Before RollingSound

I was part of a crew called Fatal Assassins, I was doing some production and DJing. I did a course at college because I wanted to learn how to do tricks – but they were not teaching me what I wanted to learn, so I stopped attending.

I was hanging around with people the wrong people and that was distracting me from thinking about my future.

The Course

I did the RollingSound DJ Academy in 2006, Hits (the tutor) worked with me individually – and I really progressed with my DJing skills. He knows so much about DJing – I feel like he trained my brain too – I know so much about Hip Hop and Urban Music.

After the course I also got a Bronze Arts Award!

Now

I have just got a manager for my DJ work, and DJ all around London. During the day, I now work full time as an assistant with RollingSound I am getting better and better at Music Production and DJing– because I am out teaching it every day.

It is such a good feeling to teach young people what I know, it’s a great feeling! I am also peer mentoring some young people and doing my Silver Arts Award and am now an Arts Awards Advisor!

Check out Daniel’s Mix – Link to play

Daniel’s Mypsace has had 200,000 hits – www.myspace.com/pesterandblakos

Before RollingSound

I applied for engineering at college, but I didn’t get in – which was good in a way, because I don’t really want a career in that. I was just hanging around at home and my parents were nagging at me to get out and do something.

The Course

I went to Connexions to see what I could do, and left my details. Someone called and explained about RollingSound, he told me about the AMP Courses. I got a leaflet with details of the AMP Programme, they do DJing and Music Production, which I am well in to.

I did the Music and DJing Foundation and was fast-tracked through to the Academy, which felt good. I met Hits, the DJing tutor; I thought I knew quite a lot about DJing, but he has really taught me everything I want to know!

I have also been doing Music Production, this has been safe, and I have got so into making beats that my parents have bought me some equipment so I can keep doing it at home.

Now

I have just applied for Lewisham College, and it looks like they are gonna accept me.

I was doing work experience with RollingSound, before they bought me on as a paid assistant. I am also one of RollingSound’s peer-mentors, we are doing the Silver Arts Award.

I am making lots of beats and mix CDs in my own time – so keeping up with my skills.

Before RollingSound

I left school because I had problems with some of the other students. Then I was really just hanging around at home, watching TV, playing computer games.

The Course

I went down to Connexions because I wanted to do something with my life – but I didn’t know exactly what. I met with Claire, who told me that RollingSound was running a Video Games Design course, I couldn’t believe there was a course in something I feel so strongly about. I ended up spending the whole day (both am and pm) at the sessions, turning up early to help set-up and leaving late to talk with the tutor.

John (the course tutor) became my mentor, and I started to learn some stuff that no-one else was doing – that felt cool. I was then given an interview with RollingSound to become course assistant...

Now

I am now a paid assistant on RollingSound’s Video Games Design Courses. Over Summer I have been working full-time for them, I even ran my own course the other day. Some weeks I can earn around £250, that’s only working 3 hours a day! It feels really good, I used to be the one with no money, now when I speak to my friends who are working at Sainsbury’s – I am like ‘I was making computer games with young people all day – you?’

I am hoping to get into making ‘proper’ games, and looking at college and university. RollingSound are helping me with this and I will be able to work alongside study.

I also just started my own project with another RollingSound student from Music, called Soul Control – we are making a game that highlights gang culture and gun crime issues. We got the funding through RollingSound with Mediabox.