Ex-Junk Monkey Grabs Friends from High Strung, American Mars, Beggars for First Release in 20 Years.
David Bierman was lead singer of Detroit’s Junk Monkeys, a seminal alt-rock band that released several albums in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s. Their last two releases on Metal Blade/Warner Bros, Five Star Fling and Bliss, both featured “hook-laden power pop/punk inspired by ’70s legends like Cheap Trick, Big Star and the Flamin’ Groovies.” (allmusic.com)
MusicHound’s Rock: The Essential Album Guide called 1992’s Bliss, “One of the best guitar-pop releases in a decade rife with great ones.”
But the band, and Bierman, essentially closed shop in 1994. Until now.
David Bierman Overdrive, then, is a welcome surprise from a Detroit rocker who’s been silent for 20 years before wandering into Ferndale’s Tempermill Studios earlier this year with a handful of songs, and an impressive band ready to help bring them to life.
“I sent some pretty rough-sounding demos to friends I really wanted to play with, and hoped they’d be into it. Luckily for me, they all were.” Bierman said. “We kept it really loose and just let each song follow its course.”
David Bierman Overdrive
David Bierman – Vocals, Guitar
Jim Faulkner – Drums (Blueflowers, Beggars, Sugar Clouds)
David Feeny – Pedal Steel, Organ (American Mars, Blanche)
Stephen Palmer – Guitar (High Strung, ex-Back in Spades)
Kevin Perri – Bass (Brian McCarty’s Big Bad Beat, The Dives, ex-Junk Monkeys)
The eleven songs on the upcoming release, Standard Skies, range from Bierman’s former hard pop-rock territory to country soul and even a few sweet ballads.
“For me, it felt like the right time in my life to turn music from the past tense to the present tense. They’re songs that feel warm and familiar. Like old tunes that I just uncovered,” he said. “It’s sort of my take on classic rock…the good parts.”
David Bierman Overdrive’s debut album Standard Skies will be released September 30th on Gangplank Records. The band’s only scheduled performance is Saturday, October 4th at The Loving Touch in Ferndale, Michigan.
For additional information, please visit David Bierman Overdrive on Facebook or email davidbiermanoverdrive@comcast.net.
