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: Phiasco

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

Well, mainly we are trying to have fun by doing what we love most. Making music is some kind of escape I would say and that’s one big motivation. Starting a band in your teenie years or twenties is one of the best experiences you could probably make on your way to adolescence and running a band in your thierties/fourties means you still are able to conserve this spirit. Our style can be more or less described as fuzz influenced rock music…

Describe your first musical memory.

Our first musical memory as a four-piece is probably the moment we got together in a rehearsal space. It was small sticky but we had the opportunity to get on the roof to get a fresh breeze above the roofs of cologne. Playing some cover versions of “and you will know us by the trail of dead” or “biffy clyro” and starting to evolve an own kind of style. This started in about 2011.

Describe your best musical memory to date.

I also try to answer this from the band-perspective. The genesis of a song in its entirety is huge! As we are writing songs together in the rehearsal room it’s always a special moment when the spirit is on and the creative process flows. Recording your own stuff and listen to it for the first time is always a very special moment too! And of course memories of being on stage together.

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

I would say it’s not that far in the past. The 24 of February 2022 when war came back to Europe partly destroyed our believe in a peaceful life together. FCK PTN!

Where do you feel artistic progression leads?

Artistic progression is something that you could feel on your own by becoming a better musician technically but I would say a also huge part of progression is, that when you’re an artist you are part of a big family of artists. There exists a strong scene of musicians in our home town Cologne. To get to know all the other artists around you and being part of a growing family is a great progress.

How do you define success?

Success to us is defined by putting on a great show and move people in a physical or a mental sense. Also it means to transport that energy onto black plastic.

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

The growing of Spotify… (just kidding) but of course Spotify is on one hand a popular way to spread your music. On the other hand there are almost no other benefits for small artists like us…

There are way more important things in life, tragic moments in everybody’s personal lives that would break the scope here…

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

I really would love to make a split LP one day!

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

Art is creation. It gives a glance of the creators world an triess to transport it. Art can be a key to open the mind!

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

My retirement. ;-)

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Phiasco, Kessel (2022)

The story goes that Cologne-based heavy rockers Phiasco blew their whole pressing budget for their next record, Kessel, on the video premiering below for “Lucky Loop.” Whether that’s true or a goof, I of course have no idea, but it’s a good story to tell either way. The German four-piece were last heard from with 2016’s Vieh (review here), which was their debut, and so they’re nothing if not due. “Lucky Loop” finds their fuzz tones and straight-up vibe in check, and the clip is legitimately entertaining, involving time travel, homebrewing/bootlegging, missing a gig they would’ve played to two fans, and so on. I didn’t even know beer-concentrate was a thing. Also, I think the narrative might end with them getting into a car wreck with less bearded versions of themselves, so yeah. It goes like that.

I won’t encourage drinking and driving. I will encourage watching Phiasco pretend to do so. And road-sodas for passengers are of course all good.

Video is directed by Felix Rudolph and it comes as Phiasco are a scant $500 away from topping their crowdfunding goal for a vinyl run of Kessel (pun totally intended). There’s nothing to make me think they won’t get there anyway, but if you dig into the charm-laden “Lucky Loop” and don’t come out the other end thinking it’s a cause worth supporting, that’s on you, morally speaking. For me, infectious riffs, lighthearted storytelling, making silly faces at the camera — this is the stuff of a life well lived.

Enjoy:

Phiasco, “Lucky Loop” official video

Musicvideo for “Lucky Loop” of the upcoming album “Kessel”

There are two kinds of fuel in the world of bands on the road. Gasoline and beer. One for the machine, one for the mind. Follow along as the band struggles to maintain a good stock of both of them, while trying to find their way to a venue that is due to be shaken by the band’s fuzzy and powerful sound.

It’s a story of unparalleled heroism, sacrifice, potent beer concentrate, great quantities of hair and long roads, that will defy the laws of time and space itself!

Fasten your seatbelts an grab a cold beer!

Help us to get the “Kessel” vinylized by pre-ordering your copy (Vinyl/CD/Digi) here: https://www.startnext.com/Kessel

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