The God Star Social is Austin, Texas singer/songwriter Jason Trout, who gave birth to the project in late 2001 when he emerged from his apartment and his 4-track and began playing solo gigs under the moniker. After over 5 years of recording and touring both solo and with different line-ups of the band, releasing 2 EPs, one full-length and several singles and B-sides, and temporarily calling Knoxville, Tennessee home, Trout is back in Austin and back in solo territory with The God Star Social. He's just released THE HAPPIEST SAD SONGS IN THE WORLD, a self-described "acoustic singer/songwriter record."
"I started The God Star Social with the direct intention of it being a creative entity for me to write and play and record what ever I wanted, when I wanted, no matter what ideas or sounds I might be into experimenting with. So many bands inevitably end due to creative differences between the people in the band, among so many other things, and I just needed the security of knowing that The God Star Social would always go on reagardless of who I might be playing with, or not playing with, at any particular time. One week, it may be a six-piece, the next week a solo thing, but it's always The God Star Social. I find that quite comforting. Our listeners might find it quite confusing, but I find THAT comforting, too."
It is that approach that has directly influenced the band's four independent releases and the vast difference between the comparisons the band has received in the press which have varied from Lou Reed, Daniel Johnston, and Elliott Smith to Sonic Youth, Wire, The Meat Puppets, and Television. "Of course, that is to be expected. Each of the records was made with a different line-up, recorded in different ways with different ideas. This band doesn't have one particular sound. I find that mundane and ridiculous. Evolution, baby. I couldn't care less about fitting into a specific genre."
After constant and consistent touring from late '03 to early '06, Trout and The God Star Social have been off the road for over a year, playing only regional shows in the midwest and a handful of local shows in Austin in support of the current CD. "I'm actually in a situation very similar to when I started the band in that I have a wealth of material, recorded on 4-track, ready to go and I'm just looking for the right people to make a few records with and play some amazing shows with. In a lot of ways, I look at the next record as The God Star Social's debut. A debut preceded by four other CDs, but I'm just getting started, proper, dig?"
So, after a dozen different members, two full-lengths and two EPs, and a countless number of shows in a countless number of cities, The God Star Social is just getting started. Dig?