Over the summer in Bristol, a tremendous new force entered our subconscious, an act somewhere between a beat boxer and a lyrical MC. A new artist, a brand new sound and someone who whilst of Italian/Australian heritage, has decided to travel the world with his craft, taking to the streets to engage with the public in a very immediate and real way, a brave and unashamedly honest vocal has captured the hearts of thousands making him the top rated YouTube artist in the world.

Until very recently he settled in Bristol to write his album and, now complete, he’s off again around Europe and back home for the summer. We are tremendously proud of his achievements, a little gutted he has left us for the winter (who can blame him) and desperate for his triumphant return. For the novice who has never heard of this legend, here’s a cheeky snapshot of all things Dub FX:

Dub FX is a street-loop-beatboxer who grew up in St Kilda/Melbourne, Australia performing in various bands before hitting the world-wide road. Dub FX uses Roland BOSS effect & loop pedals to create sounds which when layered creates a tune. Predominantly Dub FX can be found busking through Europe with his Girlfriend, Flower Fairy.

Just before he packed up the house, gave away his belongings and jumped in the bus with his Flower Fairy, we were granted a few hours in his company to grill him on his sound, his plans and the fabulous city of Bristol.

Faye: So how come you have ended up in the UK?
Dub FX: It was a girl…
Faye: It’s always a girl eh?
Dub FX: Yes for sure… well I left Australia to head to Italy to get a record deal, but they kind of had plans for me, you know crazy plans, they wanted me to be a kind of Micheal Buble/Peter Andre type…
Faye: Really, how bizarre, Peter Andre?
Dub FX: Yeah but in Italian, so I thought that maybe it wasn’t the best direction… I would be better to do my own thing. So I got on the plane and landed in Manchester. It was amazing, I had never heard of grime or dubstep or anything like that. I just kind of soaked it up.

Faye: So that’s the starting point of your sound?
Dub FX: Yeah and early rock music, all of it really, but grime was when it really started, it blew me away.
Faye: So how do you come up with the ideas and inspiration, do you start with the beatbox?
Dub FX: No not at all, I start with the song, the lyric, the feeling, beat boxing just gives me a drum beat that’s all really.
Faye: So you’re not a beat boxer, it’s a pretty common misconception.
Dub FX: Yeah I know, I mean it’s pretty cool but…
Faye: You would never put yourself in that pigeon hole?
Dub FX: Not really, I don’t really think beatboxing is that incredible. I mean it’s OK but every beatboxer I see just copies the next guy. They all do the same
sounds and the same beats. It’s a different thing.

Faye: How much do you think YouTube has helped launch your career?
Dub FX: God, no question, it has changed my life! I never recorded myself but YouTube videos spread like wildfire and I have requests from promoters all over the world now. They offer me acts in countries I have never been before. I had no booking agent or a manager, only YouTube.

Faye: How different is it performing on a stage than on the street?
Dub FX: It’s worlds apart, I love ‘em both but it is a little strange being on a raised platform in front of people. The most amazing is in Eastern Europe, they seem to really get it. I have played in front of thousands and thousands of people; it’s pretty scary, real intimidating stuff.
Faye: And what about the album, how different is that?
Dub FX: It’s totally the same vibe, a little more polished than the street stuff but it’s the best of everything I do.

Faye: And how important has Bristol been to this sound, why do you like it here so much?
Dub FX: It’s really laid back, people don’t care - not that they don’t care and but they are not affected - people here seem to like things if they are cool, support each other and just get on with it. I have never really experienced that anywhere before. The turn out to the album launch was cool.

Faye: Where to now?
Dub FX: Eastern Europe….101 gigs and then back home I want to work on Shos’s album [Flower Fairy] and get that finished, spend loads of time in the sunshine and see family.
Faye: Then come home, back to Bristol?
Dub FX: Yes for sure, we will be back!
Faye: Don’t make it too long!

www.dubfx.net