The Obelisk Questionnaire: Chris Morrison from Mother of Graves
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: Chris Morrison from Mother of Graves
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
For the sake of this question, what I do is be in a band called Mother of Graves. I’d define Mother of Graves as a group of friends who play death/doom metal as a cathartic and creative release. I’ve always loved to write music since I was kid. I suck at playing other people’s music, so I started writing my own. I’ve been in several bands throughout the years, but Mother of Graves was formed later in life after a great friend tragically passed. The early songs were a way to directly deal with that loss and since then it has become a way for us all to process whatever we are going through. Also, it is just plain fun to play music with your friends. We wanted to try our hand at, in a way, bringing back the sounds we loved from the early and mid 90s.
Describe your first musical memory.
My earliest musical memories are sitting on the carpet listening to the radio and waiting for my favorite Duran Duran and Michael Jackson songs to play. Then taking a cassette deck and recording them so I could listen over and over.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
There’s been so many great memories that it is hard to pick just one. The tour I did with my old band Harakiri along with Commit Suicide and Kalibas in 2002 is unforgettable for many reasons; however, more recently a couple killer shows stand out: Decibel Metal and Beer Fest in Denver and Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle. These were two of the bigger shows I’d ever played, we were received really well, had a beer collaboration, and made some great friends. I will never forget those shows and am grateful for the opportunities. The greatest memory is even more recent, and I won’t get into details. This has happened a few times, but we got a message from a supporter who told us how much our music meant to them and how it helped them get through some rough times. That is what it’s all about.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I used to work a job in the criminal court system here decades ago. Straight out of college, I firmly believed that I could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives who were stuck in the CJ system. I had a shitty experience with the criminal justice system when I got in trouble as a kid which made me want to make a difference. I was motivated by the idea that guiding individuals who had made mistakes, or faced other issues, could help them reintegrate into society and lead productive lives. However, as I began my work, my belief was significantly tested.
I saw so much bullshit from policies that prioritized punishment over rehabilitation to instances of misconduct from cops, PO’s, correctional officers, etc. I saw firsthand how self-serving interests of politicians and judges could overshadow the needs of individuals caught up in the system. I witnessed so many cases where individuals were set up to fail due to systemic issues rather than receiving the support they needed. I had entered the system with hope and optimism, only to confront a reality that often felt disheartening and beyond my control. I knew I could not change the entire system, but I still strived to advocate for the individuals I worked with. The belief that I could actually make a positive impact was definitely challenged because of the systems in place. I know I made some positive impacts on people’s lives because they made sure I knew it, but the system is totally messed up. I had to bail on that career path as I could not stand to be aligned with what I saw go down. It paid like shit anyway.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
That’s a hard one as it could go in many directions. To me artistic progression leads to a deeper music in general. As I get better, and evolve as a songwriter, I feel like can foster a deeper emotional resonance in what I create. It gets easier to find more nuanced ways to convey emotion and other ideas.
How do you define success?
Musical success to me is defined by personal fulfillment and impact on others. Ultimately, we make music for ourselves. So when we write an album that we really like to listen to, are proud of, and feel that we put everything we could into the songs, that is a success. When we write we also hope that by being 100% authentic and true to ourselves, that it will also resonate with others. So when our songs have a positive impact on others that is also a huge success.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
The removal of the 7-layer burrito from the Taco Bell menu.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
Probably have to say about 5 more Mother of Graves albums. We were talking about this last night after rehearsal. We are curious as to how our sound will evolve.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
Art is a way to express emotion, right? That’s how I see it at least. It allows one to dig deep and use one’s imagination to communicate our thoughts and feelings about whatever we want.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Well as I type this, I am looking forward to celebrating my wedding anniversary with my amazing wife this weekend. Thanks for the questions!
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