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: inserirefloppino and m tabe of San Leo

—

How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?

We play intense, immersive music. Sometimes it’s minimal, a lot of the times it’s pretty dense and packed with sounds. It’s been this way since our first attempts in 2013. Starting with a simple guitar-drums setup, in the last few years we’ve added a few more sound sources (sampler, keyboard/synth, vocals). We try to keep it exciting and share our vision.

Describe your first musical memory.

inserirefloppino (drums): Sneaking into my parents’ car to listen to ‘Yellow Submarine’ on cassette.

m tabe (guitar): A brass/drums marching band somewhere, it was loud and chaotic.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

inserirefloppino: The first time I sat on a drum kit.

m tabe: Can’t think of THE best, but Phil Elverum’s first distorted bass attack during The Microphones’s live performance at LeGuessWho in 2021 was pretty cool.

When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?

Every time we walk on stage we test our principles and convictions. Sometimes it all works out fine and we feel like we’re in the right direction, other times we need to take a step back, get our shit together and try again.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Hopefully a deeper understanding of oneself, and in general a perpetual search for clearer, sharper expression. It probably never ends.

How do you define success?

On one side, managing to communicate what you are in a way that’s relevant to other people. On a more intimate, inner level, success would be staying curious, always finding new ideas to be passionate about and/or obsessed with.

What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?

Television (the thing, not the band) and social networks.

Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.

If we could define this idea in our head clearly enough to describe it in a few words we might as well start working on it right now! But just for fun, it would be cool someday to collaborate with other media artists, film/video makers, performers, lighting technicians, set designers… Who knows.

What do you believe is the most essential function of art?

To let us peek into a different interpretation of reality, a vision stripped of conventions and re-shaped into some new kind of Truth.

Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?

We might want to check the new Anish Kapoor exhibition in Florence – the last one in Venice was pretty good, his work is always inspiring.

https://www.facebook.com/sssanleooo
https://www.instagram.com/san_leo_mantra
https://sanleo.bandcamp.com

https://www.facebook.com/bronsonrecordings/
http://instagram.com/bronsonproduzioni/
https://bronsonrecordings.com/

San Leo, Aves Raras (2023)