Adam Matta Interview

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1.  How old are you?

31 years old

2.  Where are you from?

New York City

3.  How long have you've been Beatboxing for?

I've been beatboxing for as long as I can remember, but only took it "seriously" the past four or five years, like doing shows, etc.

4.  What got you into Beatboxing?

I can't remember when I first got into it, I think beatboxing got into ME. I remember beatboxing for fun in 2nd or 3rd grade, I had heard the Fat Boys and Doug E Fresh. I then kept making noise through college and always wanted to be in some sort of band (I was singing in a band at the time). I was taking a painting workshop in Italy in 1997, and my roommate must have heard me beatboxing in the shower cause the next day, another guy came up to me and said, yo, I beatbox too!, they must have been talking about me, so I figured there might be something to this beatboxing thing. I was in Europe and all I wanted to do was busk as a beatboxer, but I came back to the States to work. Then I heard Rahzel's Make the Music 2000 and I knew it was something I had to pursue. I got into a Meredith Monk vocal techniques workshop, then met teacher Lynn Book who teaches extended vocal technique. I then met Akim Funk Buddha, who put me on stage, and I've been performing regularly in New York ever since.

5.  What type of equipment do you have?

I use a Shure 58, and a Boss Loop Station. Sometimes, I'll bring a bass eq pedal to certain gigs where I may not know the club's sound system.

6.  Have you ever done any live shows, events, concerts?

I do events all the time, I play with numerous bands and situations. I'm playing with drummer Aaron Comess right now, as well as Sxip Shirey, who plays gypsy-punk harmonica, and Erin and Her Cello, who writes and performs comedic songs, and I do the beats and sound effects. I've probably played sixty or seventy venues in New York City, and toured Philly, Chicago and Boston with either Beatboxer Entertainment, or with this rock band, the Animators. I was involved in the Animators for a while, doing all their beats live on stage, instead of the laptop they used to use. Finally, a human replacing a machine!

7.  How do you feel about the Beatboxing Movement?

I feel great about it, kinda nervous and excited. I respect all these cats around the world, and all the different projects people are doing with it.


 

8.  Who have you performed with?

Oh, man, you asked the wrong question. If you can't print all of these, I understand, but I'd like people to understand the scope of what I've been up to, and that I think beatboxing should be trying to push the envelopes and extend into all kinds of musical avenues.

Here it goes:

The Animators (rock, alternative) www.theanimators.com
Sxip Shirey (gypsy/punk harmonica) www.sxipshirey.com
Akim Funk Buddha (world, fusion) www.funkbuddha.org
Philip Hamilton (world, a cappella) www.philiphamilton.com
DOA, Afra, Abra, D Cross, Taylor Mc Ferrin, RAHJ, Akeia, Masai Electro, Kenny Muhammad, Anointed S, Shockwave, Kid Lucky, Midi, Jo Jo Beat, Semerock, Baba Israel, Yako, Chesney Snow, MC Squared, (beatboxers)
Matana Roberts(sax)
Noah Hoffeld(cello) www.noahhoffeld.com
Abby Dobson(soul) www.abby-dobson.com
Erin and Her Cello www.erinandhercello.com
Matisyahu(reggae,chant) www.hasidicreggae.com
Reg E Gaines (poet, playwright)
Daniel Beaty (off-broadway)
Linda Mancini (theater)
Faith Pilger (dance)
Jesse Phillips-Fein (dance)
Elke Bartholomaeus (voice)
Mia Hsieh (voice)
Lynn Book (voice)
Mike Ill(anti-folk, rock) www.madhappy.com
Savion Glover(tap) www.savionglover.com
Roxane Butterfly(tap) worldbeats.free.fr
Aaron Comess(drums) www.aaroncomess.com
MC Shadow www.mad-entertainment.com
Marble Gospel Church Collegiate Choir
Elizabeth Ziff, ezgirl (producer) www.ezgirlmusic.com
Mike Long (director/MTV)
Eleanor Dubinsky (cello)

9.  How do you think you compare to other Beatboxers?

To be honest, I have no idea. Some days, I think I'm the sh*t, based on what people tell me about my shows, etc. Then there are days when I'm just in awe of other people. I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I've been told I could hold it down against guys like Rahzel and Kenny, that my timing is really good. One thing about beatboxing is that everyone's style is so different. Mine is pretty different than most other cats, so it's hard to tell. I tend to go into breakbeat more, and jazz, and I'm a lot quieter than other people. Who knows, I guess I'm doing alright.

