Biography
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Years Active
2014 – present (11 years)
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Founded In
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
Indonesian Junk is a punk rock band that takes their name from a Cheap Trick lyric. Hopefully that can give you at least somewhat of an idea of what the band sounds like. Picking and choosing from their favorite elements of punk, power pop, glam, heavy metal, and the such, their songs are riff heavy, hook-laden, and short. Originally started as a home recording project for Daniel James (Ramma Lamma / Chinese Telephones), Indonesian Junk quickly formed into a proper three piece with Johnny Cyanide (Nerve Twins / Pills) on bass and Mark Fraaza (Eau Claire Passaround / No Good) on drums shortly after the release of Daniel's first four song EP. The full band version of Indonesian Junk is just beginning to play their first shows and are going to start recording in June. Depending on what kind of label interest they receive these tunes will be released in the form of either a full length LP or a series of 7" EPs and singles.
"I’d describe these songs as ballsy powerpop/punk with a slightly dark edge. I don’t know if the lyrics are based on personal experience or not, but there’s a pretty intense heartbreak theme looming large. And it goes without saying that the lead guitar work is absolutely smokin’! Even with fairly blatant nods to the likes of the Stooges ('Shake It With You') and Dickies ('You Messed Me Up'), Indonesian Junk come off sounding pretty darn unique. Listening to these demos, I don’t get the feeling that I’ve heard these songs a million times before. Dan sounds a little like Joey Ramone on 'Now That It’s Over', but I don’t think that’s intentional. A song title like 'Shelly Shelly (Don’t Break My Heart)' might have you expecting cutesy power pop. But it sure isn’t cutesy, and it freaking rocks."
- From FASTER AND LOUDER.
"Daniel James was in one of my all-time favorite bands, Chinese Telephones… Now Dan’s released some solo-recorded demos as "Indonesian Junk" on Bandcamp, which I think show even more potential than the higher-than-moderate success rate achieved over two singles + by his post-‘Phones glam/Dolls-type outfit, The Daniel James Gang. No doubt if this Indonesian Junk stuff came out as a four-song cassette it would be one of my favorite things all year… I’m guessing 'Now That It’s Over' is supposed to be the 'hit' because it’s the lead-off track, but my pick is probably 'Shake It With You', partly because of the Crypt Kickers vibe in the vocals, although 'You Messed Me Up' (a rip of the Damned’s 'So Messed Up' I guess) is pretty good too."
-From ONE BASE ON AN OVERTHROW.
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