Interview with electronic music artist Gabriel Perry aka Hindu Pez

Hawk-IT Interviews
4 days ago
18 min read

Photo Credit: Jay Brown Jr.

Welcome to Hawk-IT Interview. Today we’re featuring electronic music artist Gabriel Perry, also known as Hindu Pez, hailing from New Orleans. Since 2004, he has been crafting aggressive, high-energy electronic sounds under this project, steadily carving out a distinct and uncompromising presence in the underground scene. With a style that pushes boundaries and blends intensity with experimentation, Hindu Pez has become a project that stands out for its raw edge and unique sonic identity.

In this interview, we take a deeper look into the mind behind the music—exploring who Gabriel is, how he first got into producing electronic music, and the influences that have shaped his sound over the years. We also dive into the evolution of Hindu Pez as a project, his creative process, and what continues to drive his passion after two decades in the scene.

Amit Ahuja: To start at the very foundation of your story, take us back to your earliest memories. What were the environments you grew up in like—your hometowns, the culture, the energy, the sense of community? How did those surroundings—the people, the atmosphere, the challenges, and the opportunities—shape your emotional and creative development during your childhood and teenage years?

Gabriel Perry: I grew up in a town of less than 500 called Bonneau, SC. My family moved there in ‘88 after my Dad (a submariner in the US Navy) had moved us around a few times. I was 5. Those with military parents know exactly what the deal is.

It’s interesting to think about now with a great deal of perspective, but picture it : pre-cell phone, pre-widespread internet access, pre-social media, all of that. Growing up in the late 80’s/early 90’s in a very remote place does a lot of interesting things to a very curious mind. Picture it : 4 churches, no stoplights, 2 gas stations, a tiny public park with a rarely used baseball field and some stuff for kids to play on. Heavy on the Southern Baptist Convention, for those who are familiar.

Being a young kid in this environment, I was immediately attracted to the weird, the noisy, the abrasive, the angry, the other-than-what-these-fucks-are-doing stuff. Naturally I clung to the other weird kids in school, and sort of developed myself and my taste with that mentality.

I spent my early years digging in my parent’s vinyl collection and obsessed over everything they had, playing records at all hours way too loud and repeatedly. Hendrix, Beatles, Otis Redding, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Zeppelin. When I wasn’t abusing their records or tapes, I was consuming whatever books my parents had. Hunter S Thompson and Tolkien became immediate obsessions that have not left my shelves to this day and were extremely formative. Let’s not forget The Godfather. Incredible.

As a pre-teen, I spent an incredible amount of time alone wandering the woods behind my parent’s house. I would find a comfortable space and lose myself to Tolkien, something that I found immediately comforting and familiar at the same time. Being a middle child, my brothers always wanted me to join them in backyard ball : makeshift football goals were on our 6 acres, and a crude baseball field existed every summer. I didn’t care. I didn’t want it. It wasn’t for me. Give me a book and leave me alone.

Somewhere around 1995/1996, I got my first guitar. I saw a toy guitar in a dollar store and asked my mom if I could have it for Xmas, and lo and behold she surprised me with a real one.

So now I’ve got something to focus on, something to obsess over and something to find my identity in. A year or two later I joined the high school marching band and this gave me a massive foundation that I still lean into to this day.

Finally, I’ve got something that feels like identity; music is everything, music is sacred, music must be treated with reverence and respect, and it absolutely must be done at the highest possible caliber possible.

Amit Ahuja: Looking back now with a bit more perspective, how do you feel those formative years influenced the person and artist you’ve become? In what ways did your upbringing shape your worldview, your emotional depth, your resilience, and ultimately the way you approach creativity and self-expression today?

Gabriel Perry: Growing up in such a small space, I felt invisible. Don’t get me wrong, my parents loved me and gave me a wonderful foundation; living in a tiny town in nowhere, you begin to feel like you’ll be trapped forever and never accomplish anything or do anything that matters. I found solace and comfort in books, in records, and in my childhood friends.

The reality is, I was a depressed kid who wanted to do anything exciting that didn’t involve being inside a church, being around adults who were still stuck in the early 80’s, or feeling like I would manage a gas station until I died.

I felt like I had this endless rage and need to fight against the people around me. If the bible teaches kindness, humility and love, why did the people who claimed to be Christians around me not exhibit this behavior? Why did I feel like the people around me were zombies with no ambition, no drive and no desire to do anything but follow in their parent’s footsteps?

