The Obelisk Questionnaire: Kev Feazey from The Fierce and the Dead
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: Kev Feazey from The Fierce and the Dead
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
As a band, we think of ourselves as just that – a band. A group of like-minded musicians. It’s tempting to over analyse but I think we are the product of having all grown up together and having the same musical influences, but that each of us has a distinctly different perspective. As an individual I just think of myself as someone who is happiest when making something. I think I wanted to be in a band before I wanted to play an instrument – it’s that thing of being in a gang of people you love and trust. Creating music means you have to lay your psyche out there, so being with people you can be comfortable around helps a lot.
Describe your first musical memory.
I think I had a ‘Top Of The Pops’ tape that had Joan Jett’s ‘I Love Rock N Roll’ on it. I remember I played that a lot. My dad had a pretty big record collection, mostly modern soul stuff, so I would get to hear that a lot. I honestly can’t say which of these memories was first, but I do remember that as a kid there was a lot of music around, all varieties.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Driving back to the hotel from our first gig in the US. It was just us in the car, listening to Boards Of Canada, and the sense of achievement was overwhelming. Something we had created had led to us being so far from home, and that people there knew who we were and were so receptive. It was a great moment for four friends from a small town in England.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Most days! As I’ve gotten older my grip on beliefs has loosened significantly. It’s best to gather as much info as you can and try to use critical thinking to get to as solid a truth as you can. Being able to hold two opposing arguments in your head is a useful skill. Especially useful for working with music. I hate the idea that you can’t blend styles and genres. That’s what music is surely? Ideas colliding.
Having said all this – the Earth is most definitely round!!!
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Down an endless rabbit hole. So many variables – context as I age, tech advances bringing new sounds, personal tastes changing, audiences changing – it’s always changing. I’m not sure progression is the right word. It’s a very winding, loop the loop type road. Sometimes you find yourself plundering the past for ideas, sometimes it’s the latest vogue in production. You have to do things that make sense to you, I guess that’s what you are always chasing. We are lucky – in the same way bands like Faith No More, Black Midi or even Opeth can go where they want musically – so can we. I love Slayer but they were never going to veer off to experiment with Calypso influences or whatever. I once worked with the great Boris Grebenshcikov as a recording assistant many years ago. He asked if I was in a band and I said yes, I was in several.
“Why?”
“Well because they all do different things.”
“Doesn’t it make more sense to be in one band where you can do anything you like?”
Hell yes, Boris – it does make sense. And TFATD is that band for me.
How do you define success?
It’s never what you think it is. Setting huge goals means that satisfaction is always going to be on the other shore – and even if you do make it there it the expectation rarely matches the reality. Make something that you like, then you’ll probably want others to hear/see it. Don’t sweat about being original or the next big thing. That’s the easiest way to have a breakdown. Most originality comes from people feeding influences through their own perceptions and ability. Brian Eno said “All great pop music is created by small groups of people misunderstanding other small groups far away.” So – relax, make things you like and maybe you’ll be lucky, and others will like it. If you’ve created something you love then you’ve already succeeded.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
My last bank statement.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
Always looking forward to creating our next body of work. We are constantly experimenting with new sounds, and they often spur new directions. Recently we’ve been more involved in making our own videos and that’s been great so we will be creating more visual stuff. Our most recent video – to accompany the new single ‘Wonderful’ – has allowed us to express how we see our music visually and that is going to continue for sure.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
I can’t put it any better than Jean-Michel Basquiat – “Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time”. Life has a soundtrack and you get to choose it (mostly).
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Lunch.
https://www.instagram.com/tfatd/
https://www.facebook.com/fierceandthedead
https://thefierceandthedead.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3bkekNyPjQsZwwydoMsFyQ?si=thg35jjcSz6p37TfTzh_0Q&nd=1
http://www.fierceandthedead.com/
