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Thepetebox
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Key Information
Peter Sampson, known professionally as THePETEBOX, is a live looping human beatbox artist from the UK. He was crowned the BBC Radio 1 beatbox champion in 2005.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]THePETEBOX uses a loop pedal to create songs using his vocal and beatboxing ability. He won the 2005 BBC Radio 1 Beatbox Championships, and was named as a winner of the year's Channel 4 Talent Awards.
THePETEBOX has toured around the UK, Africa, France, Norway, Czech Republic, and appeared at Isle of Wight, Bestival, V, Leeds, Reading, Latitude, Creamfields and Glastonbury festivals.
In 2007, THePETEBOX featured in a TV advert for Movistar mobile phones.[1] The advert aired in March 2007 in Mexico and will be shown in Panama and Guatemala later in the year. THePETEBOX was also a member of the bands Swimming and WeShowUpOnRadar.[2]
THePETEBOX appeared in the UK and US television coverage of the 2009 World Free Running Championships on 15 August.
Other TV appearances include ITV's Skillicious in 2009, and ITV's Odd One In in 2010. The same year, he toured twice with the dance group Diversity.
THePETEBOX released his debut album Future Loops on 11 April 2012. It is a live, studio album - each track is performed, mixed, effected and recorded live in a studio environment to a stereo mix. This process is filmed, creating a live performance video of the recordings themselves.
In 2023, THePETEBOX participated on the twelfth series of The Voice UK on Team will.i.am and finished as a semi-finalist.
Discography
[edit]- Future Loops (2012)
- Live to Tape 001 (2013)
- Songs from the Vaults (2017)
- The Strings (2018)
- Use The Fire (2018)
References
[edit]- ^ "Beatbox Movistar THePETEBOX". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
- ^ "Spend a little time to browse our new site at leisure". www.weshowuponradar.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2007. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
External links
[edit]- THePETEBOX official website
- THePETEBOX on MySpace
- THePETEBOX on YouTube
Thepetebox
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Early life
Childhood in Nottingham
Peter Sampson, known professionally as THePETEBOX, was born in Australia in the early 1980s and relocated to Nottingham, England, during his early childhood, where he was raised in the Sherwood area.[2][1] Growing up in this Midlands city, Sampson experienced a typical family life amid Nottingham's post-industrial urban landscape, which included suburban neighborhoods and proximity to rural outskirts.[1] Sampson's education took place at the Minster School in Southwell, a market town approximately 15 miles northeast of Nottingham, where he completed his secondary schooling.[10] The school, affiliated with Southwell Minster, offered a structured environment blending academic and community influences in the Nottinghamshire countryside. At age 18, he attended university before basing himself in Nottingham.[10] During the 1990s and 2000s, Nottingham's socio-cultural fabric was shaped by a dynamic music scene that flourished alongside its industrial heritage, featuring prominent venues like Rock City that hosted international rock, indie, and emerging hip-hop acts, as well as a growing rave culture in clubs such as DV8 and The Garage.[11][12] This environment, with its mix of live music hubs and underground DIY communities, contributed to a vibrant creative atmosphere in the city during Sampson's formative years.[13]Musical beginnings
Peter Sampson, known professionally as THePETEBOX, first engaged with music during his childhood in Nottingham. This early introduction laid the foundation for his lifelong passion for music, fostering an initial understanding of melody and rhythm through hands-on practice.[14][2] Throughout his school years, Sampson's musical development remained largely self-taught and informal, relying on personal experimentation and accessible resources rather than structured lessons. He honed his abilities by imitating recordings and exploring sounds independently, which allowed him to build a versatile foundation without formal instruction. This approach emphasized creativity and adaptability, key elements that would later define his style.[15] In his teenage years, Sampson began experimenting with beatboxing and vocal percussion, transitioning from keyboard-based music to innovative uses of the human voice to create beats and layers. These initial forays involved trial-and-error sessions where he mimicked percussive elements, gradually refining his technique through repetition and play. The vibrant local Nottingham music scene further influenced these early experiments, providing an environment rich with communal energy and diverse sounds that sparked his inspirations and encouraged boundary-pushing creativity.[14][2]Professional career
Competitions and early recognition
Sampson's professional career as a beatboxer began in 2004, when he won the BBC Radio 1 Human Beatbox Tournament in November of that year, establishing him as Britain's top beatboxer at the age of 22.[1] This victory followed several years of performing with local Nottingham bands such as Swimming and We Show Up On Radar, building on his musical beginnings in the city.[1] In 2007, Sampson received further recognition as a winner in the inaugural Channel 4 4Talent Awards, highlighting his innovative human beatboxing and live looping techniques among emerging creative talents.[16] These early accolades marked key milestones in launching his career, drawing media attention and opportunities beyond local circuits.Tours and live performances
