History

Formed in 1989 in Hamilton, Ontario

Hamilton, Ontario

Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...

, the band consisted of vocalist and guitarist Tom Wilson

Tom Wilson (musician)

Tom Wilson is a Canadian rock musician from Hamilton, Ontario.A veteran of the Canadian music scene, Wilson has been a writer and performer for many years. Wilson's eclectic musical style has ranged from the psychobilly sound of the Florida Razors, to the western/roots style of Blackie and the...

, guitarist Dan Achen, bassist Russ Wilson and drummer Ray Farrugia. (Despite their shared surname, Tom and Russ Wilson were not related.)

The band got its first widespread exposure opening for Crash Vegas

Crash Vegas

Crash Vegas was a Canadian folk rock band which formed in 1988, and achieved moderate success in the early 1990s.-Biography:The band was formed by Michelle McAdorey and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo in 1988. Jocelyne Lanois joined the band as bassist and shortly after Ambrose Pottie as drummer...

 on that band's tour to support their debut album, Red Earth

Red Earth (Crash Vegas album)

Red Earth was the debut album of the Canadian indie band Crash Vegas. It was released by Risque Disque, a label formed by Blue Rodeo. Greg Keelor, one of Blue Rodeo's musicians, collaborated with Michelle McAdorey and co-wrote some of the music for the album, and also provided guitar performances...

. Crash Vegas member Colin Cripps

Colin Cripps

Colin Cripps is a Canadian musician and record producer.-Career:Cripps has been a member and producer of the bands Crash Vegas and Junkhouse, and a frequent collaborator with bands such as Blue Rodeo, Jim Cuddy Band, and The Headstones.He has also produced and written material for Kathleen...

 was one of Junkhouse's early mentors and supporters.

In 1993, the band signed to Sony Records, and released a Sony Music publishing demo Here Lies Happiness, which was a collection of their early recordings. In September 1993 they released their official debut, Strays

Strays (Junkhouse album)

- Track listing :# "Jesus Sings The Blues" – 5:46# "Out Of My Head" – 3:45# "Weight On Me Mama" – 3:57# "The Sky Is Falling" – 3:06# "Gimme The Love" – 3:15...

, and promoted the album by touring as an opening act for The Waltons

The Waltons (Canadian band)

The Waltons were a Canadian alternative rock band in the 1990s. Originally from Regina, Saskatchewan, the band was formed in 1987 by vocalist/guitarist Jason Plumb, Bass guitarist Keith Nakonechny and drummer David Cooney.-History:...

 and Soul Asylum

Soul Asylum

Soul Asylum is an American alternative rock band that formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1983.The band originally formed in 1981 under the name Loud Fast Rules, with the original line-up consisting of Dan Murphy, Dave Pirner, Karl Mueller and Pat Morley. The latter was replaced by Grant Young in...

. That album was produced by Malcolm Burn

Malcolm Burn

Malcolm Burn is a Canadian-born music producer, recording engineer and musician. In 2001, he won a Grammy Award with Jim Watts and Emmylou Harris for his work on Harris's Red Dirt Girl. -Biography:...

, and produced radio hits for the band with "Out of My Head", "Prayin' for the Rain" and "Big Brown Turtle".

The band was also featured on the soundtrack to the television show Due South

Due South

Due South is a Canadian crime drama series with elements of comedy. The series was created by Paul Haggis, produced by Alliance Communications, and stars Paul Gross, David Marciano, and latterly Callum Keith Rennie...

. Their cover of the song "Oh, What a Feeling" is on the first of the two soundtracks from the Paul Haggis show.

In 1995, they released Birthday Boy, which included a duet with Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan

Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won two Grammy Awards and four...

 on the song "Burned Out Car".

Russ Wilson left the band in 1996, and was replaced by Grant Marshall.