When you grow up somewhere that tells you to sit down, keep quiet, be respectful, know your place and do what’s expected of you, you begin to develop a very rage-filled desire to do the opposite.

Later on, when I started Hindu Pez in 2004, I absolutely believe that this environment gave me an obnoxious stubborn streak that kept telling me: keep going, fuck these people, and don’t forget that you can burn the whole thing down if everything goes wrong.

Amit Ahuja: Industrial and electronic music can be such a distinct and immersive world—can you take me back to the moment you first connected with this sound, and how that early influence eventually evolved into your own project and artistic identity?

Gabriel Perry: I have some specific memories that are burned into my memory that are all personally profound.

One is hearing Marilyn Manson’s Portrait Of An American Family record for the first time. This absolutely terrified me. This sounds silly by today’s standards, but at the time there was all this weird, hushed hype around the band. I don’t even know how I got a copy, but somehow, I had a cassette tape of the album that I played until my tape player chewed up the tape and spit out the inner reels.

In 2000, I moved from South Carolina to Norfolk VA with my family. One of the first people I connected with was Mark (we would later start a brief machine-rock band called Krieg Der Kinder in which I played guitar and did some drum machine programming) who introduced me to Ministry’s The Land Of Rape And Honey.

To this day, Ministry is one of my favorite bands, and TLORAH was massively influential on me. The sample chopping, the simple yet aggressive drum programming, and the heavily effects-laiden vocals gave me a template for sounds that I am still exploring.

Somewhere around 2000/2001 I started attending local goth/industrial nights in the Hampton Roads, VA area. This led me to two massive influences.

One was Delta 9. A young lady who I had become acquainted with brought me a mix CD she’d burned and Delta 9 was on it. I could not stop listening to it. Endlessly, over and over and over and over. Delta 9’s distorted kick drum and use of abusive/mean dialogue samples spun my head in circles.

The other was Atari Teenage Riot. This was a new world that I didn’t know existed and was immediately in desperate need for more. Alec Empire’s use of high-BPM drum loops, punk rock samples and weird synths hooked me. I’m still hooked.

Between Delta 9 and ATR, I began to think about what I would do on my own as a solo artist.

Amit Ahuja: Looking back on your early influences within industrial and electronic music, were there specific artists, albums, or moments that helped shape your approach to both sound design and performance? How do those influences still surface in your work today?

Gabriel Perry: In no particular order, these albums shaped what I do :

Delta 9 - Hate Tank

Atari Teenage Riot - Burn Berlin Burn

Alec Empire - The Destroyer

Leaether Strip - Fit For Flogging

Imminent Starvation - Nord

Ministry - The Land Of Rape And Honey

Nine Inch Nails - Broken

Nine Inch Nails - Fixed

Looking at this list, I can absolutely see where certain elements came from that appear in my work. Delta 9’s distorted kick drums, Alec Empire/ATR’s use of high-speed amen breaks (distorted, of course), Leaether Strip’s early drum machine tones and aggression, Imminent Starvation’s use of ambience as texture on Nord, Ministry’s sampling techniques on TLORAH, and the use of experimental mixing on Nine Inch Nails’ fixed as well as Broken’s use of melody vs harsh noise. All of that checks out.

Amit Ahuja: Looking back to when you first started, how does the scene feel different now—not just in terms of sound, but in the way people engage with music, build audiences, and define what it means to “belong” to a movement?

Gabriel Perry: You know it’s very easy to be the old guy in the room that shakes his fist at the sky, so I try to veer away from that, consciously.

I feel like a lot of industrial music has fallen into a very formulaic trap. Let’s face it - 99% of albums are using one of 3 or 4 DAWS, people are using a lot of the same VST’s (Serum, anyone?) and the pop format found it’s way into industrial to such an extent that the more popular and successful records are really pop records with some harsh synths thrown in for good measure.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, things feel sterile.

On a scene level, it’s always felt to me as there are two sides to it : you’ve got people who attend club events, and people that attend live music events. I could be wrong, of course, and there have been exceptions to this in my life. I believe that, in my experience, it’s difficult to get both sides in the same room. In 2004 when I started, that wasn’t the case. Now? There seems to be a shift.

And let’s face it - who the fuck wants to leave the house? You’ve got every possible thing you need for entertainment on a vast array of streaming services. How do you convince people to get off of the couch?

I’ve been lucky over the past 22 years that I have people that consistently come to see my shows, buy merch or buy digital records, but it is NOT easy. I’ve never felt like Hindu Pez has a movement behind it, but I do feel like years of doing gigs, stopping to talk to anyone and everyone attending, and staying in contact with these people plays into that. People want to feel involved, invited, and a part of something.

