Jupiter Jones

Jupiter Jones

Jupiter Jones is a German indie/pop rock band from Germany, originally formed in the Eifel region in autumn 2002. The group is active and is known for writing most of its lyrics in German. Its name comes from Jupiter Jones, the character known in German as Justus Jonas from the original English-language version of Three Investigators.

History and releases

The band first records a demo, Auf das Leben, in its year of formation and makes it available for download. It releases music on its own label, Mathildas und Titus Tonträger, a name also taken from Three Investigators characters. Jupiter Jones plays early shows as support for acts including Muff Potter, die Donots and The (International) Noise Conspiracy, and finishes second in the Rockbuster Newcomer Contest of Rhineland-Palatinate in November 2003. Its first official concert takes place in 2004 at the Southside Festival.

The debut album Raum um Raum appears in 2004, and the single Reiss die Trauer aus den Büchern reaches number one in the Dasding newcomer programme Netzparade. The second album, Entweder geht diese scheussliche Tapete – oder ich, follows in 2007. In the same year the band tours Bulgaria with the Goethe-Institut. In 2008 it performs at a festival in Ankara before about 7,000 people and records an unplugged concert at the Capuchin monastery in Cochem, later released as the DVD and album …leise.

Jupiter Jones joins the Volkswagen Sound Foundation programme in 2009 and becomes part of the Sound Foundation Family. That year it releases Holiday in Catatonia, which features guest vocals from Jana Pallaske. In 2010 it signs a recording contract with Cumbia Berlin, a label associated with Sony, while keeping Mathildas und Titus Tonträger involved.

Wider recognition

The self-titled album Jupiter Jones is released in 2011 and includes Still, the song that brings the band wider recognition in Germany and leads to an Echo Pop award. The track becomes the most played German-language song on German radio in April 2011 and remains so for the rest of that year. The band performs the song on television, including an appearance on Hand aufs Herz, and also plays it live on other broadcast programmes. In 2011 Jupiter Jones appears at events including Schlossgrabenfest in Darmstadt and the Hurricane and Southside festivals. It represents Rhineland-Palatinate at the Bundesvision Song Contest with Still and places sixth.

In 2012 a Dutch-language cover of Still, titled Zo stil, is released by Bløf and reaches number 14 in the Dutch charts. Jupiter Jones releases Das Gegenteil von Allem in 2013, with the single Rennen + Stolpern. A planned 2014 tour is cancelled shortly before it begins because Nicholas Müller has anxiety disorders. The band continues with Svaen Lauer of Caracho as Müller’s replacement, releases the live album Glory.Glory.Halleluyah in 2014, and later that year again represents Rhineland-Palatinate at the Bundesvision Song Contest with Plötzlich hält die Welt an, finishing second.

Line-up changes and later activity

The band’s annual summer and end-of-year concerts become a regular feature, with summer shows often held at the ExHaus in Trier and winter shows in Cologne venues such as the Gloria-Theater and the Live Music Hall. These concerts often include emerging artists as support. Jupiter Jones releases Brüllende Fahnen in 2016. In November 2017 the band announces its disbandment and then plays farewell dates, including its final festival appearance at Karben Open Air Festival on 19 August 2018 and its final concert on 1 September 2018.

After the split, drummer Hont joins the black metal band Desaster, Klaus Hoffmann becomes a member of the indie rock band Trixsi, and Nicholas Müller later performs with Tobias Schmitz in the indie pop project von Brücken from 2015 to 2019. Jupiter Jones reunites in 2021, with Nicholas Müller and Sascha Eigner as the only permanent members and accompanying musicians used for live performances. The band releases Überall waren Schatten as its first single after reforming, and Die Sonne ist ein Zwergstern follows in 2022 after crowdfunding. In the same year it supports a petition calling for the return of Trier’s youth centre.

Known members include Michael Stadtfeld, Nicholas Müller, Sascha Eigner, Marco Hontheim, Klaus Hoffmann, Andreas Becker and Svaen Lauer.