We’ve got an exciting RTV Featured Artist for you to check out this week: From Jupiter.
From Jupiter has JJ Sicotte on vocals, Chris Laplante on drums, Billy Wright on bass, and Tom DesLauriers and Timmy Wright on guitar. Their debut album on Third Eye Records, “No, Seriously,” is out now and they were selected by Alternative Press as one of “100 Bands You Need to Know in ’09.”
The guys from the band sat down and answered a few questions for us. Check out their answers, and visit their Featured Artist page to download TWO free tracks from their album!
Tell us about your first concert experience:
JJ Sicotte – It was a local show in Burlington (VT) called the River City Rebels and I recall that show being the first real punk show, and the energy was through the roof. It really set the standard for me as far as live shows are concerned.
Chris Laplante – Smashing Pumpkings/Garbage circa ’96, in Lowel, MA. My sister was supposed to be babysitting me, and she said “I’m taking you to a concert”. I wasn’t quite tall enough to see past the people in front of us, but I remember it was the starting point of music taking over my life.
If you couldn’t be a musician, what would you be doing instead?
JJ – I would be a teacher, kids now more than ever need guidance. There were three or four teachers I looked up to in school, and it was refreshing to hear intelligent adults share their opinions with us in a constructive way.
Chris – I would be a veterinarian. Straight up taking care of animals.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Collectively, some of our favorites are Taking Back Sunday, Eminem, Smashing Pumpkins, Tool, to name a few.
If you could collaborate with one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
JJ – Salvador Dali because he is the epitome of what art should be in my eyes – dark and abstract.
Chris – Phillip Glass, score composer (Truman Show) his progressions are so beautiful.
If you became President, what is the first action you would take?
JJ – Abolish corporations because I feel that America and the world has lost its uniqueness. Everything is stock. Every town has a McDonalds, Starbucks, Target. I want to see small, unique local businesses surviving.
Chris – I would also support local economies so that small businesses could rise again and cut funding to all the unnecessary bullshit.
What social cause is closet to your heart?
Seeing how many children are neglected around the country is ridiculous. We could have taken one years worth of the Iraq war money and housed all the homeless, and fed all the children in our country.
What does the right to vote mean to you?
I’ve heard people say that voting doesn’t count and it won’t unless we all get off our lazy American asses, and do it.
Fight! Smash! Win! Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine- as if you didn’t know?!) and Boots Riley (The Coup- a band you NEED to know!) brought its revolutionary party band, Street Sweeper Social Club to Wallingford, Connecticut last weekend. Packed with Boot’s inspiring, STRIKING lyrics, Morello’s chronic anthemic, whammy’d out guitars and a band unified by making the world a just place, and OH, they put on one of the best shows this girl has seen in while!