Amit Ahuja: Do you feel rooted in a community within this world, or has your path leaned more toward independence—and how has that relationship (or distance) shaped both your sound and your sense of identity as an artist?

Gabriel Perry: I’ve always felt like an outsider. I’ve had this conversation a lot with my closest and best of friends, that Hindu Pez has never been the cool act, the hot ticket or the hip thing to go and see. I don’t move massive units. At the beginning, I worked my ass off to try and win certain demographics over; as I’ve progressed, aged and earned some life experience, I’ve found that staying on my own path and doing things as I want has yielded better sonic results as I’ve removed the stress and pressure of trying to impress people.

The reality is, you’ll never be good enough for them. Take any of your favorite artists and you’ll find that they all have That One Album that people rejected or dismissed, yet years later it is celebrated and loved. You have to trust your own judgement and character to believe in what you’re doing, whether it’s accepted or rejected.

Amit Ahuja: Your project name, Hindu Pez, carries a unique and somewhat enigmatic presence—it’s the kind of name that makes people pause and wonder. Can you dive deeper into its origin and meaning, and explain what drew you to it? Is there a conceptual or symbolic layer behind it, and how does that name ultimately tie into your broader artistic vision and the identity you’ve built through your music?

Gabriel Perry: I say this often, and I feel like I’m being disappointing. Hindu Pez as a name came from a scrabble game.

I really wish there was something more interesting or deep involved.

Amit Ahuja: When designing sounds, do you start with traditional synthesis methods (subtractive, FM, wavetable), or do you lean more toward resampling and manipulating found sounds? How do you decide which approach best fits a track?

Gabriel Perry: Typically I tend to focus on one synth (hardware, software, doesn’t matter) and explore my options from there. There’s no set method for me on sound design, though lately I’ve been exploring the MPC universe in their synth sounds and leaning into the editing side of them to move into more customized sounds.

Amit Ahuja: Noise isn’t just a background element in your kind of music—it becomes part of the composition itself. How do you shape and control noise so it contributes to the atmosphere without taking over the mix?

Gabriel Perry: In the early days, I used found-sounds, construction sounds, and harsh white noise to create loops and texture. I would (and still do) hand-tune these sounds to be in-key with whatever I was composing to accompany the track. It’s not the easiest way to work, but it does create interesting results.

One of the more extreme things I ever did was sampling a sander, and then de-tuning it into a lower bass frequency and ran it through 3 distortion patches.

For me, I always refer back to the Half Life 2 soundtrack. Kelly Bailey’s work on that franchise was hugely influential on me, particularly because of his use of ambience that could simultaneously be frightening and beautiful. Incredible.

Amit Ahuja Industrial music often lives in the details of its textures—can you walk us through your typical signal chain when building a sound from scratch? How do you approach layering, saturation, and processing to achieve something that feels both harsh and controlled without losing clarity?

Typically the first order of business is deciding on what drums I’m going to use (typically 909) and then begin the process of destroying the kick drum. On the last album cycle I used the Behringer RD9, and ran the kick through my Digitech Death Metal Distortion, and fattened it up with a Joyo Boost pedal for extra gain.

Gabriel Perry: The main kick on this album has been ran through heavy compression and distortion filters in FL Studio, then EQ’d (boost 80hz!) and automated with various filters. I pulled it off of the MPC Key 37 and it’s pretty shitty and noisy, it’s been interesting modulating it.

Amit Ahuja: Do you ever revisit and rework older ideas or unfinished tracks, and if so, how do you approach them differently with your current perspective?

Gabriel Perry: To my greatest shame, I lost all my multitracks from 2018 to the very beginning in 2004. Sadly, that plethora of work that I did will never be reworked, remixed, or remastered properly. People always talk about what they would do with a time machine; mine would be to have made extensive backups of all these files.

Amit Ahuja: Stepping away from the technical side of your music for a moment, I’m interested in what exists beneath the surface of the tracks you choose to release. Do your compositions carry specific meanings, narratives, or emotional intentions for you personally, or do they exist more as open-ended experiences for the listener to interpret? And if there is a deeper layer of meaning embedded in your work, could you walk us through a particular track as an example—how it came together conceptually or emotionally, and what it represents to you beyond just sound?

Gabriel Perry: At the beginning, I took the approach of : aggression for aggression’s sake. I just wanted to bludgeon people in the head with a tire iron.

