It's Only Music Now

Interview - Jonas Sees In Color

Who are the members of the band and what do each of them play?
Ryan - Vocals
Owens- Guitar/ Vox
Johnny- Guitar/ Vox
Mikey- Bass
John- Drums
Meagan - Keys/synth

Where did you come up with your name? It is very interesting.
Jonas is the main character in a book written by Lois Lowry called The Giver. He lives in a society where every risk has been reduced in order to be as safe as possible. This safety has resulted in a “sameness”; a way for everyone to live a smooth life free from disturbances like pain, anger, or fear (they do this by taking pills that make them forget their emotions and dreams). 

On the surface, this seems like a good idea. After all, no one wants to be hurt. Jonas, however, starts to notice something that bothers him: by avoiding the risk of pain, the people have lost their chance for real happiness. “Happiness” is only “happiness” because it is the opposite of “sadness”. You would not recognize “hot” if you did not know “cold”. “Good” is only “good” because of how bad “bad” feels. In their quest to get rid of pain, they have eliminated everything that could have also given them pleasure; things like love, dreams, weather, jobs, physical differences, color, and music. 

Jonas begins to question the way his society works as he gets older and he begins to experience things that other members of his society do not experience. He begins to fall in love. He thinks about things he is not allowed to think about. He dreams. And, one day as he is playing catch with an apple, he catches a glimpse of red. Just for a second, Jonas sees in color. 

The society chooses Jonas to become the “Receiver of Memory”, the person who carries the burden of all the memories, experiences, and dreams of the entire society. The old man who has been the “Receiver of Memory” now becomes the “Giver”, who is in charge of giving Jonas knowledge of all the things society has eliminated from the world. As he learns these things, Jonas begins to see color in a world that was previously black and white. And then…you have to read the book to find out.

One of the most common explanations for the purpose of art is that it is a way of expressing things you could not otherwise express. Art, in many ways, can be a very selfish and vain thing: you think that what you have to say is actually worth being heard. As simple as that sounds, it is a very powerful and dangerous statement. We, Jonas Sees In Color, have a lot to say. We want people to listen and we want them to be able to feel what they hear.a

Just like the Giver was able to express thoughts and ideas to Jonas in a unique way, we want to provide our listeners with unique experiences that allow them an accurate and effective glimpse into the stories, feelings, and ideas that we think are important enough to share. We want people to see what we see and to be free to think what they want about it. 

We have a lot to say. Keep listening.
(this was a blog post by ryan)

What’s the best show you’ve ever played?
Any hometown show is always amazing! The last one at Greene St we had a crazy light show and covered Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen… It was so much fun!

Have you had any embarrassing moments while performing?
I (Owens) Throw my guitars around me a lot and at one show I went to throw it and broke the screw that bolted my strap to my guitar. My guitar flew across the stage and nearly took out Mikey. Ive fallen twice on stage too… so embarrassing! 

What’s your favorite song on your ep Avalanche?
My personal favorite is Luck and Love. I just think it is a hard hitting song to play live, and I just think its a catchy tune.

Do you have any band rituals or strange things you do?
Everything we do is strange… everything.

Do you have any crazy fans? If so, what have they done?
Our friends are amazing! People bake us cakes and bring us candy everywhere in the US we play! I would love to try some of everyones Mac&Cheese recipes around the country :). I have met some strange people that I personally did not quite understand, but everyone is so nice and amazing to us!

What do you think makes your music stand out?
I think we sound like we do because we do not limit ourselves to one genre of music. We all come from different music backgrounds, and from that produce a sound that we believe is unique and speaks from our hearts. Its hard to write music thats got some soul to it if your trying to sound like some other band. We just write what we do, and if we like it we keep it.

What song do you wish your band had written/recorded/performed?
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen 

Word association: What do you think of when you hear these words?

• Cat - woman
• Elevator - button
• Handlebar Mustache - trimmer
• Prince -f resh