The Phunk Junkeez
are an American rap rock band from Phoenix, Arizona that formed in 1991 and have established a strong underground following. The band regularly tours the United States and Japan.
The Phunk Junkeez were one of many bands to jump on the band wagon in the early 90's that fused a number of different styles in their music, from hardcore punk to trip-hop. Many of the band's early shows involved breaking into warehouses in the Phoenix area and performing to fans who were all invited by word-of-mouth. Phunk Junkeez concerts often attracted the attention of local police who threatened to throw the band in jail. The band grew large enough to start playing legitimate venues, such as The Electric Ballroom, Club Rio, Mesa Amphitheater, and Compton Terrace, sometimes selling out multiple nights at some of these venues. Eventually, the band was signed to Trauma Records/Interscope Records and have released six albums over the last 17 years.
The band has had a constant member turnover during its career, the only original member of the band now being Soulman. However while Roachclip IS the original DJ, his position was added after the band had been together for several years, The Band had already gained its notorioty before Roachclip joined, as proclaimed by soulman in a 1992 interview with Phoenix New Times.
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PHUNK JUNKEEZ TICKETS
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History
The Phunk Junkeez founders, Kirk Reznik (a.k.a. "K-Tel Disco") and Joe Valiente ("Soulman"), "paid a fortune in dues together starting in 1985", when they, along with Mike "Kingpin" Shumaker, started performing to prerecorded beats under the name "White Boy Rap", a name "Soulman" used for solo performances. Later, after Shumaker moved on to other business interests, as an opening act for such artists as
MC Hammer and
Run-D.M.C. [1] That project turned into "BumRap" in 1987, followed by the "Phunk Junkeez" in 1990. The two rappers, Reznik and Valente, joined forces with another band in 1991, and later that year recycled DJ Roach Clip from thier rap days. The band members included Jumbo Jim (bassist), Mike Kramer (guitarist), and Disco Danny Dynamite (a.k.a Disco Danny D, Disco Dan, DK Mueller) on drums. The Phunk Junkeez were a massively popular act in the Valley throughout the early '90s, playing huge, illegal warehouse keggers and routinely drawing more than 1,000 fans into clubs.
[2] DJs
Soulman
and
Roach Clip
are both natives of
Alaska and grew up in the same
trailer park, although never met in person until both had grown up and moved to Arizona.
Seeing the writing on the wall Mike Kramer left the band early as the bands guitarist leaving this spot to turn over many many times throughout the years.
In
Mesa, Arizona at a
September 24,
1993 concert at the
Mesa Amphitheater (opening for
Dada), Phunk Junkeez had to be pulled from the stage after playing for several minutes past the city curfew, despite the requests of the producer and threats of calling the police. The Phunk Junkeez would not allow the show's producer Brad Laughlin to interrupt the set. This forced the venue to shut off the PA. The band kept playing with only stage amplifiers and soon the lights were cut as well. Once back stage, the band's leader K-Tel Disco tossed tables and chairs and threatened the producers of the event, who left without paying the band. By then a large percentage of the audience left the venue, not wanting to see the mild pop of Dada, despite the popularity of their hit song "Dizz Knee Land". Earlier that day leaders of
LDS (Mormon) church (and owners of the amphitheater) were having seminars at the near-by Sheraton hotel which overlooks the venue; during sound check the obscenities were loud enough that the band was banned from playing at
Mesa Amphitheater for many years. They have played the venue at least twice since, the last time being with the Insane Clown Posse and 2 Live Crew in 2003.
The band released their
self-titled debut-album in 1992. This album, was one of the most popular local releases from a Phoenix band in 1992 and 1993, and according to
Zia Records music retailer it sold almost 30,000 copies in Phoenix alone. The Phunk Junkeez were signed to
Trauma Records/
Interscope Records releasing their second album,
Injected
(1995), nationwide. This release was recorded in
Atlanta and produced by
Angelo Moore of
Fishbone and
Ross Robinson (
Korn,
Slipknot,
At the Drive-In).
[3] Injected
produced a successful single, "I Love it Loud," which was played in rotation on alternative stations nationwide accompanied by a video featuring
Chris Farley and
David Spade, and was featured on the
Tommy Boy soundtrack. "I Love it Loud" eventually reached a peak of 38 on the U.S.
Billboard Music Charts.
[4] Another track from the album
B-Boy Hard
was featured on the soundtrack to
National Lampoon's Senior Trip. The Phunk Junkeez were given a shout out in in the song "Jackolantern's Weather" from
311's
self titled album released in
1995 as well as 311's "Misdirected Hostility" which was written after 311 witnessed the level of disharmony among the junkeez specifically a fight between Reznik and then guitarist Jeff O'Rourke as well as a brawl next to the 311 dressing room between Reznik and Disco Danny D.
In a play for power, K-Tel Disco (Reznik) was forced out of the band in August 1996 by Soulman and the remaining members, Reznik who was the band founder primary song writer and held the key to the bands success and direction up to that period)
a point that is confirmed by the success of the band after his exodus.
