Between noise, faith and eternity.
Jason Pierce talks about the legacy of Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Spacethe constant search for new ways to feel music and his return to Mexico to perform at the festival Hypnosis.
More than three decades after having started Spiritualized, Jason Pierce —better known as J Spaceman— continues to expand the boundaries between rock, gospel, free jazz and psychedelia. From their debut in the 90s to becoming one of the most influential bands in the contemporary sound space, their work has remained immune to fashion.
In conversation with Indie Rocks!the British musician reflects on how his art has survived the passage of time, the weight of chance in the classics, and the energy that motivates him to continue bringing his music to stages like the one at the festival Hypnosiswhere Spiritualized will offer his first show in Mexico in November.
Indie Rocks!: Jason, it's a pleasure talking to you. To begin with, your music has always combined very different genres—from gospel to space rock, from soul to free jazz—but everything seems to flow naturally. Where does this particular mix come from?
Spiritualized: Does it really seem like a random combination to you? It has always made sense to me. In Spacemen 3 and then in Spiritualized We listened to a lot of music. When you find something that excites you, you want more of it. You start to see the connections between genres, the family trees of music.
When you discover The Stoogesyou inevitably come to MC5and on the posters of MC5 was Sun Raso you end up finding jazz and free jazz. Then you see that MC5 they loved The Troggsan English band, and suddenly everything is connected. The sixties groups played Motown covers, and that brings you back to Detroit. Everything comes together.
That's why I never felt like it was a big leap to put gospel next to free jazz or rock and roll. It was always there. That's how music works: everything ends up connecting to the same roots.
Indie Rocks!: I like how you talk about those “bridges” between genres. Do you still listen to music the same way you did in the 90s, when the project started?
Spiritualized: Yes, totally. I'm still looking for new music, something I haven't heard. Before everything was by word of mouth or sharing tapes among friends. Finding a rare record was an adventure. Now everything is just one click away. It's easier, but also overwhelming. You can listen to the entire 60s soul or garage catalog on a single page. But that doesn't take away the magic of what moves you. I don't listen to music for rarity or collection, but because it makes me feel something.
I have spent my life avoiding having a “real” job. So I have a lot of time to play with music. And I'm still looking for that: songs that push the boundaries or say something in a new way.
Indie Rocks!: You mention that contrast between having a “real job” and dedicating yourself to music. But in reality yours seems like one of the most real jobs that exist: communicating something profound to millions of people.
Spiritualized: (Laughs) Thank you, you are very kind. I guess you're right.
Indie Rocks!: One of the albums that appears most on lists of “cult albums” is Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space. How do you live today, in 2025, the legacy of that album?
Spiritualized: It's good that music lasts, but from the beginning it was written for that. I never tried to do something “fashionable”. I didn't want it to sound like the sound of the moment, because that type of music gets stuck in its decade.
If an album only reminds you of the 70s or 90s, it becomes a souvenir weather. But if it manages to cross generations, it is because it has something more. Sure, it's a huge compliment that people still connect with that album.
There was also luck. There is a lot of chance in music. The best albums are not always the ones that sell the most, but rather the ones that had the right resources and the right time. With that album everything aligned: the songs, the title, the press support. But the previous album, Pure Phaseit seems just as good to me. He just didn't have the same fortune.
Indie Rocks!: In November you perform in Mexico as part of the festival Hypnosis. What can you tell us about it? show?
Spiritualized: We haven't started putting together the set yet, but what I'm clear about is that I'm not interested in replicating the albums verbatim. Many groups today play with tracks or “tracks”, and to me that doesn't make sense.
Playing live is pushing songs to the limit, discovering what more they can give. Each show It's different. It is not repeating the same thing a thousand times. And coming to Mexico always has something special. I think it's the third or fourth time we've played there and people really love the music. That is felt and drives you.
Indie Rocks!: Any festival artists you're excited to see?
Spiritualized: I haven't reviewed the full poster yet. I have a couple of concerts before Hypnosisso I haven't seen what's there yet, but I always find something. On a previous visit we coincided with Magic Star; we used to share management with them. There will surely be something that surprises me.
Indie Rocks!: For those who have never heard Spiritualized, what song should they start with?
Spiritualized: I don't know if one song is enough. The albums are intended as albums, like complete novels. It doesn't make as much sense to listen to them in chapters. But since you mention Ladies and GentlemenI think that's a good starting point.
Indie Rocks!: And in closing, if you had to describe Spiritualized in three words, what would they be?
Spiritualized: “Love”, without a doubt. “Beautiful”, because it is my favorite word. And maybe “Jesus.” Although it wasn't part of the game, I think it sums up something about purity and dedication.
