The Obelisk Questionnaire: Daniel Palm of Cities of Mars
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: Daniel Palm of Cities of Mars
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Me and my band mates are trying to entertain and tell a story through loud riffs. We’re playing and creating heavy atmospheric music, trying to make sense of a universe full of ideas and influences. We want to do so much but reality in terms of time, family, money or whatever always seems to get in the way.
I’ve been playing heavy music for 25 years and I’ve promoted shows and festivals on and off for 15. Never an expert and always a bit out of my depth I’ve made every mistake possible, before arriving in a state that is more confident but still confused.
Trying to make sense of the music industry seems like a life long struggle. After my former band went on hiatus in 2013 I had a few years without music and it was a disaster. I had to play again and went about getting a concept together, where all the music I wanted to do came together. I had the good fortune to hook up with Chris and Johan and here we are, a tiny blip on the scene radar but with good fun and a few good riffs to our name.
Describe your first musical memory.
I played the trumpet from an early age but since music school only handed us classical music (that I have never liked, not then, not now) it left me spiritually empty. When I was eleven, a school mate introduced me to hard rock and I wished for a Kiss album for Christmas. We had no record player but my parents bought Animalize on cassette, but since no cassette player was to be found in my grandparents house, I want outside through thick snow and played it on our car stereo. From there, it’s always been about riffs and pounding drums. Never could stand Kiss after that though, they are a terrible band that I outgrew within a year. But then came WASP, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Purple, Slayer…
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Hard to pick! It might have been our debut gig at my own Wizard of Fuzz festival in 2015, where I basically had put together a festival so our first show would be a proper one, rather than at Billy-Bobs grill with two people and a dog watching. The festival had 14 bands and we got through our very first gig with some level of success that really gav eus confidence in what we do. But also, all the cool people we’ve met on tour and all the friends that we ’ve made have given us so many memories. Can’t wait to get back to touring!
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I think over the last few years, my belief that we are evolving as societies and as people has been tested and stretched thin. The rise of fascism in many corners of the world, the anti-vaxx movement, climate deniers, flat-earthers… It seems like we are moving away from reason and facts, that emotion has replaced wisdom and that stupidity just flies better than science. I really thought that scientific knowledge somehow would be the natural thing for society, values and social interactions to follow. Instead we are moving, at least in some parts of the world, towards the movie Idiocracy. I can’t watch that movie anymore, it just isn’t funny because it’s so close to our current mentality.
How do you define success?
In a music context, it’s quite easy. I wanted to create music that I like and play it in front of people who also like it. Our fans aren’t legion, but there are some and that counts for a good sense of success.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
A few weeks ago, a saw the entire hairy buttcrack of our bricklayer while renovating our old family farm. No one should have to see that.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
An epic bass line, one that really defines a song, possible for Regular Joes to know in their local music quiz.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
I would say it’s a valve, to release ideas or concepts that won’t fit into the more static realms. To provide tools and arenas where big or small questions can be asked and to explore into our inner selves…
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
I’m starting a new job in September where I’ll be working with traditional house renovations, with all old school methods and materials and the reuse of old, good quality materials. It’ll be great to combine my passion for old houses with modern circular economy and enthusiastic customers who share those passions.
www.facebook.com/citiesofmars
http://citiesofmars.bandcamp.com/
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https://www.facebook.com/theripplemusic/
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/
http://www.ripple-music.com/
