60 juno is a musical project composed of Jericho Tejeda (vocalist and composer), Daniel González (guitar), Justin Suárez (drums), and Marcus Felix (bass). The project was initially created and developed by Jericho, who, faced with the pandemic that occurred in 2020, decided to take action and start making music that reflects his state of mind caused by the quarantine.
Their debut single, «Liar,» put 60 juno on the map of the post-punk revival taking place in the Fresno, California area. However, it wasn’t until four months later, with the release of their single «J Song,» that the project would define the band’s sound and help them achieve greater notoriety both in the United States and abroad.
However, 60Juno is characterized by its wide musical range, offering us songs filled with melancholy and nostalgia; and even tracks that make us feel an explosion of energy and joy that fills our ears with guitar riffs reminiscent of the best bands of the ’80s and ’90s.
With each release, 60 juno demonstrates their musical development, from Jericho’s vocal range to Marcus’s thumping bass grooves. Their single «zzz» is a testament to the great path this project has ahead, leaving its mark on a generation of listeners around the world.
How does an artistic project like yours come to fruition?
JERICHO: So I started the band alone during COVID, so I had no choice but to be alone. I mean, when I was younger, I was in many different bands. They never really stayed together, and then I started posting on Spotify by myself. Then I met these guys through Instagram group chats that people used to make back in 2020, and we just found each other.
How do you guys, you know, share ideas? What’s the creative process like for you now that you’re a whole band?
It’s not just a one-man army thing anymore. It was kind of hard to start working with other people, but now we’ve managed to do it. When it comes to ideas, we just start playing guitars and stuff, then I’ll start writing the music and lyrics. After that, we figure something out and start practicing like a normal band. Once we have something, we try to make it sound a certain way while staying true to our own style and playing it in our own vibe.
Do you have a certain ritual before creating, or do you prefer a specific mood when making music?
Yeah, when I first started making music, it was always in my mom’s garage. It was dark in there, barely lit, and really cold. Like, very cold. I’d just sit there and embrace it. We’d put on a blue light—it actually helps. It’s like we’re practicing with the stage lights on.
Where does your cool sound come from? We’ve interviewed a couple of bands that are also part of the post-punk movement happening in the LA area, and funny enough, we’ve noticed that many of these bands and their members are of Mexican descent.
It’s just the music that’s being played around here, you know? There are bands like Paradise Blossom and many others with really cool stuff from our hometown (Fresno, CA). They’ve been a huge influence in the area where we live and record our music.
As for the post-punk scene, I guess you could call it a revival, but I don’t know if that’s the right word. Ever since I was a little kid, my dad was a DJ, and back in the day, people were already listening to*New Wave and Rock en Español. I feel like this new wave of post-punk has been heavily influenced by our parents. They planted that seed, and now everyone is bonding over it. My mom used to listen to *Hombres G* all the time—those bands are just iconic.
Are there any other bands that inspire you?
Yeah, I was thinking about *Duran Duran, New Order, Current Joys, and The Cure. I love The Cure And The Smiths, of course. All of those legendary bands have inspired our sound. Those guys rock—they f*cking rock.
Do you guys have any plans to play in Mexico City someday?
As soon as the opportunity comes! We’re trying to go. We always talk about how cool it would be to play a show over there, and we’re trying to go soon.
How do you feel when playing on stage? Do you ever get nervous, and if so, how do you deal with it?
For us, we’ve kind of embraced the nerves because, at the end of the day, I’m playing with my friends. I usually play to the side, so my side profile is kind of facing the audience. I try to look at everybody and have fun. And for sure, I always try to include the audience, so I’m not as scared.
I feel like I don’t even talk much. Well, maybe sometimes. Yeah, I don’t talk to anyone—I need to start. I want to. When it comes to talking to the crowd, my brain just goes blank. I’m like, *Alright, this is the next song…, and I don’t know what else to say. But yeah, we just do our thing. Also, it’s funny—once they give you a mic, you can say whatever the f*ck you want.
Do you guys have any upcoming projects or future releases?
We’re working on some new music. We have a new single releasing on the 18th of this month, plus we have a tour to announce. We’re actually doing a full West Coast run, from Seattle to San Diego, basically.
Listen to 60Juno:
