View source for God Is an Astronaut

{{short description|Irish post-rock band}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background      = group_or_band
| name            = God Is an Astronaut
| image           = God Is An Astronaut (Logo).png
| image_size      =
| landscape       =
| alt             =
| caption         =
| alias           = GIAA
| origin          = [[County Wicklow]], Ireland
| genre           = [[Post-rock]]<ref>{{cite web|title=''Origins'' by God Is an Astronaut|website=[[Metacritic]] |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/origins/god-is-an-astronaut|access-date=21 February 2017}}</ref>
| years_active    = 2002–present
| label           = {{hlist|[[Napalm Records]]|Revive|[[Rocket Girl]]}}
| website         = {{URL|godisanastronaut.com}}
| current_members =
* Torsten Kinsella
* Niels Kinsella
* Lloyd Hanney
| past_members    =
* Gazz Carr
* Robert Murphy
* Jamie Dean
}}
'''God Is an Astronaut''' are an Irish [[post-rock]] band from [[County Wicklow]], formed in 2002 by Niels and Torsten Kinsella. Their style employs elements of [[electronic music]], [[krautrock]], and [[space rock]], reminiscent of [[Tangerine Dream]].<ref>{{cite web|title=God Is an Astronaut – Biography|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/god-is-an-astronaut-mn0000615766/biography|last=Eremenko|first=Alexey|website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=21 February 2017}}</ref> They have released twelve studio albums to date.
==History==
[[File:God is an astronaut-01.jpg|thumb|left|150px|God Is An Astronaut playing in [[Barcelona]] in 2010]]
The band was formed in 2002 by twin brothers Niels and Torsten Kinsella, who took the inspiration for its name from a quote in the movie ''[[Nightbreed]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=God Is An Astronaut|url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/God+Is+An+Astronaut|publisher=Discogs|access-date=7 June 2013}}</ref> God Is an Astronaut's debut album, ''[[The End of the Beginning (God Is an Astronaut album)|The End of the Beginning]]'', was released in 2002 on the Revive Records label, which is independently owned by the band. The album was intended to be a farewell to the industry.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hendicott|first=James|title=God Is an Astronaut|date=12 December 2012|url=http://www.goldenplec.com/god-is-an-astronaut-we-see-our-ten-year-anniversary-as-a-chance-to-reinvent-ourselves/|publisher=Golden Plec|access-date=30 May 2013}}</ref> Two music videos, for "The End of the Beginning" and "From Dust to the Beyond", both produced by the band, received airplay on [[MTV (UK & Ireland)|MTV UK]] and other [[MTV Europe]] networks.
GIAA consider each of their albums to be a sonic "photograph or snapshot of who we are in that moment of time". In mid-2006, a licensing deal with U.K. label [[Rocket Girl]]<ref>{{cite web|title=God Is an Astronaut sign to Rocket Girl|url=http://rocketgirl.co.uk/|access-date=8 June 2013}}</ref> saw both an [[Extended play|EP]], called ''[[A Moment of Stillness]]'', and their second album, ''[[All Is Violent, All Is Bright]]'', being re-released.<ref>{{cite web|last=Cowen|first=Nick|title=God Is an Astronaut|url=http://drownedinsound.com/releases/8130/reviews/1181983-|publisher=Drowned in Sound|access-date=30 May 2013|archive-date=19 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019123612/http://drownedinsound.com/releases/8130/reviews/1181983-|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The band's third album, ''[[Far from Refuge]]'', was released in April 2007 on Revive Records and as a download via their website. Their fourth, the self-titled ''[[God Is an Astronaut (album)|God Is an Astronaut]]'', came out on 7 November 2008. On 12 February 2010, a single was released on the band's website, titled "In the Distance Fading", the second song from their fifth album, called ''[[Age of the Fifth Sun (album)|Age of the Fifth Sun]]'', released on 17 May 2010. That year, the band became a quartet, with keyboardist/guitarist Jamie Dean joining.
