STIX MADE IT
“Music can break language barriers, bring back loved ones for a moment, heal you, break you, make you smile and take you to another world. Music is an art unlike any other.”
Far from your typical hip hop producer is the perfect way to describe STIXMADEIT. At the age of 11, he joined the Sea Cadets & Marine Cadets where he learnt to drum & progressed quickly. By 18 he passed his musical audition and selection process to join The Corp of Drums – Royal Marines Band Service, which entailed 2 years musical & military training. This would include learning to play the snare drum, Bugle & Herald Trumpet along with extensive music theory.
STIX achieved distinctions in Grade 5 & Grade 8 Snare Drum, which later opened doors for him to create solo and collaborative compositions with his colleagues. These compositions went on to win numerous competitions and have been performed at multiple prestigious events such as “The Mountbatten Festival of Music” at the Royal Albert Hall, “The Festival of Remembrance” which was also televised on BBC and Horse Guards in London.
Quite a few of his other pieces that he composed or collaborated on have also appeared on TV, radio and live streamed on the internet. His final composition, which was a dedication to his Great Grandfather, a WWII P.O.W., was performed at the Coliseum in Rome and The Mountbatten Festival (Which you can view on
YouTube).
All in all his success has led to performing for audiences across the globe that have included Queen Elizabeth and the Royal family, multiple well known celebrities, Top Secret Drum Corps, USMC Band, Dutch Marine Band and The Old Guard, while also being used at multiple VIP & Charity events. One such event was the “Royal Variety Performance in 2011 where he was on stage performing with such notable acts as Leona Lewis, Pixie Lott, Nicole Scherzinger, Cee Lo Green, Penn & Teller, Stomp and Barry Manilow. After serving 16 years in the Royal Marines Band, he was medically discharged and returned to civilian life.
During lockdown, STIXMADEIT decided to try his hand at music production primarily in the genre of Hip-Hop and took to it rather quickly. Initially he had to learn how to structure beats after coming from an orchestral & military music background. STIX can adapt and translate his normal compositions into full beats. His unique style, instrument usage and arrangements have led to him turning quite a few heads in the industry. He was asked to be a founding member of a like-mentioned networking group where he met “CAP tha Wiseguy” which led to their creation of Verismo Ent. He also joined Timbaland's Beat Club where he submits to various opportunities as they arise. Much more of a composer than a typical producer he has also started making sample packs for other producers including a great ensemble of melodies. He has been able to connect with and produce for multiple different artists worldwide.
“A good friend once told me, 'Don't create what has already been done. Always create what hasn't.' I live by this advice, and it has truly opened up so many doors for opportunities.” This is only the beginning.