In 1997 Colin Cripps

Colin Cripps

Colin Cripps is a Canadian musician and record producer.-Career:Cripps has been a member and producer of the bands Crash Vegas and Junkhouse, and a frequent collaborator with bands such as Blue Rodeo, Jim Cuddy Band, and The Headstones.He has also produced and written material for Kathleen...

 joined the band after the dissolution of Crash Vegas. Junkhouse released their final album, Fuzz which was primarily written by Wilson and Cripps. Following that album, the band members went their separate ways. Tom Wilson has released two solo albums, Planet Love in 2001 and Dog Years in 2006, and has collaborated with Stephen Fearing

Stephen Fearing

Stephen Fearing is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter.Fearing was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and raised in Dublin, Ireland. He returned to Canada in 1981 and began pursuing a career in music. In addition to his solo career, Fearing was one of the founding members of Blackie and the Rodeo...

 and Colin Linden

Colin Linden

Colin Linden is a Canadian musician, songwriter and record producer. He has worked with a wide variety of artists including Bruce Cockburn, Lucinda Williams, T-Bone Burnett, Colin James, Leon Redbone, Rita Chiarelli, Chris Thomas King and The Band.Linden is primarily a electric blues guitarist,...

 in the supergroup Blackie and the Rodeo Kings

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings

Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a Canadian folk rock/alternative country band with blues and country influences. The band was formed in 1996, in Hamilton, Ontario, by Tom Wilson, Stephen Fearing, and Colin Linden.-Early Period: 1990s:...

.

Although no longer recording, the band still performs together occasionally, most recently with Finger Eleven

Finger Eleven

Finger Eleven is a Canadian rock band from Burlington, Ontario, formed in 1989. They have currently released five studio albums, with their album The Greyest of Blue Skies bringing them into the mainstream...

 at a tsunami benefit in Hamilton on February 2, 2005.

The group reunited on November 7, 2009 to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a concert at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern

Horseshoe Tavern

The Horseshoe Tavern is a concert venue located at 370 Queen Street West in downtown Toronto, and has been in operation since 1947. Owned by "JC", Ken Sprackman, Craig Laskey and Naomi Montpetit, the venue is a significant part of Canadian musical lore...

.

Dan Achen owned Catherine North Studio in Hamilton. Several internationally known artists have recorded at Catherine North over the past 10 years, including Achen’s niece Feist. At a 2008 concert at Hamilton Place, the Grammy-nominated singer held up her favourite red guitar and proudly announced that it was a gift from "Uncle Dan".

In 2008, Achen co-produced a Juno-winning album Bring Me Your Love

Bring Me Your Love

-Personnel:* Dallas Green - vocals , acoustic guitar , percussion , national guitar , harmonica , banjo , electric guitar , bells , baritone guitar , piano , bass * Daniel Romano - acoustic guitar , pedal...

, a solo project by Dallas Green

Dallas Green (musician)

Dallas Green is a Canadian musician who releases music as City and Colour. He is also known for his work as the former vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the post-hardcore band Alexisonfire.-Name:...

 of the platinum-selling rock band Alexisonfire

Alexisonfire

Alexisonfire was a five-piece, Juno-nominated post-hardcore band that formed in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada in 2001. The band consisted of George Pettit , Dallas Green , Wade MacNeil , Chris Steele , and Jordan Hastings .They describe their music as "the sound of two Catholic high-school girls...

.

Dan Achen died on March 15, 2010 of a heart attack while playing hockey. On March 20, 2010, Ron McLean profiled Dan Achen and Junkhouse with a segment prior to the Leafs-Canadiens game on Hockey Night in Canada

Hockey Night in Canada

Hockey Night in Canada is the branding used for CBC Sports' presentations of the National Hockey League...

.

Singles

Release date	Title	Chart peaks		Album
		CAN RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...	CAN Alt. RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
October 1993	"Out Of My Head"	49		Strays
February 1994	"The Sky Is Falling"	50
May 1994	"Praying For The Rain"	41
January 1995	"Big Brown Turtle"	69
August 1995	"Be Someone"	17		Birthday Boy
February 1996	"Brown Shoe"	80	24
April 1996	"Burn For You"	76
September 1997	"Pearly White"	46	6	Fuzz
December 1997	"Shine"	29	9

External links

• Junkhouse at BillBoard.com
• [ Junkhouse] at allmusic