The Obelisk Questionnaire: Jon Weisnewski of Sandrider
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: Jon Weisnewski of Sandrider
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Took me a few minutes of thinking to realize I have no idea. I’ve literally never tried to define it. The thing I do know with ultimate certainty is that I am unable to NOT write and perform music. It’s a deep part of me and my identity. I learned pretty ruthlessly in the first year of Covid lockdown that my mental health tanks when that part of my life is taken away from me. I couldn’t say how I came to do it, it seemed inevitable. I grew up with hippy parents, my dad is a musician and music teacher, they both helped foster a love and appreciation for art, I had access to musical instruments… Would have been weird if I didn’t end up with some kind of musical affinity. I’m now in my 40s and have been going to band practice and playing shows without interruption since I was 14. It’s just how I do life.
Describe your first musical memory.
The first memory I’d consider a “musical memory” is driving on a long road trip as a little kid with my Dad. He had a tape player in the car and we listened to The Beatles Revolver over and over. It was the first time I’d ever sat still and really paid attention to music and let it soak.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
There are so many I don’t think I can isolate a ‘best’. Close to the top of the list is a show my old band Akimbo played in a wine cellar underneath a wine shop in France. It was a last minute show, only 20 or so people showed up, but the place exploded with energy. It stands out as one of the wildest performances I’ve ever been a part of. Another one (and I admit this is weird for me) is going to see U2 in a stadium on the Joshua Tree tour they did. We had nosebleed seats, couldn’t have been further away from the stage, and I don’t know how they pulled it off but the band sounded perfect. It’s so hard to get an arena show to sound good, and it was like seeing them in a small concert hall. I’m not a U2 fan. I respect U2 and they have some songs that are very powerful, but I’m not a fan. All that aside I was absolutely floored by the show, especially with The Joshua Tree material. I still get chills when I think about seeing ‘New Years Day’ and ‘Bullet the Blue Sky’ that night. It was such a grounding moment, a reminder that you can tell yourself all these REASONS why a band is dumb or why so-and-so’s music is lame, but at the end of the day people performing and creating with heart and THE JUICE is the only thing that matters.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
Did I ever tell you about the time I went to a U2 concert?
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Abject poverty! And also, hopefully more art! There’s a very satisfying cycle of finding an idea, building it up, executing it, and then moving on to the next project. Progression doesn’t have to mean someone got more skilled or “better”. Progress can just be finishing something and starting something new. Most creatives are happy when they’re doing the creating. Embracing that cycle helps prevent me from being a perfectionist as well. It’s good to be able to stand back from a work of any medium, look at it and call it done. There will be another chance to try new things, see what can improve, and continue to lose money.
How do you define success?
For me it is sustainability. I want my creative endeavors to be sustainable both materially and emotionally. Success would be breaking even (and continuing to break even) on the cost you put into a project, and having that not consume your ability to be a happy, functional human in the process. Did you see that trick I did? Define success at a shamefully low bar and then tell yourself you succeeded!
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
I was a first responder to a traffic accident where a person attempted to cross the freeway on their bicycle and got hit by a car going full speed. I was two cars behind the driver. I saw every detail before, during, and after up until they took the person away in the ambulance. An off duty doctor was also a responder so we got to help him turn the body to keep the spine straight. I’m trying to think of a funny thing to add to counterbalance that bummer of an answer, but hey there it is. We’re all sentient bags of fluid wiggling around until we can’t wiggle anymore. Eat at Arby’s.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
I have a solo project called Nuclear Dudes. So far I’ve just done traditional albums, but I’m really looking forward to making one off covers of other songs, try my hand at game or film soundtrack stuff, and do some collaborations with other artists. There’s also a Sandrider project we’ve talked about doing for years that I really hope we can launch at some point. I’m not going to say what it is here because it’s so awesome someone will probably steal it and do it first. In fairness though, we kinda stole it from another band that did a similar thing a while back. Still not telling.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Ah jeez… I grow weary of the debating of art. That’s not a dig at the question at all, just a little venting that it’s even a topic. In the interest of forcing myself to use words for an answer someone will probably eviscerate me for, I will declare that the most essential function of art is to experience art. Get in there. Feel it. Absorb it. Think about it. Pay attention to it. Stop looking at your phone during the movie (it’s ok I do it too). I think that applies to artists as well as enjoyers of art. When you do it for a long time it’s easy to lose some of that spark, or get focused on superficial side distractions that come with pursuing a life in the arts. Stay connected to the magic. Recognize that feeling of excitement or inspiration when it hits and hold it close.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Covid being ‘for reals’ over, instead of people ‘pretending-it’s-not-still-running-rampant’ over.
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I don’t know that anyone will read this comment but I wanted to say this was pretty inspiring to read. The dude is turning into a bit of a hero in my mind. Killer discography and a great guy. The world needs more of these people like Jon!