Torsten Kinsella is the guitarist and keyboardist for the experimental, alternative, and progressive instrumental band God Is An Astronaut. Hailing from County Wicklow, Ireland, God Is An Astronaut began their journey in 2002. Since their inception, the band has put out 10 albums and they are all set to release their 11th. The new record is called Embers, it comes out September 6th on Napalm Records.
In this interview, Torsten opens up about the tragic and untimely death of his father and the inspiration and dedication that he gave to the band. He talks about some of the songs on Embers that were directly written in response to the tragedy. Torsten also discusses the band’s writing process and what it takes to bring their complex arrangements to the stage. We also discuss what “success” means to the band, the idea of having a vocalist, and the importance of the name of a song.
“Falling Leaves” video:
.
Follow God Is An Astronaut online:
Hello everyone! My name is Scott Itter, but some know me as Dr. Music. I am a music journalist and photographer out of the Chicagoland area, and I have been in practice for over 20 years. I grew up in the 70’s with two big brothers that showed me all kinds of rock and roll. As I grew older I ventured out into different genres like jazz, funk, folk, and whatever else I could wrap my ears around. As I read every liner note and every Circus and Hit Parader like they were the Old and New Testament, I came to realize that I just love sound and appreciate all the people that create it.
I later became a stay-at-home dad and started honing my writing and photography skills to keep my mind from turning into mashed peas. My kids are now adults, my mind is only slightly mushy, and I am thrilled to have the honor of presenting my work to you!
