Harrison Kendell come a long way from his early days as Fordë, a name that used to echo around the less lit corners of the art scene, to now, where he’s blasting full volume as Junk Season.

He’s known when he’s tearing it up on stage, has been on a wild ride. In a world packed with fresh talent and hopeful has-beens, he’s carved out a space for himself with thumping pop-punk energy and thoughtful lyrics that grab you and don’t let go. We’re tuning into the buzz around his killer debut album, ‘Rooms We Crawl In,’ which explodes right out of the gate.

Now, we’re here, the air heavy with something big about to go down. This isn’t about tiptoeing around or just scratching the surface. We’re here to tear off the covers, get down to the nitty-gritty of his musical roots, figure out the whys and hows of his journey. From a casual nickname from a friend’s mom to a complete overhaul of his sound, every chord he strikes, every word he writes, is part of the Junk Season puzzle. Today, we’re putting those pieces together.

photo by @junkseason

Hello Harry, thank you for taking the time to chat. Well, the debut album “Rooms We Crawl In” is out, it’s a powerful record, congratulations. But before we get to the album, I’m really interested in going back a bit into the past. Tell us a bit about how it all started. What inspired you to create the project called Fordë? Why that name specifically? And what led you to decide to change it to “Junk Season”?

Hey Indie Boulevard, thank you for having me! Ahhh man thank you so much, it means a lot to hear you say that. Okay, so you wanna go back to the start…let’s go…I’ve always been about writing music and digging through the crap in my mind. So I wanted a place where I could get lost in the process and challenge myself to start and finish songs within the four walls of my spare bedroom. I wanted to know I had it in me to write, record, mix and master (poorly haha) a full song. So I did that, and Fordë (pronounced Fordy) was the name I gave it, as that was a nickname one of my mates Mums would call me (big love Michelle!!). The two dots above the e was meant to be some cool signature thing, but I ended up regretting it because it became impossible for people to pronounce haha…so yeah, as the project evolved over time and it went from lo-fi beats to a more full, pop punk sound, I felt the name needed a change, something that connected with the way I’d changed as an artist, it was tough to land on something but I eventually came up with Junk Season, which I felt an instant connection with. 

So, your new album “Rooms We Crawl In” is out now, and I know the journey to its release hasn’t been easy, to say the least. How do you feel right now? There are many examples of artists feeling somewhat empty after releasing an album. Do you feel that way?

Haha you could say that, definitely been tough at times, but not a thing I’d change about the journey so far…but right now, I feel content. Like, creatively satisfied. You know what though, there is a little bit of that emptiness, like a post-festival blues type thing…I’ve spent so much of my time writing these songs, sitting on different versions of them, getting them recorded and mixed, the back and forth with mix notes, listening to them on different devices etc….to have them out there in the world, set free to do their own thing, has like, unburdened me in a way, but also feels like watching my kids leave home haha…So yeah, there’s an emptiness there, but at the same time a fulfilment. Like, I’ve ticked off this milestone. That emptiness though will give rise to the next thing I’m sure…

I listened to the album, and despite some of the tracks being quite loud, almost stadium-like, they all seem very personal and deep. What is the meaning behind the title “Rooms We Crawl In”?

Haha cheers, loud is always the aim….so the name Rooms We Crawl In came out of this idea that all these songs are the various ‘rooms’ we all navigate in life, and sometimes it’s hard y’know…you’re downed sometimes, trying to get through those hard days and make it out alive. The songs are a product of me getting lost in those ‘rooms’ inside of myself, and turning the lights on for all to see. We’ve all been there, so I’m hoping people find understanding, and know that they ain’t alone in their ‘room’, despite the demons that roam them.

photo by @junkseason

Do you have a favorite song from this album, and why is it so close to your heart?