Thepetebox, whose real name is Pete Sampson, began his touring career in 2005 following early recognition in beatboxing competitions, which opened doors to international performances. From that year onward, he has conducted tours across the UK, Africa, France, Norway, and the Czech Republic, showcasing his innovative live shows in diverse venues. These tours have included stops in countries such as South Africa and Malawi in Africa, highlighting his ability to connect with global audiences through beatboxing and looping techniques.[14][17][18] Sampson's live performances have featured prominently at major festivals, including Glastonbury in 2017 on the Sensation Seekers Stage and multiple appearances at the Isle of Wight Festival. His sets at events like V Festival, Bestival, Creamfields, Leeds, and Reading have emphasized real-time music creation, building layers of sound to captivate crowds. As a pioneering solo multi-instrumentalist, he uses beatboxing, guitar, drums, and vocals with loop pedals to construct full tracks onstage, igniting audiences worldwide through immersive, journey-like experiences.[19][14][20] In recent years, Thepetebox has continued his active touring schedule, performing at Hockley Hustle in Nottingham on October 20, 2024, where he delivered a 30-minute set as part of the festival's diverse lineup. He also appeared at Sofar Sounds in Berlin on November 11, 2025, in an intimate "Singles Night" event that drew enthusiastic responses from attendees. Upcoming performances in late 2025 include shows in Leicester, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, and Southsea.[21][22][23] Beyond festivals, Sampson has headlined corporate and private management events, leveraging his online success—marked by nearly 30 million YouTube views as of late 2025—to deliver motivational and engaging performances for business audiences.[24][25]Television appearances
In 2009, THePETEBOX, whose real name is Peter Sampson, appeared on CITV's Skillicious, a children's program focused on skill-building activities, where he performed live beatboxing demonstrations and taught viewers basic techniques using his loop pedal.[26][27] This exposure highlighted his innovative live looping style to a young audience, showcasing tracks that combined vocal percussion with guitar elements.[26] Sampson's television presence expanded significantly in 2023 when he competed as a contestant on the twelfth series of ITV's The Voice UK, joining Team will.i.am after impressing coaches during his blind audition performance of Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," which he built layer by layer using beatboxing and looping.[28] He advanced to the semi-finals, delivering notable performances such as Glass Animals' "Heat Waves," where his multi-layered vocal production earned praise for its technical precision and emotional depth.[29][2] As a semi-finalist, this appearance marked a major broadcast milestone, building on his prior live touring experience to reach a national audience.[2]Musical style and technique
Beatboxing and looping methods
Pete Sampson, performing as THePETEBOX, employs advanced human beatboxing techniques centered on vocal percussion to simulate drum patterns, snares, and hi-hats through precise mouth sounds and breath control.[15] He generates resonant basslines using sub-vocal rumbling and lip oscillations, often layering these with higher-frequency elements to mimic full rhythmic foundations.[10] Additionally, Sampson imitates electronic effects such as reverb, delay, and synth sweeps vocally, creating immersive soundscapes that evoke produced tracks without instrumentation.[10] In his live looping process, Sampson builds performances by recording and overdubbing vocal layers in real-time, starting with a foundational beatbox rhythm and progressively adding melodic vocals, harmonies, and percussive elements to form complete songs.[15] This method allows for dynamic arrangement, where verses and choruses emerge through sequential loops, enabling hip-hop-infused sets that evolve organically during shows.[10] Sampson's style has evolved from basic beatboxing routines in the early 2000s to intricate, multi-layered compositions by the mid-2000s, influenced by pioneers like Rahzel and Killa Kela, transitioning toward structured song forms that integrate emotional narratives.[15] Since 2004, his approach has incorporated non-linear looping for greater flexibility, allowing real-time improvisation while maintaining cohesive hip-hop structures.[10] A hallmark of his technique is the one-take performance, where entire tracks are constructed without edits, as demonstrated in covers like the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?" and the Beach Boys' "I Get Around," showcasing seamless vocal control and layering precision.[15]Instruments and equipment
Thepetebox, whose real name is Pete Sampson, primarily employs beatboxing as his core instrument, layering it with guitar and percussion elements to create multi-instrumental live performances. He has integrated the guitar into his looping routines since his early career, using it to add melodic layers that complement his vocal percussion. For instance, in performances like his 2011 cover of MGMT's "Kids," Sampson utilizes a Fender Mustang electric guitar to build harmonic progressions over beatbox foundations, enhancing the emotional depth of his arrangements.[30] Central to his setup are loop pedals, which allow him to construct tracks in real time by recording and overdubbing multiple layers during live shows. Sampson has used devices such as the Boss RC-50 loop station earlier in his career, a multi-track recorder that enables him to capture beats, vocals, and guitar phrases separately before syncing them into cohesive songs; more recently, as of 2024, he employs the Boss RC-300 for advanced looping capabilities.