God Is an Astronaut performed at the [[Eurosonic Festival]] in 2012, when Ireland was the "Spotlight Country".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0105/2fm.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002174213/http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0105/2fm.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 October 2012 |title=RTÉ 2fm gearing up for EuroSonic |work=RTÉ Ten |publisher=[[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]] |date=5 January 2012 |access-date=5 January 2012 }}</ref>
The band's sixth full-length album, ''[[Origins (God Is an Astronaut album)|Origins]]'', was released in 2013. They then went on tour, performing in places such as China, Russia, Brazil, and Europe.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
In June 2015, the band's seventh full-length album, ''[[Helios / Erebus|Helios {{pipe}} Erebus]]'', was released.
In 2018, GIAA published ''[[Epitaph (God Is an Astronaut album)|Epitaph]]'', their eighth full-length studio album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.brooklynvegan.com/god-is-an-astronaut-mourn-tragic-loss-on-epitaph-watch-the-title-tracks-video/|title=God Is An Astronaut mourn tragic loss on 'Epitaph' (watch the title track's video)|website=Brooklyn Vegan|access-date=12 February 2019}}</ref>
In February 2021, the band released ''[[Ghost Tapes 10|Ghost Tapes#10]]'' on [[Napalm Records]].
In June 2024, GIAA announced their eleventh album, ''Embers'', and released the first single, "Falling Leaves".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/god-is-an-astronaut-announce-new-album-embers-share-falling-leaves/ |title=God Is An Astronaut announce new album 'Embers,' share "Falling Leaves" |date=12 June 2024|author=Sacher, Andrew|website=Brooklyn Vegan}}</ref> The album came out on 6 September.
==2008 US tour incident==
In early 2008, GIAA embarked on their first tour of the United States. On the day they were set to return home, $20,000 worth of equipment was stolen from their van in New Jersey. Their equipment was not insured, and a tour that had reportedly already cost them $20,000 to organize suddenly doubled in cost.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.corkindependent.com/entertainment/entertainment/god-is-an-astronaut/|title=God Is an Astronaut|work=[[Cork Independent (newspaper)|Cork Independent]]|publisher=IFN Group|date=16 October 2008|access-date=13 February 2010|archive-date=28 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328120601/http://archive.corkindependent.com/entertainment/entertainment/god-is-an-astronaut/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Band members==
'''Current'''
* Torsten Kinsella – vocals, guitars, keyboards <small>(2002–present)</small>
* Niels Kinsella – bass, guitars<small>(2002–present)</small>
* Lloyd Hanney – drums <small>(2003–present)</small>
'''Past'''
* Gazz Carr – keyboards, synthesizer, guitar <small>(2012–13, 2019)</small>
* Robert Murphy – keyboards, synthesizer, guitar <small>(touring, 2017–2019)</small>
* Jamie Dean – keyboards, guitar <small>(2010–2017, 2020–2022)</small>
==Discography==
{{Main|God Is an Astronaut discography}}
* ''[[The End of the Beginning (God Is an Astronaut album)|The End of the Beginning]]'' (2002)
* ''[[All Is Violent, All Is Bright]]'' (2005)
* ''[[A Moment of Stillness]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Far from Refuge]]'' (2007)
* ''[[God Is an Astronaut (album)|God Is an Astronaut]]'' (2008)
* ''[[Age of the Fifth Sun]]'' (2010)
* ''[[Origins (God Is an Astronaut album)|Origins]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Helios / Erebus|Helios {{pipe}} Erebus]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Epitaph (God Is an Astronaut album)|Epitaph]]'' (2018)
* ''[[Ghost Tapes 10|Ghost Tapes #10]]'' (2021)
* ''Somnia'' (2022)
* ''Embers'' (2024)
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category|God Is an Astronaut}}
* {{official website|godisanastronaut.com}}
* {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=god-is-an-astronaut-mn0000615766|label=God Is an Astronaut}}
{{God Is an Astronaut}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:Irish post-rock groups]]
[[Category:Irish instrumental rock musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2002]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Musicians from County Wicklow]]
[[Category:Rocket Girl artists]]
[[Category:Napalm Records artists]]