Oooh tough one, guess that’s like choosing a favourite child if you had ‘em haha…I really like Despite Yesterday and how that turned out, that nostalgic look back through rose tinted glasses. It made me feel sad for things I’d lost over time but also excited about what more could come, so I like that as a positive end to the album. Then there’s songs like TEETH that go off live, so that’ll always have a special place in my heart. I also love Mid-20s for the fact it boots off straight away and has that grungy flavour to start the album. So yeah, hard to choose actually…I’ll get back to ya on that haha…

Your music has changed since you released your first lo-fi tracks. What do you think are the main changes, and what has influenced your development as an artist?

So with those first tracks in the Fordë days, I actually set myself the challenge to not use a guitar, as that was my go to instrument, so I wanted to get out of that comfort zone…with that came a lot of samples, synths, beats and the like…but as I went along I let myself break that ’no guitar’ rule, which brought me back into the punk I’ve always loved. So as I wrote and developed the sound, it grew from there, thick beefy guitars, to thunderous drums, to real bass and not 808s…I think one of the key changes in this journey was transposing the songs to a live setting, this changed them a bit, made me re-think them…and another big change was going into a recording studio for the first time, with professionals who could help guide me. I think this really levelled up the way I wrote, the sound of the songs in terms of quality, with the gear, the mixes and mastering…and also, producers Cal and J hold me accountable for getting good takes and not half-assing it like I might’ve done in the home studio:) Ultimately each step I took out of the comfort zone led to immense growth I think.

Tell us about your songwriting process. I know that sometimes songs come easily and quickly, while other times it feels like something is not quite right. What do you do with those songs? Do you put them aside for later, or do you keep working on them until you achieve the desired result?

Ah the fabled songwriting process, they usually just sort of come out of a jam session with my acoustic guitar when I’m generally messing about, sometimes I might be in a certain mood and I’ll mumble some lyric that resonates in the moment. Once I get that spark of an idea I take it into the makeshift home studio and flesh it out, sometimes that’s a process, there’s a lot of internal doubt, second guessing, thinking it’s awful and how could it be better, but I think I’m learning a little more about when it’s me being hyper-critical and when it actually needs work, there’s a fine line…but yeah, I’ll spend hours and hours obsessing over an arrangement or a certain part until I’m satisfied, or it’ll haunt me…I’ll feel the song mocking me from afar if it’s not left in a good place haha…One thing I’ve learned recently though, is actually trying to sit down and making time to write, creating those environments more often where the magic can happen rather than just leaving it to whenever I next pick up the guitar. 

Do you think the city you live in influences your music? Maybe the residents of this city are somehow reflected in your songs?

I think it does in some way, Milton Keynes is a funny place, you’ve got this 80s vision of the future with quirky architecture and lots of glass and concrete. It’s definitely informed a lot of the landscapes for the music videos, which I feel lend themselves to the feeling of the music in places. I’ve not directly referenced places or specifically the people of Milton Keynes in the songs, but those people come out to the shows and are part of our little community, so I see them connected to the music when I see them in the crowd. Now we’ve spoken about this though, I’m gonna have to make a conscious effort to get some specific places into my next songs haha…

Working with long-time friends like Dan Streeter and Hayden Pearless surely creates a special atmosphere at concerts. Are you planning a tour to support the album?

Hell yess, those boys help keep the machine oiled and running nicely. Playing shows those with guys makes the whole thing so much more real and we get to meet people all over the country and from all over the world when touring bands come through! It’s what makes it special. There’s going to be some shows in August, one at our local HMV Record store too, so that’ll be cool! It’ll all be on my socials, so follow along for more if you fancy keeping up with all that.

photo by @junkseason

What is the strangest request a fan has ever made to you at or after a concert?

Strangest request from a fan…hmm, I actually don’t have anything too out of the ordinary for that…yet anyway haha….aside from the usual ’sign this’ or ‘can we have a picture’ or ‘meet me in the toilets…’ wait, is that last one strange?

And now for some silly questions: What would be the first thing you’d spend money on if you suddenly came into a large sum?

Oooh, if I came into money first thing I’d buy is…sensible option: clear my debts and upgrade the home studio a little bit…what I’d actually want to do: hunt down a full collection of mint condition 1st gen Pokémon cards.

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