10.  What other stuff (besides beatboxing) are you involved in?

I'm a painter and performance artist. I do a performance art piece where I do tricks on my mountain bike with paint on my tires and make an abstract painting on a canvas on the ground. Kids dig it… I also act in theatre and film and do illustration. I also play drums and harmonica, and sing...

11.  What are your future beatboxing goals?

I have ideas for albums and recordings. I'd like to be playing concert halls and festivals. I'm trying to do more with text and literature, I'm working on a performance that combines Shakespeare and beatboxing. I think Kenny Muhammad had a great idea, and that was that there should be a beatboxing section in Virgin Records and Tower Records…anything I can do to help out that cause would be something I was into…
 

12.  Is there anyone you would love to work with?

Probably Bjork, Meredith Monk, Sussan Deyhim, Rennie Harris, Savion Glover, Vernon Reid, Disco Biscuits, Mike Patton, Bobby McFerrin, Rick Rubin, David Byrne would be people I would like to work with.

13.  What are your musical influences?

Faith No More, Mike Patton, Rahzel, Kenny Muhammad, James Cotton, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, ?estlove, the Roots, Bjork, Meredith Monk, Squarepusher, the Meters, Soundgarden, Thelonious Monk, Bobby McFerrin...
 

14.  What do you like better.  Freestyle or Layering?

Well, to be honest, I like freestyle layering...I love having a loop pedal, laying down a beat, then freestyling a bass line, horn section, scratches, etc. It's a lot of fun. I love freestyling with other beatboxers, that's a great time. I like doing solo freestyles, but the sound's gotta be right, etc. Otherwise, it's kind of a drag.

15.  Describe what Beatbox means to you?

Beatbox is a major part of my life. I freestyle in the shower, in the elevator, waiting for the train, whatever. It's a non-stop companion. It's a way to connect with people, and other musicians.
 

16.  What's the best Beatboxing memory that you have?

I did this open mic in Massachussetts, on the spur of the moment. I just went up, did one, then two, then a third freestyle piece, the sound was dope, and the crowd got into it more and more. By the time I got off stage, people were clapping and cheering, and then the sound guy plays the theme from Star Wars as I was going back to my seat. That was a trip.

17.  What advice do you give to someone who wants to get into Beatboxing?

Go for it! I would say make sure you're having fun, and I would also say, do your homework, your research, and try and develop your own sound. Work as best you can on your time and feel. Freestyle as often as you can with other beatboxers, especially if they're better than you, cause you improve quickly that way.
 

18.  What's the best collaboration you've done with Beatboxing?

It was called Musical Chairs, it was with two singers, Mia Hsieh from Taiwan, and Elke Bartholomaeus from Germany. We got together in New York and put together a performance that was based on the voice, and we just vibed together really well. I've had a lot of other great collabs since then, and some awesome ones in the works, but that was the first, you never forget your firstJ.

19.  What do you think about Beatboxing.com?

It's a great site, I like the activity on there, and the new updates, I think the classifieds are a good addition.

20.  Any Shout-Outs?

I'd like to shout out to micism, BBC and HBB, shout out to all the people who've copped my CD or the Living Room DVD, your support is truly appreciated. (By the way, proceeds from my CD's will go to help with hunger in the Philippines, I'm following MC Squared's lead with his push to fight the spread of AIDS in Africa) Shout out to Faith Pilger, Kid Lucky and Akim Funk Buddha for being some of the first to put me on stage in front of a crowd. Big up to my family and friends who have supported me along the way.