The Obelisk Questionnaire: Cut the Architect’s Hand
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: Greg Branch, Bryan Conner & Tim Madison of Cut the Architect’s Hand
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Greg Branch: I don’t define it. I constantly create. It pours out of me I just funnel it in different directions. Different musical projects, writing, painting, etc…
Bryan Conner: I would say drumming and music keep me sane. My Father raised me on ’70s rock with the speakers maxed, growing up in the house and he played drums, that in turn were accessible to me. Then when I was around age 15, I picked up the sticks and rolled with it and drumming became one of my favorite thing to date.
Tim Madison: The eternal battle/struggle for attention mixed with the lack of intelligence and better judgement to do something more productive with my time, loudly.
Describe your first musical memory.
G: My mom playing Al Green & Otis Redding records when I was very small.
B: Watching My Father and his friends jamming in the garage.
T: Listening to the black album nonstop on a beach vacation when it was new.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
G: The first time I played solo. It was my birthday and so many people important to me came to support and I was touched.
B: So far the most powerful musical memory I have experienced was in Washington D.C. seeing Pearl Jam play and hearing the arena singing in unison. Over powering the band and PA.
T: Still waiting for one to happen.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
G: I welcome it daily. Being closed minded and not open to change is the death of growth.
B: Being a parent with two teenage kids.
T: Present.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
G: A better ability to express yourself.
B: In a perfect world happiness, but depends on the person, I am often satisfied with everything we do. Overtime it has earned the title “Fucking Diamonds (#128142#) ” A sign of my personal approval, For what it’s worth. Lol. But there are many people who can be crippled and weighed down by the act of musical and artistic creations.
T: Pain/suicide/depression/debt. Artists tend to feel more and more intensely.
How do you define success?
G: Being able to create and perform on a regular basis.
B: That’s an eye of the beholder question. everyone will be different. Me and the guys have kept the band functional in one way or another since 2002, Put together a massive amount of material in that time, successfully get together and practice almost weekly. And have played countless shows. All while holding down jobs, work, and family. Feels like success to me.
T: Achieving levels of happiness through non shady means.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
G: The suffering of any animal.
B: That shitty American Godzilla movie with Matthew Broderick.
T: The truth.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
G: I’ve written the first paragraph of a book. I am not rushing it and letting it come to me a sentence at a time.
B: A small restaurant/bar with some kinda stage , Richmond, VA, needs more music venues.
T: Travel rig. IEM unit. Guitar brand, amplifier brand, maybe one good song.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
G: Release and appreciation of seeing how someone different than yourself interprets things.
B: The ability to express yourself and let others see how you feel, and or how your art invokes feelings in others.
T: Expression, creation and unity through non verbal means. As people we are desperately seeking to reconnect with our souls, and art is essentially what we are here to create and connect with each other. But instead we invented credit scores and taxes.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
G: Visiting Gettysburg. I am interested in history and visiting the places it happened.
B: All future Star Wars and Marvel movie/ comic content. It’s all Fucking Diamonds(#128142#).
T: Watching my son grow up.
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