Headphone Activist Interview

Pete Domville aka Headphone Activist... welcome to The Interview Room!

Tell us who you are and what you do?

My name is Pete. I am based out of Pittsburgh. I produce Ragga Jungle, Hip Hop, and Reggae. I am an artist with 1337 Pittsburgh. We're a promotion company, we promote music. Our events are based on music quality. We have only the best DJ's / musicians.

How did you come up with your name?

Atmosphere, check out Leak @ will, Slug drops a line about (Headphone Activist’s, aggressive pacifists.) when I heard that line I knew that was the name I wanted associate myself with. It represents my love for sharing music with the rest world; also the name focuses on the energy created from music.

Tell us about your studio set-up/space

F.L. DGX 205, MPC 500, Kits, and Sampling.

How did you become a music producer?

(DJ Shadow’s In Tune and on Time,) I remember the drop on Walkie Talkie, it was life changing for me, and the mix in general from the scratching, to all of the sampling and his drum patterns, I was so stoked about this sound and I remember thinking that I wanted to learn what DJing was all about. I was at a party and it was the first time I witnessed a DJ live, I figured that if I was going to learn more about what I heard on that shadow album that this would be a good place to start, (Plus I fell in love with Drum and Bass. I love to DJ but it got to a point where I wanted to do more with music. So I started to learn how to make music.

How did you develop your musical sound?

I started with learning how to produce Hip Hop, from there I was shown how to chop and flip Amen breaks, which is how I fell into pursing my love of Ragga Jungle, I also found a comfort zone with producing @ 170-180 BPM’s. One of my goals is to branch off with hip hop and Jungle, I would like to mix what I love about both of those genres and create a ground breaking sound.

I also grow by listening to other artists work, and finding what I didn’t like about my old production and I focus on learning from my past mistakes.

Who are your biggest influences?

DJ Shadow, Qbert, Dibbs, and Cut Chemist, Aesop Rock, Block Head, Immortal Technique, Jesse Michaels, RZA, Venetian Snares, Soundmurderer, RCola, Krinjah, Enduser, and High Contrast, Graffiti, Skateboarding, and Aaron McGruder. The list goes on and on.

What encourages you to carry on with music?

I love having a fun, and a creative outlet. Life is just so much more fun when I am working with music.

Also my people at 1337, friends / family keep me inspired, and other artists who push for that next great experience.

What do you think about the music industry at the moment? Where do you think things are going in the next few years?

What I like is that there are opportunities upon opportunities for artists of any gener to branch out and do their own thing. I feel we will hear some of the most groundbreaking changes in music from our generation and the ones to follow.

What I am not a fan of is the lack of heart behind a lot of music projects lately, it seems like a lot of music is being made just for the sake of having a number 1 hit or so you can be that new hot artist. Very little flavour when it comes to artists working on their come up and evolving there sound.

What have you been listening to recently?

AraabMUZIK, Nujabes, Aesop Rock, The Mad Conductor, Tom Wrecks, Youngman,

My friends music and finding new talent on the web. (big up @ MG BEATS, @ Smokehouse412 @ FFF @ Doverspike @ RSK @ Witness)

Biggest personal music acheivement?

Having my music played on a Radio AF. (Brrrap FM). I Self Released my first E.P. Last Thursday, (Downloadable)

Tell us what you have in the works for the future...

1. Working with Doverspike.

2. Krinjah and I are starting to collab on making some groundbreaking jungle

3. D.O.D. Series is on the way, that’s my boy Smokehouse’s Project

4. Helping my friends out with their production

5. You will just have to wait and see. : )

Any last words?