[30][10][31] This equipment facilitates the building of complex structures, including verses and choruses, transforming solo performances into full-band simulations.[30][10] In his solo shows, Sampson integrates drums, vocals, and other elements through a combination of vocal techniques and supportive gear, often employing beatboxing to mimic drum kits while using samplers for additional textures and effects pedals for ambient enhancements. Samplers help him generate diverse percussive sounds, such as bass drums and snares, filling the sonic space akin to a traditional rhythm section, while effects units add reverb and delay to vocals and guitar for richer soundscapes. Microphones like the Shure KSM9 are standard in his vocal chain, capturing the nuances of his beatbox and singing.[10][30] Sampson's equipment has evolved significantly from the early 2000s, when he relied on basic beatboxing and guitar playing in band settings, to incorporating loop pedals around 2005 after discovering the technology via online communities. By the 2010s, his setup expanded to include multi-track loopers and samplers for albums like Future Loops (2012), emphasizing live layering.[15][10]Collaborations and bands
Early bands
In the mid-2000s, Pete Sampson joined his brother John Sampson in forming the experimental art rock band Swimming in Nottingham, where he served as the drummer alongside guitarist Jonathon Spittlehouse and bassist Andrew Wright.[32][33] The group initially released limited-run mini-disc and cassette recordings for friends, cultivating a fluid, genre-blending sound that incorporated post-rock, electronic, and psychedelic elements before issuing their debut album Binaural Recordings in 2009.[34] Sampson's role in Swimming emphasized rhythmic foundations that complemented the band's innovative, impressionistic style, as heard in tracks like those on their early self-releases.[35] These involvements in Swimming immersed him in Nottingham's vibrant underground scene, offering hands-on collaborative experience with multi-instrumentalists and producers that honed his skills in group dynamics and live performance. Building on his musical beginnings in early life, these early band efforts provided a platform for Sampson to explore ensemble creativity amid the city's indie and experimental community. By the late 2000s, as Swimming prepared for wider releases, Sampson shifted toward solo pursuits, channeling his drumming and production insights into beatboxing and looping.[10]Notable collaborations
In 2010, THePETEBOX joined the British dance group Diversity as a supporting act for their Diversitoys tour, performing live beatbox and looping routines alongside the group's high-energy choreography across multiple UK venues, including the HMV Apollo in London.[36] His performances were highlighted for their ability to layer intricate rhythms and vocals in real time, complementing Diversity's street dance style and contributing to the tour's sold-out success.[37] In 2023, THePETEBOX collaborated with producer and musician will.i.am during the twelfth series of The Voice UK, where he competed as a semi-finalist on Team will.i.am, delivering beatbox-infused renditions of songs like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics and "Heat Waves" by Glass Animals.[2] The partnership extended to joint performances with the coaches, showcasing THePETEBOX's looping techniques integrated with will.i.am's production insights, which helped advance him through the competition's live shows. THePETEBOX featured prominently in the BLENDID Experience at South by Southwest (SXSW) in 2025, an event dedicated to innovative fusions of beatboxing, vocal arts, and turntablism, where he performed alongside international artists in unexpected collaborative sets at Elysium in Austin, Texas.[5] This appearance built on his touring background by emphasizing cross-genre improvisations with turntablists and vocal performers, highlighting his role in global beatbox innovation. Other notable joint efforts include his 2018 performances and recordings with violinist Yasmine Azaiez, blending beatbox loops with classical strings in pieces like "Wishing With You," and similar vocal-artist pairings that extended his live looping into chamber-style arrangements up to 2024.[38] These collaborations underscore THePETEBOX's versatility in partnering with instrumentalists and turntablists for multimedia events, such as those at UK festivals.[2]Discography
Albums
Thepetebox's debut album, Future Loops, released in 2012 on his own Light River Records label, showcases his pioneering approach to beatbox guitar looping, with each of the 11 tracks performed, mixed, effected, and recorded live in a single take to capture the immediacy of his loop pedal performances.[39][40] The album blends original compositions with covers, such as MGMT's "Kids" and the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?", emphasizing experimental vocal layers and rhythmic builds that highlight his technical innovation in human beatboxing.[39] It achieved notable commercial success through word-of-mouth promotion, selling over 50,000 digital copies and reaching its third pressing.[24] Live to Tape 001, issued in November 2013 as a four-track EP, emphasizes raw live recordings captured directly to tape using loop pedals, focusing on beatbox interpretations of popular songs to demonstrate Sampson's real-time layering techniques.[41] The release includes covers like Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At?" alongside originals such as "Loser's Paradise" and "Shalom," produced with minimal post-processing to preserve the energy of one-take sessions using equipment like the Boss RC300 looper and Korg Kaoss Pad.