause a snow ball of errors, and the first one might not have failed you!
10. Make sure you are prepared before presenting yourself for the DSA driving test, you have a better chance of passing if you've taken professional training, know what the dsa examiner is looking for and had enough practice during your driving lessons . I've left this driving test tip till last, but it is the most important advice that you will get.
Bonus Tip: Watch the video below:
If you require high quality practical driving lessons to help pass the DSA test in Mill Hill, Hendon or Borehamwood centres from a knowledgeable instructor who is patient and tailors tuition to an individual's abilities, then give me a call on 07956233032
Special Driving Lessons Offer!
2 hrs for £44 Limited Time Only
Call 07956233032 today, quote UKADI2
*T%C apply, Driving Tests not included.
Mill Hill Driving Test Help
If you are taking your driving test at Mill Hill test centre, you might be interested in the video below, especially if you are not local to the area, as it covers the hardest route in use by the DSA examiners where you have to deal with the dreaded Apex Corner multi-lane roundabout during independent driving as well as the 70mph A1, turning right at sterling corner as well as some other tricky locations. The video has full commentary to point out the failing areas.
Download Video for £3.99
Follow UKADI on twitter for more tips and help to pass the sriving test.
Additional driving test tips
Driving Test Major and Minor Faults .
Most Common Failing Faults on the Car Test
Provisional licence cant drive a car !
Driving Test Car Hire .
Want some cheap driving lessons .
Test Coming Up? Find the Biting Point .
Don't talk to examiner on the driving test !
The DSA driving test moving off and Stopping
How many driving lessons do I need before I book the driving test ?
Taking the driving test in a private car .
DSA use of car horn on the test.
Top ten dsa driving test errors .
Nerves during practical car test
5 facts about the test you might not know.
The Red Driving School training scam or con.
Drive down petrol prices . Please let me know your views by posting a comment on the blog at http://www.ukadi.co.uk
2 Views
20:27:40 03/12/12
Reform School Vs. Lil' Jon (ft. LMFAO) - "Drink"
[LESS INFO] 2 VIEWS | ADDED 20:27:40 03/12/12
This week the girls check out the new video for the song "Drink" from Atlanta rapper Lil' Jon featuring LMFAO.
This week the Reform School Girls learn that Lil' John's latest song with LMFAO is exactly the same as his last song with LMFAO except with nursing home residents, puppets and cartoon characters.
Drink = Shots
Martina: Seriously, anything Lil Jon is hilarious.
Martina: What is this? Like, old people getting drunk?
Jackie: Hey, there's my grandpa!
Martina: Drink, drink, drink! This is exactly like Shots.
Jackie: Old people getting freaky? I wanna go to a party like that.
Martina: EW! I can't handle the old people making out.
Jackie: Okay. So far this song actually pisses me off.
Jackie: Would you audition for this video if you were old though?
Martina: Hell yeah!
Martina: I want my money back.
Jackie: This song is awful.
Jackie: First of all, if you're in a nursing home you don't have that much energy.
Martina: Second of all, could we be original and write a new song?
Martina: I am pissed. I feel gypped.
On the other hand, it was entertaining.
Grade = C
