Proving People Wrong: An Interview With Dom Smith of UK’s Soundsphere Magazine

By Staff | October 3, 2026

Photo credit: Tiffany Tomkinson

For a magazine publication in the UK, you don't have to be in London to do some pretty cool shit.

Soundsphere has spent more than two decades making an impact in alternative media, straight from the North of England. They've grown from covering DIY bands to interviewing some of the biggest names in music, film and wrestling, while still making room for emerging artists. Oh, yeah - and working with a little band called Judas Priest (and pleeeeease pass Rob and the boys our contact info)!

We had a chance to sit down and chat with founder Dom Smith about building Soundsphere, finding community in alternative culture, brushing off the naysayers and why sometimes the best advice really is just to not be a dick.

Welcome! So, what was the initial spark or motivation that caused you to begin Soundsphere?

Thanks for having me!!

I think that there's a culture in the UK, and I think in America as well, where you can't build something creative in the arts outside of capital, or bigger cities, ie: London, New York, Los Angeles. It certainly has gotten better over the last 10 years with the digital age and social media hitting its peak, arguably. So, there are more opportunities around now. Back then, it was unheard of to start a publication in the North of England and want to cover music and arts in cities like York (where we were based at the time), Leeds, Hull, Sheffield, but then also cover around the world.

Now, we've worked with some of the biggest names in alternative music from Yungblud and the 1975, to Placebo, Rammstein and Judas Priest. Alongside that, we've commissioned interviews with renowned actors, directors and creatives like Tim Burton, David Dastmalchian, Guillermo Del Toro, and loads more...all from our current base in East Yorkshire! Not to mention moving into sports entertainment and working with WWE, TNA, AEW and others to speak with top stars in that world, like Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, The Hardy Boys, and LA Knight.

I/we just wanted to challenge the notion that success in music/magazine journalism required being in London, and I think that we've done that, with the help of great press agents, writers (apparently, we're one of the few in the world regularly paying freelancers), bands and management teams who help us with these opportunities. It's a great honour and privilege. We also provide work placements for students in the UK who want to get into journalism, I think the secret to our longevity is consistency and because we're not just a music blog, we've been a print magazine, we're active on a local, regional and global level within alternative culture.

As you'll see in my next answer, I always look for ways to prove people wrong.

What is it specifically about alternative culture that you find interesting?

So, I have Cerebral Palsy. I walk with two sticks at all times, as I was in a wheelchair up until the age of 16. While my family were very supportive of me, the world (when I graduated from my MA in Magazine Journalism from the University of Central Lancashire), was not. However, alternative culture, venues and clubs like Spiders in Hull, gigs around the UK, and the community I found there, were my escape. Because of this culture, I met so many wonderful people and didn't feel othered like I did in certain professional settings.

Everyone said I couldn't work in journalism, everyone said I couldn't work in the media or interview my favourite bands, actors, or wrestlers. Everyone said, you can't do this from the North of England! So, I wanted to do that. The same thing happened when people said I couldn't be in a band (I joined the miserable, horrible grindcore-doom metal band, The Parasitic Twins and toured the UK, Europe and Asia), and now I'm in Strange Pink making shoegaze and grunge, which is the sound I grew up on. I love it. People said you dress too "goth" or "grunge" to be successful, and I had the honour of winning a National Diversity Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence, and I even carried the Paralympic Flame for the city of York. I'm quite proud of that!

People said I wouldn't have many friends, or a loving partner, and I have a great community and a wonderful life with Emma, her boys and my dog, Lou! People will always tell you that you can't do things, for whatever reason. In my view, it's about finding ways to do the things you love, and pivoting when things don't go as you expect. There's always a work around. Take that negative energy, comment or opinion, and use it as fuel!

Photo credit: Adam Brodie

How has the magazine evolved since you first started?

We've gone from just being a music platform, to working in film and TV, sports entertainment and more! We also work to support young people from under-supported backgrounds; this is our primary goal. It's very much an industry of "I scratch your back... etc," and that hasn't changed. We started by interviewing DIY and indie bands through word of mouth, but also PR agents and managers. Since their rosters always include bigger artists, so we'd interview a "smaller" band, do that job well, and then gain access to a bigger artist and it just grew from there. Now, we get access to some of the biggest artists globally.

What sort of criteria do you have when considering artists or stories to cover?