[42] Clocking in at 18 minutes, it received positive attention for its unpolished authenticity, aligning with Sampson's live performance ethos.[41] In 2017, Songs from the Vaults was released as a compilation drawing from Sampson's earlier unreleased and archival works, featuring eight tracks that revisit covers and demos to provide insight into his evolving beatbox style from the mid-2000s onward. Key inclusions are reinterpretations like Radiohead's "Creep," Rihanna's "Diamonds," and James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind," produced to highlight vocal experimentation without heavy reliance on looping. The album serves as a thematic bridge to his later output, earning appreciation among fans for unearthing formative material that underscores his growth as a vocalist and loop artist.[43] The Strings, an instrumental EP from 2018, explores beatboxing integrated with string quartet arrangements, pushing Sampson's techniques into orchestral territory through collaborations that layer vocal percussion with classical elements. Released amid his live performances featuring such ensembles, it focuses on atmospheric and textural soundscapes rather than lyrics, with tracks like adaptations of "Kids" and "Ghost Rider" demonstrating innovative fusion of beatbox rhythms and bowed strings.[44] The project was well-received for broadening the genre's scope, though limited in distribution as a niche release.[45] Sampson's sophomore full-length, Use The Fire, arrived on Light River Records in December 2018, marking a songwriter-focused shift with nine original tracks that treat beatboxing as a primary instrument, incorporating sampled vocals played through electronic synths for a more produced sound.[46][47] The album's themes revolve around personal introspection and sonic experimentation, evident in songs like "Skydive" and "Monsters," which blend rock influences, dance rhythms, and honest lyrics built from layered beatbox foundations.[47] Production involved multi-tracking vocals into digital instruments, as detailed in accompanying videos, and it was praised for advancing beatbox boundaries in a studio context while maintaining live-looping roots.[48]Singles
Thepetebox, whose real name is Pete Sampson, began releasing standalone singles in the early 2010s, often showcasing his signature beatboxing and looping techniques in cover versions and original compositions. These early releases gained traction through viral YouTube videos and digital platforms, establishing his presence in the beatbox community.[49] One of his breakthrough singles was the 2011 cover of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?", performed live with beatboxing, guitar, and loop pedals. Released on March 27, 2011, and recorded at Bub Towers in Nottingham, the track was distributed via iTunes and later appeared on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, amassing millions of views on YouTube for its innovative one-take production.[50][51][52] In December 2011, "Kids" emerged as a key single, serving as the lead track from his debut album sessions but issued independently. This original piece, featuring layered beatbox rhythms and guitar, was released on December 21, 2011, through Light River Records on platforms including Apple Music and Spotify, with a promotional YouTube video highlighting the live looping process.[53][54][30] Shifting to more recent output, Sampson has focused on collaborative singles blending electronic and acoustic elements. In 2022, "WE MOVE," a collaboration with Sampleson, was released on March 25 via Light River Records, available on Spotify and Apple Music, emphasizing upbeat loops and vocal harmonies without a dedicated music video but promoted through social media.[55][7] Also in 2022, though sources confirm an initial 2018 release with re-promotion, "River is Cold (Acoustic)" was issued as a stripped-down single on May 15, 2018, featuring acoustic guitar and subtle beatbox accents. Distributed on Amazon Music, Spotify, and Apple Music, it included a Kansas Session video on YouTube to showcase its intimate style.[56][57][58] In 2024, Sampson released several singles under collaborations with RIOT MANSION and Sampleson. "Magic / Miracle," a double-sided single, dropped on April 19, 2024, with two tracks combining electronic beats and melodic loops; it was made available on Apple Music and Spotify, promoted via Instagram reels for its thematic duality.[59][60][61] "Your Body," released on November 22, 2024, features high-energy beatboxing over electronic production and was distributed on streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, with promotional posts highlighting its danceable vibe.[62][7] Finally, "Faultline," another 2024 collaboration with Sampleson released on October 2, incorporates reworked elements from prior works; available on Spotify and Apple Music.[63][64]| Single Title | Release Date | Collaborators | Platforms | Notable Promotions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Where Is My Mind?" | March 27, 2011 | None | iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music | YouTube live video (over 6 million views) |
| "Kids" | December 21, 2011 | None | Apple Music, Spotify | YouTube looping demo |
| "WE MOVE" | March 25, 2022 | Sampleson | Spotify, Apple Music | Social media clips |
| "River is Cold (Acoustic)" | May 15, 2018 | None | Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music | Kansas Session YouTube video |
| "Magic / Miracle" | April 19, 2024 | RIOT MANSION, Sampleson | Apple Music, Spotify | Instagram promotional reels |
| "Your Body" | November 22, 2024 | RIOT MANSION, Sampleson | Spotify, Apple Music | Dance-focused social posts |
| "Faultline" | October 2, 2024 | Sampleson | Spotify, Apple Music | YouTube audio |