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: Tim Smolens of High Castle Teleorkestra

—

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

I produce and arrange music that draws on a variety of genres not typically put together, and assemble it in such a way that hopefully leaves the listener hearing it as unified. You could vaguely call it “progressive,” music, but it doesn’t have all that much in common with music typically stamped with that label.

Describe your first musical memory.

I made my mom take me to buy a 7-inch single of “Eye of the Tiger” which I had heard in Rocky when I was about five years old. I still like that tune to this day as it has an amazing energy that should get any listener pumped up for any occasion!

Describe your best musical memory to date.

I got to play cello on a John Zorn song that was arranged and produced by the Secret Chiefs 3/Trey Spruance called Hamaya on (Masada) Xaphan, Book of Angels vol. 9. It was a great honor since I had been a big fan of certain Zorn music for years. The kicker here is that I am not even really a cellist. I play contrabass which has similarities but cellists have much more melodic dexterity and therefore possess a different skill set that is not native to me. With some coaching from Trey he was able to coax a few takes out of me that sounded much better than I would have expected from a hack cellist like myself. I was surprised.

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

Every day, but I am having trouble pinpointing specific examples.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Hopefully towards truth and beauty but probably more often towards emotional release and a portrayal of the artists current state of being. Some art lifts us up towards that to which we aspire to, while others pull us back down by cinematically portraying the battles, roadblocks and adversity that routinely populate our paths. Both have their place.

How do you define success?

From an artistic standpoint success is when the result is better than what was planned. The artist worked hard but the subconscious elements (seeds) of the work took root and sprouted a life of their own as well.

As uncool as it is to talk about financial success, if you can’t make a living from your art you will have much less time to work on it which is the boat I currently find myself sailing in.

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

Well I work as an ER nurse so you I will spare everyone the details!

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

Music composition and recordings using all pure intervals (just intonation), which is much more difficult since western music uses a compromise of a tuning system (equal temperament). It is so much more beautiful and has an incredible resonance but is hard to pull off because many musicians do not know how to tune in such a way, and many instruments are incapable of it (fixed pitch instruments).

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

To elevate the listener from the mire (lead) of their current state to a more transcendent state which they seek (gold).

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

My 13 year-old daughter’s upcoming softball tournaments.

https://highcastleteleorkestra.com
https://www.instagram.com/highcastleteleorkestra
https://www.facebook.com/HighCastleTeleorkestra
https://highcastleteleorkestra.bandcamp.com

https://www.artascatharsis.com
https://www.facebook.com/artascatharsis
https://www.instagram.com/artascatharsis
https://music.artascatharsis.com

High Castle Teleorkestra, The Egg That Never Opened (2022)

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: Chris Bogen from High Castle Teleorkestra

—

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

The short music-centric answer is that I am the guitarist (and occasional other instrumentalist) and co-producer of the High Castle Teleorkestra remote ensemble. I fell into this gig through a previous remote collaboration with Tim Smolens when we meticulously recorded a fleshed-out version of Steely Dan’s lost and legendary “Second Arrangement” track. After we finished that recording, we started working on other things that eventually became High Castle Teleorkestra.

In a more general sense, much of what I do is balancing time and attention amongst a lot of demanding and competing professional, artistic, and family obligations. I probably have found myself in this predicament due to excessive curiosity, tolerance for pain, and some mental allergy to the word “no.” I am not and have never been a full-time artist or musician. However, I have enjoyed home recording (and occasional performance) for over 30 years. My journey as a musician/recording artist has been extremely slow and persistent. Since musical time is somewhat limited in my life these days, I have adapted to a workflow that allows me to do big musical things, like High Castle Teleorkestra, through somewhat short, but persistent, sessions and loads of teamwork. None of this would be possible without a tremendous amount of support from my family, friends, my other professional colleagues, and my bandmates.

Describe your first musical memory.