If a band is interesting (for example, an emerging band like Sickcino from Hull, or a trip-hop act like Tyra Aqua from Manchester), we have no problem putting them on our pages if they contact us directly, and we'll put them alongside Amy Adams discussing Cape Fear or AEW Champion Will Ospreay. I/we don't have to answer to anyone, and we're very lucky in that. Because of our network of universities, colleges, schools, and writers, we have a lot of support. So, we don't need to rely on ridiculous gambling advertorials (and we are offered a lot of money for them) to keep going. So, if I like a band or artist, we'll feature them!

How important is the local music scene in the North of England to the magazine?

Excellent question, and thank you for asking. I always think it's important for people to do their research and know who you're talking to (at whatever level)! It's actually my number one rule, and the one we get complimented the most on!

It's very important. There's a grit and determination around areas like Hull, Leeds, York and Sheffield for example, where we find ways to do things, even without many resources. London has the money, and the funding, but that doesn't mean we can't do cool shit in Yorkshire or Lancashire, does it? You've just got to find the right people, and build a community. There are so many cool people, doing such cool stuff where we are, and all around the North. Wherever you're living, just research and you'll find your people. Go to shows, and support live music, DIY indie labels, community events. That's where you'll meet people, and make stuff happen.

Can you take us through a particular piece you've published that is particularly memorable?

I think interviewing Rammstein! That interview was done with a translator, following my meeting with one of my favourite writers, Giles Moorhouse, who used to write about industrial music for Rock Sound, and still runs Armalyte Industries. We hit it off, he hooked me up, and I did it over the phone from my mum's house when I was about 21 or 22. That obviously opened people's eyes to us. We then spoke to Joey Jordison, RIP and some of the biggest metal bands, which allowed us to network with indie/accessible bands like Enter Shikari, Pendulum, Frank Turner and so many more..and then, of course, as I mentioned...it naturally snowballed. It's not so hard to pitch to speak to Street Fighter star David Dastmalchian if you've spoken to one of his favourite bands (Failure), or to pitch to speak to a band like Placebo, when you're a huge fan of a band like Officers and do loads of coverage for them, especially when they're also on Riverman Management, for example.

Anyone can have a go, it's just about doing a good job, and not being a dick, and having a passion for writing and networking! You'll make mistakes—I've made so many—but you've just got to learn from them and remember to pivot instead of giving up entirely on something; there's usually another angle to explore!

My counselling supervisor (I'm also a mental health professional) told me that you don't have to be the perfect counsellor, you just have to be good enough for that person at that time. Basically, do the best job you can in that interview, or that job—stop worrying about being perfect, that doesn't exist. Heck, watch any interview I do... I waffle, I ramble...(kinda like right now) but that's who I am (I'm never going to be formal) and that's okay. Focus on being good enough to do the job well enough that you keep getting work, and opportunities. If you focus too much on being perfect, you can get lost in that.

Where do you see Soundsphere in the future - any changes in direction planned, or are you sticking to a formula you're comfortable with?

Go check out Screensphere and Wrestlesphere, we may return to those sites one day! That's how we originally built the film/TV and wrestling content, which is now hosted on Soundsphere. I don't know...I'd quite like to do some stuff with the UFC. A Hull lad, George Staines, just got given a contract by Dana White! Maybe I'll reach out to him. I want to do more indie wrestling stuff, with companies that I really enjoy companies like Mystery Wrestling, TNA and WWE have always been good to us as well. I've interviewed most of my heroes, so I tend to focus on more emerging artists myself now and support new writers. That said, we've got some very cool stuff coming up in and around Hollywood!

Search Soundsphere magazine on YouTube, and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (all at @soundspheremag) to keep up to date.

What would you say is the main difference between Soundsphere and other publications?

We're based in the North of England, covering alternative music arts and culture on a local, regional, national and international level. All while, supporting young people into creative jobs and having a blast while doing it!

Anyone you'd like to thank for their support?

Well, thank you for your time and interest in what we do! Thanks to my family and friends for their continued support. Thank you to the communities in Hull and York who helped us build from the ground up! For anyone who's ever underestimated me (and there are a lot of you), I will continue to do cool shit, and help other people to do cool shit, and live the kind of life I can be proud of...so, eventually you're stupid, mean comments just fade into the background!! Do cool shit, and don't be a dick! Good things will happen!

Thanks to our readers, viewers and listeners who engage with us however they see fit! It means more than you know!

Oh yeah, to Hull City...up the fucking Tigers! (editor’s note: umm, sure! Why not?)


Official website: https://www.soundspheremag.com/