ABOUT JENS ERIK GOULD

A Story Submerged in Music and Journalism

Music has always had a prominent role in Jens Erik Gould’s life. Growing up, he filled his days with ample time at the piano and listening to Beethoven, Mahler and Brahms on his record player. His favorite activity was going to classical concerts, and he attended many before he ever listened to a full rock or pop song.

Soon, he turned his attention to more contemporary music, devouring as much of the 1990s Los Angeles live music scene as he could as a teenager. His tastes ranged from punk to grunge to alternative rock to jam bands. These influences shaped him as he became a guitarist and vocalist, forming his first band in high school and his second in college. The latter group, Curious Few, would become a staple of the live music scene in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the band also released a 10-song self-titled record.

For the next several years, Jens Erik Gould hit the road, working as a teacher and journalist in several countries in Europe and Latin America. And of course, he brought his guitar and performed in all of them. He played solo shows in cafes and bars as a singer-songwriter in France and Belgium. He did the same as he lived in Caracas, covering Hugo Chavez’s Venezuela for U.S. newspapers and radio stations.

When he got to Mexico City, it was time to form a full band, and they were called The Isas. By day, Jens worked as a reporter at Bloomberg News’ bureau in Mexico, covering politics, the economy and the drug war. By night, he and his bandmates could be seen regularly at bars and clubs around the city, and they released an EP.

Next, Jens decided to take on the music scene in his hometown of Los Angeles. By day he reported for TIME Magazine, and at night he played regular gigs around Hollywood at venues such as the House of Blues, Genghis Cohen and Room 5. He also released his 9-track record “Guns Down.” At the same time, he launched a web series called Bravery Tapes that used Jens’ music to accompany his video journalism.