However the band maintains the 86'ing was due to differences of opinion regarding the musical direction of the band. According to Reznik, "Yes there were differences of opinion and musical Direction... I wanted to be successful they wanted to SUCK." Reznik found out from the band's manager when the other band members stopped returning his calls that he was no longer in the band. Reznik was quoted as saying it was all handled "real shitty. but what could Joe have done, I had just gotten engaged to his girlfriend at the time. but its all good, I sued the band and won the rights to the name then sold it back to them."
He also mentioned that in 1995 the band was experiencing difficulties with their recording label
Trauma Records who had rejected all but 2 of 30 songs the band turned in and demanded that the band write 28 more "acceptable" songs or forfeit their record deal altogether. DJ Roach Clip told
Phoenix New Times magazine that "[t]here were some personal issues (referring to the Reznik/Soulman's Girlfriend issue) I'm not going to go into, but, yeah, the term 'artistic differences' would apply. He wanted things to be more punk agro. Now we're down to the core unit, this is what we all feel good with."
The band later released
Fear of a Wack Planet
in 1998, which was recorded in Amsterdam and produced by Lee Popa. a clear side step from the previous releases by the band notably due to the absence of Reznik. This release was the beginning of the bands public decline.
At this point, the band began touring with such acts as 311, Incubus, No Doubt, Shootzy Groove, The Urge, Insane Clown Posse, Two Skinny J's, and Clutch.
However,
Sex, Drugs and Rap N' Roll
(2001) was the release that marked the start of the band becoming more independent and underground, and also marked the first of the next three albums bassist Jumbo Jim took over as the bands recording engineer, in their own downtown Phoenix studio.
The album was released on the independent label Uncle Scam Records
[Carlos Santana, Madonna, Guns 'n' Roses). [5]
One of the singles off the album, "What's Next", featured a collaboration with Sen Dog of Cypress Hill. [6]
During the Sex, Drugs and Rap N' Roll
tour they joined up with Suburban Noize Records while supporting Kottonmouth Kings for most of spring and summer of 2002. The band began to tour over 300 days a year on both major and secondary markets in support of this album. The Phunk Junkeez then signed a record deal with Suburban Noize and released their fifth album, Rock It Science
, the following year. This album was produced by Jumbo Jim and Soulman, recorded by Jumbo Jim, and mixed by Ken Mary. The songs, "Same Ole Song," and "Fall In Line," from Rock It Science
appeared on the soundtrack to Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. On August 23rd, 2007 the Phunk Junkeez released their most recent album entitled Hydro Phonic
. This album as well was Produced by Jumbo Jim and Soulman, engineered by Jumbo Jim, and mixed by Ken Mary.
Upon completing another tour of the U.S. and Japan, DJ Soulman struck out alone on a DJ tour of Japan. [7] The Phunk Junkeez continue to play shows, but have thinned out their extensive touring to only play select cities and dates.
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Jumbo Jim ran a paper route for many years during the highest point of the band, but now owns and engineers out of Highland Recorders in downtown Phoenix. He produces and records numerous valley bands and hip hop artists, and recently mixed the DVD/CD "Live In Phoenix" for the multi platinum group Fall Out Boy.
Currently:
Soulman is a local DJ and can be seen playing at many weddings and functions at several resorts in the valley of the sun, Phoenix Arizona.
Reznik's where a bouts are unknown.
Jumbo Jim is still playing bass for the band as well as a recording engineer at various local recording studios in Arizona.
DJ Roachclip can be seen around the local scene Dj'ing.
Mike Kramer's where a bouts are unknown.
Jeff O'Rourke owns a highend recording studio in San Diego California.
Disco Danny D is the owner of a graphics and web design firm in Scottsdale Arizona.
Members
The Phunk Junkeez have seen a number of band members come and go since their inception. Below are the current members:
| Stage Name
| Contribution(s)
|
| Soulman
| Vocalist
|
| Jumbo Jim
| Bassist, backup vocalist
|
| Tony
| Guitarist, backup vocalist
|
| DJ Roach Clip
| Turntablist, vocalist
|
| Dukes
| Drummer
|
| Milky
| Vocalist
|
Discography
Albums
| Year
| Title
| Label
|
| 1992
| Phunk Junkeez
| Naked Language
|
| 1995
| Injected
| Interscope
|
| 1998
| Fear of a Wack Planet
| Trauma
|
| 2001
| Sex, Drugs and Rap N' Roll
| Trauma
|
| 2003
| Rock It Science
| Suburban Noize
|
| 2007
| Hydro Phonic
| Dmaft
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Singles
| Year
| Title
| Label
|
| 1995
| "I Love it Loud"
| Interscope
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| 1995
| "Snapped"
| Interscope
|
| 1996
| "Me n Yer Girl"
| Interscope
|
| 1998
| "Hazee"
| Interscope
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DVDs
| Year
| Title
| Other
|
| (2002)
| Bootlegs, Bong Rips, and Bad Videos
| DVD produced by Scott McCool
|
| (2005)
| Junkeez 4 Life
| DVD produced by Zachary Yoshioka of Ballistic Entertainment
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References
- [1]
- Phoenix New Times - Overdose - September 05, 1996
- Best of 2000- Toxic PR - 2000
- Billboard.com - Artist Chart History - Phunk Junkeez
- Farewell Jeff Poe - Studio Express - 2006
- of 2000- Toxic PR - 2000
- Phunk Junkeez - Tours - 2008