With life and time, you experience things (good, bad, whatever) that change your trajectory and the way you express yourself through your work.

Perfect example : there’s a single I released called “...And One More Thing” on Xmas, 2024. This was later released on the “The Treme Sessions” LP compilation and vinyl.

I wanted to say something that deeply expressed how I felt about a violent, physically abusive alcoholic that I had dated who eventually landed me in the hospital, and then the psych ward. How does one express that sort of thing, when there are no vocals or lyrics involved? I came across some dialogue from the stellar TV show Mr. Robot and boom, it all came together.

Amit Ahuja: Looking ahead to your upcoming project, can you share more about its direction and what sets it apart from your previous work? When starting a new track, what usually ignites the creative process for you—whether it’s a sound, a rhythm, or a concept—and how does that original idea transform as the piece develops?

Gabriel Perry: I’m 7 songs in for what I plan to be 12. The work is coming along nicely and I’m feeling pretty confident about it.

On the last album cycle, I built drum tracks, dumped them into Presonus Studio One, and then composed synths on the MPC X SE, essentially playing the MPC like a synth instead of the traditional route of using it as a synth.

I’m using that workflow again, but there’s a lot more variety. BPM’s are more varied, the keys in which I’m writing in are varied, and the styles are more broad. Apart from my typical high-bpm kick-drum-of-death techniques, I’m experimenting with other drum machines (Linn, 808) and using sampled one-shots to build breakbeats (see : amen break) and heavily automating the way they’re presented.

Primarily I’m using the MPC Key 37 on this album, and I’ve been experimenting with the Korg Electribe EA1, which has been a very interesting learning curve. The EA1 is extremely sensitive to knob turns, so it’s created an interesting challenge. The oscillator function creates some really awful noise and texture that I’m having fun playing with.

I’m also experimenting a lot more with textured noise, creating layers of sounds that can be disorienting, bizarre, yet somehow beautiful. Fun example : I ran my beloved Digitech Death Metal Distortion running the output into the input and using the line out for recording and using the horrendous noise that oscillates to pitch bend harsh noise into notes in-key with the track.

Amit Ahuja: When you step back and look at your body of work as a whole, what do you feel your project communicates about you on a deeper level—something that might be difficult to express through words alone?

Gabriel Perry: I’ve been through a lot of hell in life; I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but a lot of life experience has shaped what I do, sonically.

I’m not really one to get nostalgic about my work, necessarily, because I’m always trying to push forward towards what’s next.

I will say: if I had to sum up what I do and what it communicates, I believe it’s pretty honest and straight foward. This is music by someone who is clearly going through something emotional and attempting to get a release.

Amit Ahuja: Looking ahead, what does the next chapter hold for you as an artist? Are there upcoming projects, collaborations, tours, or creative directions you’re especially excited to explore?

Gabriel Perry: There’s a few things that I’m beginning to think about. My machine-rock band, [0PT-0UT], has an LP that I need to wrap up. The band I serve as live guitarist, Red This Ever, has started discussing doing a final LP so that’s a huge priority for me.

More than anything : Hindu Pez turns 25 in 2029. So clearly the idea of a long tour is being considered, and preliminarily plotted.

Amit Ahuja: On a more personal note, who are three individuals who have had a profound impact on your life—artistically or personally? What lessons did they teach you, and how do those lessons continue to influence you today?

Gabriel Perry: If I’m being quite honest, I think the biggest impact I experienced was from my high school band director. I learned that music can be rewarding, it can be beautiful, it can be exciting, and can always be improved. Darren G Miller arguably had the greatest impact on me in terms of how I treat music with reverence, respect, and honesty.

Amit Ahuja: Beyond music, what other forms of art or storytelling inspire you? Whether it’s film, literature, or visual art, what draws you to those mediums, and how do they shape your creative process?

Gabriel Perry: I absolutely love crime television and film. I’m currently rewatching Narcos : Mexico as I type this out, if that tells you anything.

Some favorites : Narcos / Narcos Mexico, The Wire, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul, True Detective, Gomorrah, Top Boy, the list goes on.

I think what draws me to crime drama is the cinematography, the way you can film something of dark subject matter and make it somehow beautiful and compelling. I relate to that darkness, and it’s something I relate to visually that influences what I do, sonically.

Amit Ahuja: On a deeper level, what does creating music represent for you personally? Does it feel like catharsis, self-discovery, confrontation, healing—or some combination of all of those? How do those emotional states influence what ultimately makes it into your songs?

