Exclusive Interview with Jose Gonzalez on Junip and His Go-To Kareoke Song
- Author: Faith-Ann Young
- Posted on: Tuesday September 14, 2010 at 4:00 PM
- Filed under: music, junip, jose gonzalez, fields, toro y moi, repo man, more than words, major lazer

In today's frenetic world, movements, opinions and trends can start and end in under 140 characters. In tandem, many bands begin, end, re-form, and re-break up, often in blinks of an eye (or at least in the minimal amount of time that it takes to build a new Myspace.) Which is why it is refreshing to see longer projects, such as the project, Junip, created in the '90s by Swedish solo artist Jose Gonzalez and two friends Elias Araya and Tobias Winterkorn, continue to persist, evolve, and thrive.
Naturally, given we're (pseudo) high-tech peeps, Jt.com hopped on Skype to chat with Jose Gonzalez in Sweden about Junip's first album in five years, Fields (it's out today). The new record, largely created from “jamming in the basement,” was influenced by “Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Fela Kuti, as well as Brazilian music,” (which Jose grew up listening to. ) "Everything is done with keyboards, guitars and drums. Very simple," explained Jose. The result? A airy yet textured album - that acts like a relaxant on a foggy day when Fall starts creeping in. Think of a mellower, folky Broken Bells meets a modern Simon and Garfunkel.
Check out their newest video here. (We warn ya; it's weird...)
QUICK Qs: Jose Gonzalez
JT.com: Last song that gave you goose bumps?
Jose: Carole King - The Road to Nowhere
JT.com: If you were to organize a tour, and pick acts, who would you have play?
Jose: Little Dragon, Toro y Moi, Repo man. Major Lazer. Oh and Justin Timberlake, of course.
JT.com: Favorite art form outside of music?
Jose: Films.
JT.com: Favorite film?
Jose: Zoolander. It’s not necessarily artistic. But very funny.
JT.com: Go-to Kareoke song?
Jose: Extreme - More than words.
