The Obelisk Questionnaire: Carlos Ibarra from Maulén
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: Carlos Ibarra from Maulén
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Wow! Talk about dropping a bomb as the first question! My current project Maulén was defined by a period in my life where I had to stop making music to take care of my health. During that period I had time to think about WHY I make music and WHAT part of it that gives me joy and energy. I realized that for me music is a vessel, A vessel that has taken me across the world. Music is a sound in a space. And I realized that space was important to me. The actual place that the music is made. So for Maulén the place becomes an important element. It’s a huge part of what inspires me to write and record and I always want to take a piece of the place and freeze it in time to put in on wax.
Describe your first musical memory.
When I was like five years old I loved the band Europe and especially their drummer. I remember seeing the “Rock the night” video where there are big explosions behind him when he makes drum fills. I had a toy drum set at the time and I wanted shit to blow up when I played, so I started beating the drums really hard in hope shit would explode. When that did not happen I got really pissed and thought it was because I wasn’t hitting it hard enough. So in my rage I went and got a hammer and beat my toy drum into a million pieces and when there was no explosion I started to cry.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
There are so many great memories but maybe seeing Fantomas live at Roskilde Festival was one of them. It was a thorough display of Mike Patton’s twisted mind. Bending and twisting some of the best musicians on the planet to create his vision. I stood there with a huge grin on my face!
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
How do you answer that when you don’t believe in anything? Maybe meeting Jesus during an acid trip?
I used to believe in the goodness of mankind but the last 10 years of where the world is going is challenging that really hard.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Forward.
How do you define success?
When you allow yourself to have a vision of something and then you accomplish it. It can be a song, getting rich or just about anything else. It can also be when you allow yourself to feel accomplished.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
Sabaton and Limp Bizkit.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
One of my idols is Salvador Allende. A deposed democratically elected Chilean president said “No hay revolución sin canciones” with roughly translated means “there is no revolution that does not have songs”. I want to write songs that inspire change.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
It allows us to feel what we don’t dare to feel and speak about what hurts us the most.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
This is a hard one! Maybe sleep?
http://www.maulen.org
http://www.facebook.com/officialmaulen
http://www.instagram.com/officialmaulen
http://www.twitter.com/officialmaulen
https://officialmaulen.bandcamp.com/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kXcqUWmDpY8EPmgJGzc8u
https://www.facebook.com/iceaofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/iceaofficial
https://twitter.com/icea_label
https://iconscreatingevilart.bandcamp.com/