Gabriel Perry: In the beginning of Hindu Pez, everything was about confrontation. I was (and still am) pretty angry about a lot in the world, and the gigs from those first 3 years were really confrontational and very rage-induced situations.

That energy is still very present, but now I’m using music as catharsis and healing, because of major life events that have happened and I haven’t fully processed yet.

Amit Ahuja: The creative journey is often filled with rejection, setbacks, and moments of self-doubt. What advice would you give to emerging artists navigating those challenges? How can they turn those experiences into motivation and long-term growth?

Gabriel Perry: Never stop. That’s the main thing. Think what you’re doing sucks? Sure, it might. Keep going. Learn your gear. Find a workflow that makes sense for you. Get good at it. Learn all the stuff associated with this life you’ve chosen: composition, song structure, mixing, mastering, all that.

Build a team that you would die for. You’re going to need help. Graphic design, videography, social media bullshit, all of that. Move like a fucking unit and be better than the other, more popular sub-par act.

Bad gigs are going to happen. You’re going to play gigs in empty rooms. People who claim to be your friends will not show up to events. Let it roll off of your back. You are fucking invincible and have absolutely zero reason to stop. Fuck everyone and anyone that stands in your way.

Amit Ahuja: If you could place your music in any film—classic or modern—which, would you choose, and what kind of moment or scene do you imagine your songs soundtracking?

Gabriel Perry: One of my favorite crime films is Heat. There’s a great scene of Pacino flying down the interstate to a Moby track; if I had my way, I would put a song of mine called Dierdre And Naoise in it’s place. Sidenote, the sequel novel, Heat 2 is something I’m currently reading and WOW. Incredible.

Amit Ahuja: If you could go back and show one of your current tracks to your younger self, how would you react?

Gabriel Perry: To be quite honest, I believe younger me would be in shock at what I’m doing now. I don’t believe it would be in a negative context, but rather the surprise at growth.

Amit Ahuja: When it comes to touring—whether locally or across the U.S.—what are some of the most fun and rewarding aspects of life on the road, and on the flip side, what are the most stressful or challenging parts? For people who might romanticize touring from the outside, what’s something you wish they understood about the reality of it—that it’s not always as effortless or glamorous as it seems? And do you have any fun or memorable stories you can share from your time on tour?

LIVE 11/2/25. Photos by Trauma Mammal. Taken at Gallery 5.

Gabriel Perry: I don’t give half of a quarter of a flying fuck : touring is magical. Touring with Red This Ever was tough (always on a budget) but it built my character and taught me a lot about musicianship. I learned about the importance of networking, of getting to know your local soundguys, your local bands on tour stops, and of making friends everywhere! Some of the best people I’ve met in life are people I’ve met on tour, and they mean the world to me.

Don’t get me wrong : touring is tough, especially without major financial backing and paying everything out of pocket. I remember cooking Top Ramen in a coffee pot on tour with Red This Ever + [0PT-0UT]. Let me tell you, just having the ability to eat on the road when things are slim goes a long way. You ever travel and eat just peanut butter for two days? That will build your fucking character there, bubba.

Being onstage is everything, and being able to do it every night is a privilege that nobody should take for granted.

Amit Ahuja: There’s often a strong connection between creativity and mental health. How have you navigated that balance throughout your journey? What practices or support systems have helped you maintain your well-being while pursuing something so emotionally demanding?

Gabriel Perry: It’s important, I think, to keep moving. And I mean physically. I’ve been through and seen a lot of bad shit, so I’ve disciplined myself to get up and go. Depressed? Walk until your legs hurt. Drink some coffee, drink some water, go.

I was in Vegas a couple weeks ago and was having kind of a depressive moment, so I walked one end of the strip to the other and guess what? It worked.

Amit Ahuja: As we wrap up, what would you like to leave your fans—and readers—with? For anyone out there chasing a dream or still trying to find their voice, what message feels most important for you to share right now?

Gabriel Perry: You can do anything you want. Use that voice. Use that instrument. Fucking go. Fear is not an option. The only person in your way is you; get out of your own way and get to work, time is ticking.

Check in on your friends, take care of yourself, and take care of each other. We are all we have.

Use bad experiences as fuel. Pour gasoline on it. Don’t burn the bridge, blow it up. Fuck it. This is your voice, and there should never be a reason for your voice to be silenced.

I’ve got 22 years at this, and counting. I almost gave up once, right before

covid happened. And guess what? I couldn’t imagine my life without doing this. So don’t stop!

Amit Ahuja: Thank You Gabriel Perry for sharing your story with us today.