‘I might die young, but I don’t give a damn.’
So, my friends today I find myself in Essex, home of the notorious Rettendon murders, thankfully Junction 28 are not homicidal maniacs, but they do harbour the frustrations and fears of our lives and how things are shaping up at the moment. Their new single ‘Dark Thoughts’ with a video featuring the multi-talented and irrepressible Iman Ahmed, looks at our anxieties, and we see the destruction through her brilliant portrayal.
According to their bio singer Craig Garrick can be found screaming at pigeons- this I need to see – I laughed much harder than I should and have now given myself coronary. Another screamer is keyboardist Kit Sylvester, and we also have the intriguingly named Dick Phantom on bass, the line up finishes with Gary Digby on guitar, a connoisseur of top shelf gin (I have a friend in Essex who likes her gin, Tina here’s a gin buddy for you) and Tico Richie on drums who joined the band this year.
The contorted images add to the feisty music and words, helping to tell the story accurately and truthfully, with so much cruelty, on all levels, I can bet each one of us can relate to this song. We wake up to the same struggles and go to bed with them still attached to our bodies like an uncomfortable, comfort blanket. The thumping great drum introduction is elemental to how the song unfolds, triggering instability, and chaos in its wake. Life takes its toll, music speaks when we are unable to, slap on this beast and allow yourself some time out from the mayhem.
Unity is the way forward, being a voice for the voiceless, supporting the new musicians as they enter this minefield that we call the music business.
Next time it all gets a bit too much, come and find me up the junction, maybe we can scream at pigeons together.
Azra Pathan
Junction 28 – Dark Thoughts out now.