The earliest musical memory that I can recall today is when I vomited and fainted at a pre-school choir performance. I think the same thing happened a few other times throughout my early life. I have no insight into what caused these incidents. Perhaps I was incredibly nervous, tense, and standing in a rigid manner. Or perhaps the music was just really bad (though I have no memory of what music was involved). The most likely culprit is that I have no talent for singing and the cosmos were trying to give a not-so-subtle hint to apply myself elsewhere.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

During my early elementary school days, my young cousins and I would sneak around and listen to their much older brother’s hard rock and metal albums (Ozzy, AC/DC, Iron Maiden). I had never heard anything like that stuff before and it was exciting because listening to that stuff was very taboo. I can remember us sneaking “Diary of a Madman” into my room. We shut the door and started playing the record on my portable Fisher Price record player. My mother knocks on the door and asks, “What are you doing in there?” We tell her we are “listening to jazz” and she goes on about her way. None of us knew what the hell jazz sounded like either so we could probably plead ignorance there if caught. We did know that we wouldn’t be in trouble for listening to jazz though. I can’t say that I really liked Ozzy’s music back then, but I did know that it was a world away from the Wham tape I frequently played on my Fisher Price cassette player.

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

My firmly held beliefs are tested daily in my role as a parent of three young children. Once their little minds begin to become independent, they don’t miss an opportunity to challenge my beliefs which are implied by reasonable requests and commands. Additionally, I am frequently challenging my own beliefs and assumptions as I internally struggle to make “good” parenting decisions.

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

I’m not sure where artistic progression leads, but it certainly expands the bounds of our inner worlds. The destination may be less interesting than the pathway and the stops along the way. Hopefully, my artistic progression will lead to some place with a modest amount of revenue that could justify dedicating more time to artistic pursuits while cutting back on some portion of my other rewarding professional activities that keep my pantry well stocked, my mortgage and utilities paid, etc.

How do you define success?

With regards to music, success is: a) creating musical work that I can bear hearing more than a few hundred times, b) accomplishing item a. while not: compromising my values, putting my family and myself in peril (financially, mentally, etc.), or missing out on other important facets of life (priceless family moments, full-time career goals, couch potato time, etc.).

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

That 1990s Godzilla movie with Matthew Broderick. My buddy Jason and I sat through that whole thing at the theater. After it was over, we realized that we both wanted to walk out but did not raise the idea with each other because we didn’t want to rock the boat. Lesson learned: Life is too short for bogus Hollywood Godzilla movies (long live Toho Studios!), so rock the boat and tell your friend it’s time to walk out.

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

I’d like to record a follow-up to my Doc Booger EP (a Chet Atkins tribute of sorts). I’m getting rusty on my fingerpicking so it may take a while before I can work up some good fingerstyle arrangements.

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

Art provides a cyclical function by operating in two somewhat opposing modes: communion and mutation. As “communion,” art allows us to share intangible (spiritual, emotional), timeless experiences and create artifacts that contribute to a cultural body of work. In “mutation” mode, art arouses emotion and inspires individual imaginations in unique ways; and thus, art leads to more inner journeys that lead to more art. It’s a farcical, yet essential feedback loop that sustains and evolves humanity for better or worse.

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

I am a stereotypical South Louisiana dude, so I’m usually looking forward to my next meal. Food is a vice, and the struggle is real. At this moment I am looking forward to a plate of my wife’s delicious white beans, rice, and fresh spicy sausage (from Zuppardo’s Family Market).

https://highcastleteleorkestra.com
https://www.instagram.com/highcastleteleorkestra
https://www.facebook.com/HighCastleTeleorkestra
https://highcastleteleorkestra.bandcamp.com

https://www.artascatharsis.com
https://www.facebook.com/artascatharsis
https://www.instagram.com/artascatharsis
https://music.artascatharsis.com

High Castle Teleorkestra, The Egg That Never Opened (2022)

Doc Booger, Picks the Drive-In (2016)