The Obelisk Questionnaire: Tommaso Santillo of Solar Mantra
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: Tommaso Santillo of Solar Mantra
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Well, it could sound trivial but what I do with Solar Mantra is just boosting the feeling that every common man or woman, normally experience in their daily routine. We amplify rage, frustration, love, disappointment, excitement, revenge, sex, even perversion… everything that naturally flows from everyone’s spirit. Every hidden secret of our souls. Doing it, it’s a way to face all the secret and darkest sides of ourselves.
Describe your first musical memory.
My Father’s aunt was a professional piano player and she used to have a white piano in her house, locked in her “music room”. Me and my cousins were not allowed to enter that room and to touch that piano. I have always been attracted by forbidden things and that piano was (super) forbidden. My first music memory it’s me playing a forbidden piano in a forbidden room. An iconic combination of music, joy and revolution.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
Wow… that is super hard!… Probably when I had the chance to see SRV live at Pistoia Blues. Many years ago. 1988 I guess. I’m still trembling.
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
I don’t have any strong belief in my life to be tested. I have opinions, points of view that can change with me, with my evolution as human being. Every day I get older and wiser and something changes in me. I’m not schizophrenic at all but every day is different and I have to be different to face the day. Bruce Lee used to say: “be water my friend” and I’m water. Here it is, probably, my only strong belief and I test it every day.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
Without any mince words: art leads to self consciousness.
How do you define success?
Success is to be recognized. Success is having the chance to express yourself and make it your priority in life. No matter if you lie or if you make fun of your audience, if you are honest or if you show a stereotyped image of yourself, success is when people believe in you and you can draw nourishment from that trust.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
My father’s death.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
It’s ambitious but, one day, I’d love to create a perfect soundtrack for a movie. I love movies and I love the magic combination between music and images. Just to be precise: images don’t have to explain music and music mustn’t explain images: they both bring a unique feeling, a unique suggestion. That’s why they have to be created together at the same time like a twinning.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
I believe that art is a kind of magic. Something that make our essence to come out and rise through all the different layers of falsehood, homologation and appearance. the real spiritual link between human beings.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Nothing. To me, music is everywhere, in everything.
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