The Story of Amerikan Junk thus far...
Born in 1998 to 2 Middle Minnesotan City Boys, Ryan "Mean" Deaner (vox, drumz) and D. Conrad Gimse (vox, guitar), Amerikan Junk has been around for numerous years. Starting out in the small town of Willmar, MN (population 18351, 2000 census). Ryan and Conrad had recruited 2 other local youths Ben "Shapes" Chapin to play bass and Ben "Bendale" Dale (formerly of the "DTS" and "The Peter North Quartet") on backing guitar making Amerikan Junk a 4-piece (2 guitar, bass and drumz). They quickly wrote a handful of songs so they could get out and play some shows in the area.
There were not a lot of options for places to play so they mostly played in garages, basements, local parties and @ a skate demo @ the Armory where kids would come to skateboard after school. They were looking forward to moving to an area more suited to bands starting out. So in 1999 the boys (minus bassist Ben "Shapes") moved an hour Northeast to the Bubbling City of Saint Cloud. It was in St. Cloud the guys recruited a young Adam Huff (of "Left Hand Path" fame) to play the Bass they set out to play some shows in the area over the next couple of years.
In 2003, following a year hiatus, Ryan and Conrad joined back together to record "The Way You Seem EP" with soon to be guitarist Jeremy Beard at the Ridgewater Hutchinson Campus. Adding Ryan Neilson to the group on bass, the 4 set out to play a great deal of venues in Minnesota including the Twin Cities Metro Area and also traveling up to Duluth and Superior (WI). In 2004 the quartet recorded four tracks that would become "The Sir Conformer EP" and continued to play venues across the state.
In the following year Amerikan Junk attained another new bass player, Jason Olson (of "Woodenman Ceilingfan" and "Hook Echo") and a sound tech/IPR graduate, Brent "Carl Brakelights" Lundquist. Together with "Carl", Amerikan Junk recorded their most ambitious project to date the "Monkeys for Sale EP". Along with 5 great tunes, the CD is enhanced with a short video from an upcoming DVD release ("Amerikan Junk - Live in St. Paul") that is viewable on your Mac/PC. Amerikan Junk has been able throughout the years to keep their projects DIY. With little to no media support and without the aid of a record label they have been able to keep control of their sound and lyrical content.
Currently in the works for Amerikan Junk: Live Shows, an Upcoming DVD release and a fist full of new Tracks for an upcoming LP "Smoke in the Freedom". Keep your eyes and ears open.
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