The Obelisk Questionnaire: Adam Kravitz of Future Projektor
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: Adam Kravitz of Future Projektor (ex-Gritter)
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
I consider the music we (Future Projektor) play to be Instrumental Ambient Metal, almost soundtrack material. Very heavy, atmospheric. We play to custom made videos, like we are the soundtrack. Encourage edibles, or mushrooms. After playing in many bands over the years, I kept finding myself drawn to instrumental music. No frontman/woman, no screaming, no singing, nothing. Like Pink Floyd, not so much as a jam band, or riff salad, just really wanting to create a mood. Very low tuned, vibes that you can feel in your bones, it is therapeutic to me.
We just started jamming after my last band broke up and it went from there. Seth Harris (Kepone, Honor Role) and Brian Metz(Bowlethereal) filled out the group. Recorded our first release TERMA, one nonstop 30-minute piece in six parts. Was a lot of fun to create. Played shows.
Then came the pandemic. We had just opened for Weedeater and they literally shut down the country the following week. Just like that No more shows. The other two members quit. Then I had a heart attack! Still keeping the project alive, still paying for a rehearsal space, I befriended Jimmy Bower (EyehHateGod, Down, etc.).
We started jamming, he was going to be the new drummer, so we created the heart attack jams. Was pivotal in my rehabilitation to getting stronger. Found a new bass player, Sean Plunkett, and we were off to the races. Then Jimmy had to move back to Nola, so we reached out to our old drummer Kevin White (Gritter, Throttlerod, Sunnshine), and we were a whole band again.
Fast forward a year later and we are finishing up our new 40-minute release called The Kybalion. An even better concept piece. Very excited.
Describe your first musical memory.
Playing saxophone in my 4th grade orchestra. Was given a guitar at six, didn’t take to it. Liked paying the sax. Ended up playing the alto, tenor, and baritone. Learned song structure and tones. Learned how to listen to other instruments and how they played off each other.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Was 1984, was a huge Van Halen fan. My father surprised me and took me to see them play on that tour. Had never been to a concert before. Was amazing. Everyone smoking cigs or joints. After seeing the opening band, which was Autograph, the lights went out, the announcer screamed are you ready for Van Halen and boom, the curtains dropped, and it was a full-on music assault.
After seeing the concert, I begged to get a guitar, where it sat for a year, because I didn’t understand it. Until one day my friend down the street who was a little older came over and showed me how to play “Rock You Like a Hurricane!” I was hooked ever since, couldn’t stop smiling from ear to ear. Was amazed that you could recreate a song I loved to hear on this instrument right in front of me. Been that way for 37 years now.
Side note, I got to meet Eddie Van Halen years later and telling him this story was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Interesting question, I feel that life is a constant test and it’s how we react to a situation, that either makes it ok, or go not ok. I give even the ickiest individuals the benefit of the doubt most the time. I do remember a party we had years ago a house I lived in, we were kicking everyone out. Heard some moaning from a back bathroom. Knocked on the door, and a dude said come back later.
We said open because everyone must go home. He said no, so we kicked in the door, and he was having his way with a passed-out girl. Let’s just say that he got the ever-lasting piss kicked out of him. It was on the second floor; he never touched the stairs to the first floor. That was an unsettling moment.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Hopefully to a newer and deeper searching of oneself expressions. It’s always interesting to me to think a certain idea can start one way and be completely different by the end. For myself, it’s what makes playing music and the creation of nothing into something, enjoyable.
How do you define success?
Being happy with and complete with things you have done in life. The good, the bad, the amazing, the scary. It all makes you who you are. All of it. Can’t have one without the other. Some define it by money, possessions, friends, etc. That can be one way, but that’s all materialistic. You can’t take any of that with you. Leaving behind music or art, last longer than the human form. To me that is success. Having the ability to leave behind something for someone else to enjoy, or hate?
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
A Serbian Film. Some things you just don’t need to see ya know. I love horror films, and thrillers, and shockers, but that one was just too much.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
I would love to be able to create a full animation video. I’m fascinated by animation and the creation process. Just haven’t been able to completely wrap my head around it. Esp. since our Project is based around playing to customized trippy videos. Like we are the soundtrack. Would make it that much more personal.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Self-expression. We are all influenced by someone or something, but really trying to figure out your own version is what makes it yours. Your flavor to it, your take, your vison. It’s what makes [being an] artist so fascinating, or boring haha.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to.
The future. Haha. I’m always intrigued by what is to come. The unknown. We always feel that we have seen it all, until one day another thing pops up, and you say to yourself, “I didn’t expect that!” I like little or big things like that. Could be a new soda flavor. Could be new tech. Could be political. Could be personal. It’s just the unknown, or a new twist on the familiar which makes it unfamiliar. Like being able to take this questionnaire. Its random, fun, and unexpected and for that I thank you.
https://www.facebook.com/futureprojektor
https://futureprojektor.bandcamp.com/
