JunkFood: How MySpace Helped the Band Get National Attention

JunkFood is a rock/pop band that has been rocking the DC area for the past seven years. The band originates from Fairfax, Virginia, but plays all over the East Coast. The past two years have proven to be very successful for this young band, with performances at DC-area concerts such as Shamrock Fest and Blocktober Fest have helped generate new fans and have kept the old ones coming back. JunkFood has also had great success that has allowed them to play at the famous 930 Club in Washington. This club is very hard to get into and they have even received an invite to come back and play again. They have received local recognition on DC101. JunkFood's latest success comes from the national recognition that they received from a MySpace contest and the pleasure to perform on the CW show Super Natural.

JunkFood has had great success with the help of MySpace. JunkFood won a contest that MySpace held and the prize was an appearance on the CW Network show Super Natural. MySpace held the contest and asked for members to nominate their favorite local bands for the contest. JunkFood entered the contest and made it to the top ten. They were then put on a MySpace page that allowed everyone from the Nation to vote on the best band. It was an exciting day when they received the call that they were the top pick. With over 40,000 nominated bands from the Nation it was an honor to be the Nation's top choice.

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the lead vocalist, Bart Harris. When we spoke I asked him where he saw the band heading in the future? Bart said, "As far as where we are headed...We don't have boundaries or limitations. We are willing to do anything that makes sense for us. Nothing is too low or nothing is too high to go after if it fits into 'the plan'." Bart went on to say, "We keep our goals realistic because of the changes in the industry. Corporate money drives the decisions in music and we don't waste our energy trying to fight that. We stick to our ideals and principles."

JunkFood is an indie band that is very proud of their last two CD's which they have released all independently. In our interview Bart said, "We have released two professional CD's all independently. We are VERY proud of that. We spent over $20K on our last CD and we didn't finance a single cent. We worked it all off." Their last two CD's "Below The Charm" and "No Space" is the bands break away from just being a cover band to producing their own tunes. You can check out these new tunes from JunkFood on their MySpace page.

Bart and I talked about how the band came to be. He told me that JunkFood was formed seven years ago, but the current members have been together for the past three years. This group of four guys really fit well together. They are able to harmonize like no other rock band I have ever heard. This gives them a great advantage that they all can contribute vocally. Their sound is really unique and they have carved their own niche into the rock world. The group consists of Drummer Jeff Essex, Lead Guitarist Paul Schauer and Joe Murray on Bass Guitar and of course Lead Vocalist and Rhythm Guitarist Bart Harris.

Bart had this to say about the band, "We each started in different bands before this one. This band got started by relationships that have formed by being in the circuit." Bart went on to say, "We all work really hard at respecting each other and being professional. You have to be able to compromise. Being in a band is like being in multiple relationships at once, its tough sometimes."

JunkFood is a hot band with great tunes and a very professional attitude that will take them far. I expect to see JunkFood make a national launch in the next few years. They are an up and coming band that is heading in new and exciting directions in the future.This band is one that you must see live. You can checkout JunkFood in the Washington area at Ned Devine's in Herndon, VA on December 1^st and Sweet Caroline's in Winchester, Va on December 8^th. For more dates and information on JunkFood checkout their MySpace page or their band website.