The Rhythm Junks

Introductory remarks.

1) The Rhythm Junks is NOT a blues band. However, this may be presumed by the bygone days of front man Steven De bruyn and by such phenomena as The Rhythm Kings.

2) "Junks" has a second meaning as a verb: the rhythm “junks”. That is exactly what is going on: hard and fiercely.



LET’S ALL JUNK



This roots group exchanged its guitarist for a wind section. With the best drummer since Animal (Muppet Show). The bastard son of Toots plays the front. Fun and funk. Punk and power. Meet an exceptionally extraordinary band. Meet The Rhythm Junks.



It's all about the structure. The Rhythm Junks is the hybrid of the master orchestras. A roots group that exchanged its guitarist for a wind section. A beatnik big band with its harmonica player as a conductor. The ideal band for Tom Waits' golden wedding. The engine runs on bass, drums and a mouth organ. The guitar is not a great loss. It is compensated by the wind section and allows room for the harmonica.



It's also about the new album ‘Pop Off’. The Rhythm Junks is no longer a project but a band. Newly recruited Jasper Hautekiet sets the peace and is the backbone, the wind section has evolved from "serving" to "supporting". The sound has developed as well. Their debut album ‘Virus B-23’(2004) was greatly groovy but lacked some tracks. These have now arrived, in many types and colours. From fun to funk, from punk to power. Self-taught De bruyn knows that you can master anything. And so he grows as a singer. 'Pop Off' is produced by Geoffrey Burton (Absynthe Minded, Arno, PJDS, Yasmine), their number one fan ever since their first concert.



It's all about ambition. The Rhythm Junks would like to be an exclusive band you can go see and hear everywhere. On all stages, on all radio networks, in every country. The schizophrenic feature between Provo and popular is characteristic of artists and in particular of the best Belgians in general. This gene is what Arno and Front 242 have in common. And the same holds for Toots Thielemans and 2 Many DJ's.



It's all about possibilities. The Rhythm Junks is a band in progress. Under investigation: can wind instruments function as strings? What else can be done other than cutting out the guitar? How about an omnichord? The favourite instrument of American textualists that like listening to religious music at home. There are no real boundaries. As long as the traits are in line with Giant Sand, Morphine or Los Lobos, it's fine. Exceptionally extraordinary, extraordinarily exceptional and all varieties of which.



What came before:

The Rhythms Junks started out with a bang at the Big Bang concert of Radio 1 at Vooruit in Ghent. Out of this amusing project, by harmonicaman Steven De bruyn and big band drummer Tony Gyselinck a tight band with a unique sound has grown. Their debut album ‘Virus B-23’ (2004) was produced by Jo Bogaert (Technotronic, Gabriel Rios). The band has blown out an impressive list of memorable concerts at North Sea Jazz (NL-05), World Harmonica Festival (D-05), Jazz Middelheim (B-05) and Shanghai JZ Festival (CN-08). Steven De bruyn was awarded "Best Musician" at the Zamu Awards 2004.