The Obelisk Questionnaire: Vagg Oikonomou of Honeybadger
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: Vagg Oikonomou of Honeybadger
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Channeling my inner fears, feelings, and energy into music through the communication with three other people, combining their ideas and forming them into something special (I hope so).
As for how I came to do it, well I had to find a way to stop banging tables, my feet, other’s feet, and everything that had a drum sound in my ears, just to stay concentrated…
Describe your first musical memory.
I remember my mother arguing with my older brother about the cover of Iron Maiden’s “Live after Death”, that she didn’t want that monster in our house. That’s when I thought I must listen to this music. I did some favors to my brother and voila, my first Cassette and Walkman, and a blown mind!
Describe your best musical memory to date.
I remember hours and hours recording vinyl to cassettes, then blasting my Walkman up to 11 so the music would bleed through the old headset (the one with the metal thing and the spongy speakers), just to impress the girls… Metallica wasn’t a good choice then, but Offspring did the work.
I really miss this process of listening to music, to listen to the whole album with no distractions, as a part of a “Litany”.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
When my father had a heart attack. The image of a powerful figure collapsed.
Then he told me the story of how he ended up in hospital: He felt chest pain, took the car, drove to the hospital, and with a cigarette in his mouth, said to the guy at the gate: “I’m having a heart attack, let me in.”
That’s when I believed that he is just NUTS!
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Simplicity, I guess. Can I answer again in 30 years?
How do you define success?
Success is when your music has an impact on another person. If it creates a memory, a crack in his timeline and gets entombed in their heart, their soul.
Oh, and sold-out shows, definitely!
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
That’s a difficult question for me, because as a person I always try to extract the positive essence of an experience. Seeing something bad makes me appreciate something else.
Every experience is a “train station,” I guess. In some you stay longer than another.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
A stand-up show.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Thanks for this question, it really had me digging.
The personal function of art is vague and that is what makes it so interesting. Everyone experiences art differently. The artist speaks a language, and the “receiver” understands something completely different, maybe the same or something in between. Is that bad? I guess not, because it all comes down to the subject’s perception. No one can control the use of an artistic piece.
Lyrics and poetry in general, are a great example. And classical music. I remember my first music teacher had us listen to Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, close our eyes, and write down what pictures the music produced. Everyone had a different experience!
By the way, if a kid paints the sky purple is it wrong? Is it Art? (Maybe it is young “Prince”)
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Elden Ring 2.
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