The Obelisk Questionnaire: Joey Carbo of Woorms
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.
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The Obelisk Questionnaire: Joey Carbo of Woorms
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I am a Recording Artist and a Writer. I’ve always done those things. It seems like the first thing I decided to do once I learned to write sentences was use them to create stories. And that’s still what I’m doing. I was always an artist. I spent almost all my time drawing, painting, and writing stories up to age 13 (when I went to my two only fiends and informed them that they would be learning to play because we were going to be a band).
I wrote a bunch of songs too, since my first memories, but had no idea how to play them; they were just in my head and, consequently I think, I still write my songs in my head most of the time. Only now, I know how to get them out.
Once I began to teach myself to play different instruments, it was all I ever wanted to do. I recorded with tape decks, I built a homemade 3 track before I got (or even knew that one could get) a little Tascam 4 track.
I still write stories and chip away at book manuscripts when I have time, but I spend very close to all of my time either making or thinking about making music.
Nowadays, I’m also a Producer/Engineer.
Describe your first musical memory.
I was about four. I heard “Big River” and I got a painful lump in my throat and goosebumps all over. I shivered. My chest ached. I didn’t know at the time why I felt this way and I didn’t know what an epiphany was but I DID know that I had to figure out how to make other people feel this way because it was both beautiful and horrible and it seemed to set the whole world right. I still feel that way and I am still only interested in sad songs, tragic songs, murder ballads, sacrifice, loss, intensity. I wasn’t a dark child yet by any means but darkness did move me at that very early age.
Describe your best musical memory to date?
I just did.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I hate to answer the question this way but I don’t believe much in belief. Certainty is reserved for fools. I think I’m paraphrasing Montaigne there but as long as I’m being a pretentious fuck, let’s look at it another way.
Bertrand Russell said, “The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves and wiser people are so full of doubts.” Something like that. I fit the bill there (if I can call myself a wiser person, and I do) and as much as I like Russell’s work, I am of two minds about his wisdom here. While it may be tragic that “wise men” are not more certain, I’m not sure just how wise they’d continue to be if they strapped on some convictions and started in on finger pointing.
I try to free myself of belief in effort to be less vain and self centered. Not that I succeed as much as I’d like to.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
To isolation, to obscurity. My bands have always been too weird for the “intended audience”. And not that I ever “intended” an audience but my first touring band: too heavy for the indie or prog bands and too strangely quiet and sonically dynamic for the metal heads; I had a five piece noise rock/folk/country band: way too goddamn weird for that crowd but no way we could play with metal bands.
I don’t mind that it sounds cynical. For all but a very few, originality is a death knell. Once in a blue moon it catches on and no one wants to admit it but very few of us want to be taken out of our comfort zones. It’s depressing, to be honest. As I’m sure I am being right now.
How do you define success?
I want to be recognized for my work — any artist that says differently is not being honest with themself — but if you consider that during the creation process then the work dies on the vine. The only success is a satisfied mind. And NO ONE has figured out how to get their hands on one of those.
What is something that you’ve seen that you wish you hadn’t?
I’m sorry, I’m not really comfortable with the question.
Describe something that you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
A full film score. Woorms is slated to score a silent film for a live audience this fall (and we’re making a studio record of it) but I’d love to score a movie.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
I don’t think there is time for, nor interest in, a good answer here. This is a huge question. Art is demonstrably inseparable from the human psyche. In a cage, we will sing. In a firing squad, we will imagine a life after death. The earth has turned to ice and trapped us inside caves to face starvation and still we will carve our dreams into the walls. Sappy, I know.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
That’s a tough one …dinner? Haha!
I am traveling to Portugal later this year after tour to see a good friend and I’m learning the language. I do know him because of music but I can’t think of anyone I know for some other reason.
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https://www.facebook.com/WOORMSband
https://woorms.bandcamp.com
https://www.supernovarecordsusa.com
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https://twitter.com/supernovarecusa
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https://supernovarecordsusa.bandcamp.com
