The Obelisk Questionnaire: Matteo Dossena of Year of Taurus & Sherpa
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Matteo Dossena of Year of Taurus & Sherpa
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I think that I was destined for music, I’m used to write songs since I was six years old. Now I’m 31 and I’ve come a long way to reach that point. When I compose music I’m very strict with myself and I always try to reach the “pathos” in my compositions.
Describe your first musical memory.
My father and I in our old country house listening and dancing under “Loaded” by Primal Scream.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Playing with Sherpa in Het Patronaat Venue at Roadburn Festival. It was amazing.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Probably when, before the release, I was thinking that a project as Year of Taurus could be not well received here in Italy.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
I feel (and I hope) it leads to self-awareness, wisdom, calm, and a detached contemplation of the world and society. I use art as an attempt to balance the madness of the world and the child that lives inside me.
How do you define success?
Maybe just with happiness; my mission is to share sounds, words, feelings and moods. If all of that can be reached by people I will be happy and satisfied for what I’ve done.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
For sure La Casa dalle finestre che ridono an Italian ’70s horror movie by Pupi Avati.
A real nightmare.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
For the latest releases of Year of Taurus and Shigaraki (Franz Cardone, Sherpa’s bassplayer) we have created a little label called Astral Concrete; the intention is to create a movement of artists that we love and share music with handmade packagings… we believe that nowadays music is mostly reproduced via streaming services… so it’s important to give people pieces of art starting from CDs, LPs or tapes.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Art must have the mission to describe something you can’t describe. Sometimes could be entertainment or something useful in everyday life, but I think that the most important things are feelings, art must talk to your soul.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
I’d like to improve my camera skills and to create small videos, edit and combine them with my future compositions.
https://www.facebook.com/yearoftaurus
https://yearoftaurus.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/sherpa.ita/
https://www.instagram.com/sherpa.music/
https://sherpaita.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/astralconcretesoundlabel
https://astralconcretesounds.bandcamp.com/
