Jupiter One’s Colwell does Q&A with The Pace Press

Guitarist Zac Colwell from New York indie-rock band Jupiter One took some time to talk to the Pace Press about their upcoming release party for their new album Sunshower, touring with Regina Spektor and elevator music in heaven.


Pace Press: So How are you today, besides your phone dying and all?
Zac Colwell: I'm good, and you?

PP: Not too bad. So are you doing anything in anticipation for the release party next week?
ZC: Trying to get people to buy tickets. We've just been in rehearsal too.

PP: Any surprises in store?
ZC: There will be some songs no one has heard yet. That, and we have a secret cover of a song, so that's pretty cool.


PP: I saw that you guys were chosen to open for Regina Spektor on her tour. Excited? Nervous?
ZC: Yeah, starting this Thursday we'll be at the Electric Factory with her in Philly. K [Ishibashi] has been playing violin and he got her to listen to us. She's particular about who opens for her. K will also be doing double duty playing by with us and violin for Regina.


PP: So your name is derived from the '60s television show Lost in Space?
ZC: Nah, K just made that up. K decided to be mysterious and powerful.


PP: So you and band mate K met in Austin before starting Jupiter One?
ZC: Well we both got hired in a touring circus band. We were musicians in that and we were roommates and that ended in about a year. Then we went to Austin where I'm from because it's a nice town and we had a period of where we could do whatever we wanted. K moved to Boston, I lived in New York. We kept collaborating and then Dave joined and then Pat joined a couple years later.


PP: So a circus band. That's pretty interesting. Is it exactly what it sounds like, just a band in a circus?
ZC: Yeah, just the band that played the music whenever you go see a circus.


PP: So let's talk about your new album Sunshower-how'd you guys decide on the name?
ZC: There are a lot of nostalgic sounding songs. And they're sweet. And bittersweet. Some of the songs have a bittersweet sound so I thought sunshower would be a nice name. And we also love sun showers. This album comes from songs we developed on tours. Rainy and sunny and otherworldly. The album name is in honor of that.


PP: How would you describe this album compared to your older work?
ZC: It's newer. This one we were able to do a little more of how we wanted from beginning to end. We were a little less self-conscious. The first one we wanted to make more of a rock album. This one, we wanted to indulge more at what we do best that other bands can't do like orchestration. We just indulged a little more. We're way older and better songwriters I think now too.


PP: I just got to see your video for "Flaming Arrow," how did the idea for that come about?
ZC: We found an animator on Vimeo.com, he's from Lithuania. His style is very cute but also dark. That's exactly what the song is about. It sounds like a cute song but it's really about violent murder. We thought this eastern European guy had the sensibility. He did it all himself and we just waited for the delivery. It was perfect.


PP: I see that your music has been used all over the media, from video games to tv shows and commercials. What's you view on that? Did you have any influence/say in what your song would be featured in?
ZC: Some were through the label, some through publishing companies. We don't have people coming in and asking for our stuff. It's mostly people in our organization that are licensing the songs to get us exposure.


PP: And one last question. If you could have a song in any media, a video game, show, commercial, anywhere, what would it be and why?
ZC: I'd like for the song "People In The Mountains," to be played in elevators in heaven. [laughs]

Jupiter One is currently on tour with Regina Spektor and will stopping by New York at The Music Hall of Williamsburg for their album release party for Sunshower and again on Oct. 14 with Regina Spektor at Radio City Music Hall.