The Obelisk Questionnaire: Emilio Torreggiani of Tenebra
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: Emilio Torreggiani of Tenebra
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
We have never been particularly fascinated by definitions and sub-genres. Tenebra, as far as we’re concerned, are a rock band.
Sure, what we have in common is a passion for how rock was made 50 or 60 years ago, but then, we all have other influences that I think shine through in our music.
Mesca, Claudio and I had been wanting to form a band with these characteristics for a while, but the thing that got the group off to a serious start was the somewhat casual meeting with Silvia through an announcement. She was the element that squared the circle.
Describe your first musical memory.
My mum is a huge rock fan, I was lucky to grow up with an enviable record collection!
When I was a kid he made a tape of soft songs to put me to sleep, I remember in it were “Life On Mars”, “The Battle Of Evermore”, “Changes”…
These were the first things I heard. I still have that tape.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
It’s hard to answer. I’ve been playing in bands (with very little success :D) since I was 14 years old. With the band I had in the 00s, we toured a lot, even in the States, playing places I had only heard of, like the Metro in Chicago, The Casbah in San Diego, the Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco or at the First Avenue in Minneapolis.
But perhaps the show I have the best memory of was when we opened for Lungfish (a band I love very much, on Dischord records), in a small squat here in Bologna downtown which no longer exists.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I grew up as a leftist (which is probably a slightly different concept here in Europe than in the States, but that’s another story…), and I’ve always thought that the community was more important than individuals, well, I must say that with the emergence of social networks, society has veered towards what could be defined as “mass individualism” .
In social networks I only see an expression of vanity or self-promotion and it seems to me that they have largely supplanted moments of real confrontation, in real life.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
it should lead you to where you feel good and at ease, it should lead you to where your ideas are represented with the greatest possible care, regardless of what others think or the trends of the moment.
How do you define success?
For me, success is having the time to be able to do what I want and, sadly, having a dayjob is a daily struggle. :)
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
When I was twenty, a long time ago, there was compulsory military service here in Italy. You could decide to avoid it by volunteering for a year in some public service.
I ended up driving the ambulance to a hospital near Bologna. Unfortunately I have seen many road accidents and many deaths, something that, frankly, I would have preferred to avoid.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
Next Tenebra album! I’ve already recorded a lot of demos and can’t wait to arrange songs with the others.
In general I would like to make music where many influences shine through, but all in an organic and harmonious way. This is always my goal when writing music.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
For oneself, art is therapy, it is a journey into one’s mind, it should be the continuous ability to marvel at something one does not know about himself.
For those who enjoy art, this should be a window on another human being, on the perennial effort of women and men, finite beings, to generate something that can survive them.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
My partner and I really like to go on short trips, especially when it’s winter and there aren’t many tourists.
We especially like central Italy, Tuscany, Umbria, Marche. They are places with a moving nature and art, where, moreover, you eat very well!
When it’s winter they are quite affordable and therefore we are organizing a weekend in Cortona…
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