The SPLINTER brand has been associated with beatboxing for a long time. How and when did the Splinter reign officially start?

Well, I have been calling myself SPLINTER since 1999, doing visual work for musicians and collaborations with other artists. I work with people like Pete-O-Matic and Jeff Metal to make designs, videos, websites and music. I hope the logo is associated with a lack of bullshit, that is what I aim for. We work hard for each project and we're very practical with our creativity. A lot of people in this industry tell you things "can't be done" so we just work with the people who believe in magic. As for beatboxing, I was working on Kela's website and he had The Permanent Marker coming out, so I needed to infiltrate the online beatbox scene and plant mind-control propaganda everywhere so that kids would love Kela. I googled and went straight to beatboxing.co.uk and joined up. I could see beatboxers were not like MCs or DJs, which was a pleasant surprise. And I could see that they all loved Kela so I had no evil marketing to do, I just chatted with people about eggs and stuff.

Jeff Metal got me into hip hop by giving me Endtroducing so I was already converted, and then I was living with Jeff and he was beatboxing around the house, and you know what it's like, the disease eventually gets you. Now SPLINTER is a record label, design studio, video production house and slightly political think tank. I am relocating to Lithuania because that is where there is most opportunity for creative work right now. It's all about the East.

You have been a member of the Humanbeatbox.com community and moderator of the forums since the beginning. Why has Humanbeatbox.com been important to you and how has it changed over the years?

It is the only online community I have ever been a part of. There is something about shared learning and electronic communication that breaks down barriers, and the site was a place I really loved to be, regardless of beatboxing. I suppose if you are self-employed at home you need some social activity ha ha. Without a community you can't do anything really, I am not a loner, so the site was important in forming my thoughts about the internet and music and my own personality. I don't think the community has changed much, but I can see that under the new ownership things are going to get a lot more organised around here and that is probably for the best if we are to take anything to a higher level. I think the same problem always exists in the UK - people are waiting to be entertained instead of making their own entertainment. Hopefully with the new era there will be more opportunities for people to get involved, like you doing this interview.

What have been your major musical influences and why?

Shit, how long have you got? I believe that there is no original creativity, just remixes and combinations of influences, different instruments and inventions, standing on the shoulders of giants and all that. So you could say everyone in the history of music has influenced me consciously and sub-consciously. If I am forced to pick major influences or artists that I know have redirected my life, they would be DJ Shadow, Kurt Cobain, Damon Albarn, Bjork. I am a nineties boy aren't I. But then you hear the Specials and the Kinks and realise where Blur come from and suddenly you notice that music is a big magical web, not a list of artists.

You have worked with some of the most amazing and famous artists in the UK and Europe, including Killa Kela and DJ Vadim, as well as relatively unkown and underground artists. Who has been your favourite artist to work with and why?

Well I really love Vadim, he is incredible, no bullshit, complete integrity. When he came out to Lithuania he was so professional and friendly I was amazed. It really annoys me when musicians can't get it together to actually do the work, so for me Vadim is the best musician I know on this planet. However, he is about to lose his crown to Arro who is without doubt my favourite person to work with, every minute is fun, polite and productive.

I think "normal people" on the outside think it is all about songs and inspiration and microphone quality, but when you work in the industry it's like any other industry, you need to be good friends with your colleagues or the magic doesn't happen. Aspiring artists should learn this, although their songs might be called "motherf**ker I am the greatest" they will need a little humility backstage. Kela is a good example of this, he can destroy all other beatboxers onstage, but backstage it's like he's round his girlfriend's mum's house for tea and biscuits.

In just a few years, The King of the Jam has become a legendary event. What is King of the Jam and how did it start?

King of the Jam started because I could see all these people talking on beatboxing.co.uk, but nobody was really meeting up in the real world to make music and make the ideas a reality. I knew that nothing would happen until someone set a date, so I set a date, told everyone to go to the park in London and called it King of the Jam. The rules are no electricity, no spectators. We just jam with whoever turns up. At the time I couldn't beatbox at all, but as soon as I saw it for real, in the park, with no bullshit, I was hooked. I think it helps to convince people that they are not freaks, when they see other people spitting it gives them confidence and inspiration.

The best thing about Jam is that figureheads like Arro and Shlomo can all turn up and just join in with kids that only found the site a week before... all sharing vibes and saliva... it's very levelling. And I love it when people win without expecting, it's like turning on a light. Word to the Kings! Most of my work is about rejecting the commoditisation of music and rejecting copyright, so it was perfect for me to organise an event where we could share ideas and influences without paying. That's what Jam is for me, a reminder that music is something we are all supposed to create and share, not something that "musicians" make while "normal people" just buy copies.