The Obelisk Questionnaire: Lex ‘Frumpy’ Waterreus of Seedy Jeezus
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: Lex ‘Frumpy’ Waterreus of Seedy Jeezus
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I play guitar and sing in Seedy Jeezus… I’d always wanted to play guitar since a kid. My father played guitar and every other string instrument, banjo, ukulele, etc. Oddly enough he never once had any interest in my playing, but my mum saw music as a healthy interest. She supported it, and well… after A LOT of gigs, jams rehearsals… then developing hand problems and stopping for many years, I auditioned for a band playing 60s Mod stuff… I clicked with the bassist, that eventuated into the first incarnation of Seedy Jeezus, and the first time I’d ever played in a three-piece band.
Describe your first musical memory.
I was kid, maybe five… My sister had been given the Shangri-las greatest hits record, and played it over n over. It was the equivalent of the Wiggles in the house. My mum threatened to smash it many times. That was the first time I took notice of a band or record. To this day I love the Shangri-las.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Playing Freak Valley Festival. There’s plenty of them, touring jamming and hanging with Isaiah Mitchell, just being onstage with your band and playing music with one mind… but Freak Valley was like finding family you didn’t know you had. The people we met that day have become very good friends. I think any friendship made through music is special.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
You know, Covid has tested many beliefs, and also revealed many disappointments.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
I think artistic progression is reflected on life growth and experiences. It’s like those times when life kicks you down, then one day you realize you’re back up and walking. You look back and are happy you survived, you feel stronger and you’ve grown… That growth flows into art, music and outlook on life and expression.
How do you define success?
When you write a song and someone loves it and they connect to it. When your music has moved someone, they’ve responded to it on an emotional level… that to me is success. There are many bands I have loved and supported since a kid that were to me successful, they may have only played local gigs and released a demo tape or CD… but I still listen to them today. To me they’re successful. They wrote something I connected to…
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
It’s funny JJ, what came to mind first off was watching my mother take her last breath while she looked directly into my eyes. I didn’t sleep for days after. Every time I closed my eyes I relived it. Then I saw the cycle of life in that moment, she saw me take my first breath and I saw her take her last. That somehow made the trauma seem like a natural part of life. I wrote about it on “Treading Water” from Polaris. The line “breath in and set me free” that last breath and the silence after held me at a spot which seemed like forever, but it was moments… Then my world fell apart. We don’t play it live cause it’s a headspace I don’t want to visit on stage.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
For the last couple of years I have tried to raise money for an organization back in New Zealand, in my hometown, that helps the homeless with food. I have done this through producing artwork, etc., that are based from the town’s history. I have an idea of how I can set up a business model that would be a perpetual income for the organization that looks after the homeless, and would need little effort to maintain and run. I have already tested waters to raise $$ and they’ve been successful, with support from local businesses back home… Once Covid passes, I hope to get things a bit deeper and more solid. Homelessness in NZ is a problem, I have had friends I grew up with end up homeless and sadly a couple have died on the streets. It took a childhood friend who went down the drugs, gangs and homelessness and prison, to getting out and turning most perceptions people may have had of him, on their head. And showing up all these people with real action, real love and real support for the homeless who have been where he was. Inspiring stuff.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Art for me is a place of healing and perspective. When you’re lost. Music can be your hiding place. Like most of us we all go through stuff, when I had hand problems and stopped playing guitar for many years, I took up art and painting. I’d prepare all day for it and sit up all night listening to music and painting portraits etc. Very happy memories right there.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Buying some fish and chips and sitting by the ocean listening to the waves and feeling the sun’s warmth. That right there is something that goes back to when I was a kid… so even though I’m here in Australia, I feel I am at home by the water.
[Photo above by Stephen Boxshall.]
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