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Pete Crossman began writing and producing music at the the tender age of 15 after being leant some studio equipment by
Empirion member and Prodigy tour DJ Jamie Smart. He spent the next few years honing his skills in various styles of music but
has always leant more towards the electronic side of production, citing his influences as Kraftwerk, Leftfield, Underworld,
Depeche Mode and New Order.
"I grew up listening to 80's electronic music and hip hop and I remember watching electronic bands on the TV and thinking how
on earth do they pull that off with no instruments? From that point I was pretty much hooked."
Prized for his beat production and searing synth work, Pete began pushing towards a more industrial element in his music which
coincided with a meeting with fellow Victory Pill band mate Jim Davies.
"I met up with Jim at Leeroy Thornhill’s studio where we were playing through some tracks and Jim asked if I would be interested in
doing some work on the Victory Pill album. And so it began!"
Pete went on to produce the vast majority of the album from his spare room including mixing duties and live synths. "It was a
baptism of fire but I kind of like the pressure involved in projects, it's all a part of the mental lifestyle that is attached to producing
music, sometimes it's like smashing your head against a wall, but for the most part it's great fun."
Pete toured with Victory Pill throughout the next year but the writing didn't stop. The now slimmed down line-up were keeping busy
in the studio producing Jim’s solo album Electronic Guitar and remixing work for artists such as Celldweller, Triptaka and Hounds.
Pete has also been busy writing tracks for his Controlled Change project alongside Empirion's Jamie Smart.
Soon it was time to turn attention back to Victory Pill and complete the new album. "After we had done Jim’s album I was champing
at the bit to get stuck back in to the new album, but the idea was not to rush the album and take it pretty easy with regards to the
timeframe of the release. I had gone from doing the first album straight in to the guitar album, then the Sex & Circuitry album
alongside that, as well as the remixes and trying to fit in work so I needed to slow it down and just try to let it flow." And flow it did…
Now fully able to show off his talents in the studio, Crossman has managed to meld an album of uncompromising strength and
range. Coupled with Jim's guitar madness and chanting lyrics, the album draws on the duo’s many influences to emerge as a true
crossover album of the highest order.
'Pistol' Pete (as he is known in the murky streets of Essex) now has four albums under his belt and looks set to add to his critically
acclaimed tally of albums in the next few years. "What’s next? New Triptaka album, more Controlled Change and maybe some solo
tracks, who knows...crazy world!"
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