Junk Season
Junk Season in 2024
Background information
Birth nameHarrison Kendall
Also known asHarry
Fordë
Kendall
Born (1993-07-01) July 1, 1993 (age 31)
Milton Keynes, UK
OriginMilton Keynes, UK
GenresPop Punk · Punk Rock
Occupationsinger · songwriter · record · producer
Years active2020-present
LabelsHARK Records
Websitejunkseason.co.uk

Harrison Kendall (born July 1, 1993), who goes by alias Junk Season, is a British musician, singer, and songwriter.[1]

Whilst Harrison writes the music under the Junk Season project himself, he collaborates with producers and a group of musicians who perform with him for live shows under the junk season name.[2] The band has played up and down the UK and has opened for acts such as Slackrr, Who Saves The Hero?, Autumn Fires and Keep Flying.

Early life

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Kendall was born and raised in Milton Keynes, UK. He attended Old Stratford Primary School where his first experience with a musical instrument was the trumpet, after his music teacher made him join the school orchestra and miss out on lunchtime with his friends, he quit. Afterwards, Kendall would go on to attend Kingsbrook School where he found his real taste in music. Growing up on early 00's pop punk bands, he was inspired to learn the guitar, his uncle let him borrow his spare electric guitar and Kendall would spend hours trying to teach himself by learning old blink-182 songs. After leaving school for an apprenticeship in gas engineering, he realised this wasn't for him and attended Anglia Ruskin University to study Video Games Art where he would make music in his spare time. During school and university, Kendall played in a string of bands. After he graduated, Kendall worked in the Colour & Trim department for Nissan Design Europe as a visualiser, creating computer generated images for design decisions in the company.[3]

History

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Junk Season in 2023

The origin of the name "Junk Season" came out of Kendall's desire to encapsulate the project with something visual and relevant. The quote "one man's trash is another man's treasure" was the basis for this. Kendall's songs are a result of rooting through the trash in his mind, he hopes listeners can find value and understanding in the topics he explores.[4]

In 2020, amidst the global pandemic, Kendall began writing and recording songs in his spare bedroom under the name "Fordë".[5] In July of that year, he released a mixtape titled Despite Yesterday onto streaming platforms[6], of which an early version of "It's a Bad Time" and demo "Paralysed" were aired on BBC Introducing. After releasing two EPs, I have nightmares while I'm awake pt.1[7] and Untitled Spring, lockdown restrictions were lifted. Kendall would then go on to form a band with friends, Daniel Streeter and Hayden Peerless to play the songs to a live audience. Their first rehearsal together was August 2021.

Kendall would play shows with the band and continue writing until March 2023, where he changed the name from "Fordë" to "Junk Season". This was the turning point for the project, where Kendall would take it much more seriously and began bringing songs into the studio to professionally record them.[8]

On March 31st, 2023, Junk Season released the song "You Made a Bastard" as the first single since the name change. This was the last song he produced and recorded in his bedroom. He outsourced mastering duties to producer Carl Bahner and it was aired on BBC Introducing[9].

On June 30th, 2023, Junk Season released his first studio recorded song, "Missed Calls" which was aired on BBC Introducing and earned him a spot on their Featured Artist spotlight.[10] "Missed Calls" was produced by Callum Benson at Steel City Studio, this would solidify their working relationship, and Kendall decided to start work on an album that would bring forward favourites from the live shows and a few new songs, and record them in the studio.[4]

From July, 2023 up to June, 2024, Junk Season would release singles, TEETH, It's a Bad Time, I Don't Think I'm Okay and Despite Yesterday to build a following. During this time the band continued to play shows to build on their live experience.

In May, 2024 Casey Cavaliere of The Wonder Years (band) and Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup would praise the track 'I Don't Think I'm Okay' and nominate it for track of the week on the Blood, Sweat & Beers Podcast with Danny Marty Ray and Ben Pritchard.[11]

Rooms We Crawl In (2023-2024)

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In June, 2024, Junk Season confirmed that his first studio LP "Rooms We Crawl In" would be releasing on June 28th, 2024, and features 12 tracks including some of the previously released singles.[8] This project also features songs from the Fordë era that were reworked and uplifted for the LP.[12]

Discography

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Singles

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Year Title Album
2023 "You Made A Bastard" 'Non-album single'
"Missed Calls" "Rooms We Crawl In"
"TEETH"
2024 "It's a Bad Time"
"I Don't Think I'm Okay"
"Despite Yesterday"

Albums

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Title Album details
Rooms We Crawl In
  • Released: June 28th, 2024
  • Formats: CD, Digital download
  • Label: HARK Records

[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Watch Out 2024: Harrison Kendall Declares 'Junk Season' All Year Round—Drops New Single!". Indie Boulevard Magazine. 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  2. ^ Parkinson, Lottie (2023-04-17). "Gig Review: Millie Manders and the Shutup / Eat Defeat / Junk Season – MK11, Milton Keynes (14th April 2023)". www.moshville.co.uk/. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  3. ^ Erica, Jodie (2023-11-27). "American band Keep Flying lands in MK for final UK gig". TheSingerWhoPaints. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  4. ^ a b ""F*** THIS!": The frontman of Junk Season spills secrets on their unapologetic rule-breaking!". Indie Boulevard Magazine. 2023-06-08. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  5. ^ "New single from new wave pop and funk band Fordë". MKFM. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  6. ^ "Reviewed – Fordë – Despite Yesterday". FaultLine. 2020-08-02. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  7. ^ Zahrah (2020-12-10). "Music Review: I have nightmares while I'm awake pt.1 by Fordë". Zahrah Talks. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  8. ^ a b Junk Season (2024-05-20). INSIDE THE ROOMS WE CRAWL IN - Making The Album. Retrieved 2024-06-18 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ "BBC Music - BBC Music Introducing, Northampton, Featured Artist: Maria Metaxa". BBC. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  10. ^ "BBC Music - BBC Music Introducing, Northampton, Featured Artist: Junk Season". BBC. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  11. ^ "Twitch - Blood, Sweat & Beers Podcast". Twitch. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  12. ^ "Rooms We Crawl In by Junk Season". Genius. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  13. ^ "Junk Season". Genius. Retrieved 2024-06-19.