Brihanu vocals
Chris Robin Cox trombone/electronics/keyboard
Bryan Berry guitar
Steve Hogan bass
Graham O'Brien drums/laptop
Junkyard Empire has been pulling coattails and calling for a collective rebellion against the tyranny of oligopolistic corporate capitalism, of which America is the world's hegemonic purveyor, for more than six years, and they have 5 albums of groundbreaking material to prove it. Their style is unique, in that it conforms to no already nailed-down categorical standard, but the wild mix of hip-hop, rock, jazz, and dark electronics, underlaying the deep political revolution-focussed lyrics of rap.. More >>per Brihanu.
The band accomplished an astounding amount of recorded material, and historic live performances all while being virtually shunned from the mainstream press in the Twin Cities, where they originally hail from. That all changed though when they played a show at the "No Peace for the War Makers" rally on a huge stage at the Minnesota State Capital during the now infamous 2008 Republican National Convention protests. Witnessing riot cops on horseback, led by golf carts with huge bullhorn speakers blaring authoritarian messages, charge the 2000+ crowd members in the middle of their song "Rise of the Wretched" was a real turning point, not just for the band, but for the whole movement that ultimately lead up to Occupy Wall Street.
From that point on, Junkyard Empire became, whether the less political members of the band were ready for it or not, became a much deeper force for political organizing and civil resistance than even they had anticipated. It should come as no surprise to learn that since that now infamous day - featured in the movie Terrorizing Dissent - they have done fund raisers for the RNC 8, the Anti-War Committee, EWOK, Marie Mason, Keith Ellison, the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Occupy Minnesota, Occupy Foreclosed Homes, Project Censored, and KPFA. They have also shared the stage with the likes of Chris Hedges, Dahr Jamail, Mike Malloy, Glen Ford, Cherrie Honkola, Adam Klugman, and many others at rallies in New York City Union Square, the Occupation of Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, and many others.
Their most impressive thing to date was their invitation to join legends like Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, DJ Logic, Immortal Technique, Deborah Harey, Chroma, Anti-Flag, Crosby and Nash, Dahr Williams, Devo, Third Eye Blind, and many others on the compilation called OCCUPY THIS ALBUM, which will be out on May 15th, 2012.
Junkyard Empire's most recent recording BUTT NAKED IN THE MATRIX, was released on April 15th, 2012. It marks their fifth record in as many years. You can expect much more out of this band in the coming years. You just might have to be patient, because both the lead vocalist and the trombonist/keyboardist/founder are in graduate school.
The Band:
Brihanu vocals
Christopher Cox trombone/keys/electronics
Bryan Berry guitar
Steve Hogan bass
Graham O'Brien drums
Bella Ruse
Bella Ruse's combination of airy folk and crunchy pop transforms rooms into secret gardens and paints pictures of invading bombardiers, salty sea love, and super glued hearts. Surrounded by a laboratory of instruments - typewriter, suitcase organ, glockenspiel, and kazoos - singer Kay Gillette's antique voice and Joseph Barker's mournful guitar twist and twirl and dip and dive and carry you deep down the rabbit-hole into their magical musical world.
They've been traveling the country for two years, opening for Sarah Mclachlan, Heart, and Hey Marseilles along the way. Their songs have been u..
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