I’ve just found the biography my old band Junk Culture used to send out to people, we were really proud of it at the time!
JUNK CULTURE Band Biog.
Junk Culture were formed in the summer of 1995. At the time drummer Jon Aldous was looking for a guitarist to start up a ‘punk’ band. His ambition to be a rock and roll star and his sincere desire to never have to work for a living was and still is the driving force behind Junk Culture.
Eventually through the cider-sodden grapevine of Ipswich punk half-life the challenge was taken up by Graham Flowers. Although owning a guitar for ten years, the notion of actually learning to play it had never occurred to him. Considering Jon’s level of biscuit tin banging hadn’t progressed much further than that of a ten year old they felt that they were on equal terms.
So after two or three practices in his Woodbridge bedroom they decided that these two would-be stadium rockers needed a bass player.
Enter Andrew Laws.
A relative veteran at the age of nineteen, Andrew was in a band since the tender age of twelve and, after a chance meeting with a vomit stained Jon on a bus, decided that he would leave his more demanding band and join the then unnamed Junk Culture. His desire to sample the life of simple punk rock folk and the fact that he had a car made Jon and Graham induct him into the band immediately. Oh, and he could play bass well too.
So after various name changes (AK-47, This Perfect Day e.t.c.) and even more numerous singers Junk Culture was born.
The line up was eventually settled;
Graham Flowers – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew laws – Bass, Vocals
Jon Aldous – Drums
After a couple of gigs towards the end of 1995 Junk Culture went into Soundback studio in Ipswich to record their first demo with Pat. The four songs recorded were ‘I don’t wanna hold your hand’, ‘Tie’, ‘Wired’ and ‘Just me’. The session took them a mere four hours to complete. Although basic punk rock with little or no imagination it did show that Junk Culture were gaining a certain tightness and the adding of a second chord to Graham’s first one was definitely a step forward.
Throughout 1996 Junk Culture did a few gigs in and around Ipswich (including a hilariously disastrous support slot at the Drum and Monkey). Along the way Graham traded in his £50 Les Paul copy and Eight watt practice amp for around one and a half thousand pounds worth of guitars, amps and effects pedals. Andrew acquired a shiny new bass (that made him feel warm inside). Jon still had the biscuit tins, until being run over funded a new biscuit tin drum kit.
So this brings us around to the new demo. Recorded on a four track in such rock and roll locations as bedrooms and lounges, with more time and effort put into both the songs and the recording. The backbone of the songs is undoubtedly a punk rock influence but the diversity of said songs is undisputed as well.
So there you have it, Junk Culture have gone from ‘punk-rock’ to punk rock influenced band. Instead of repeating the past they are attempting to acknowledge it and mix it with their own sense of identity.
Which brings us around to you, the listener, who is hopefully playing the aforementioned tape right now. If you don’t like the music, well it is a free country and if you do – spread the word.
Thanks for reading and listening.
Last Updated on February 18, 2023
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