Avon Junkies

Avon Junkies are a five piece ska-punk band originating from Staten Island, New York. Consisting of: guitar, bass, drums, trombone and trumpet.

"This long-running S.I. band inspires extreme fan devotion"

"Call it whatever you want, but don't call it quiet. This weekend local quintet Avon Junkies drops its full-length record at Edgewater Hall, and an auditory peek at the disc on MySpace proves that the band got into some serious multi-tracking. "The Merchant's Tale," recorded with high production quality at and no shortage of shredding, skanking and double-time rhythms, also features some serious layers of guitars, horns, harmonies and other sounds, as well as Adam Tilzer's snarling vocal."

The Beginning

"With all of the scientific advancements of the 20th century, it’s rare if not impossible that one can witness evolution in progress. This is a process that takes somewhere between 10 million and 100 million years to actually notice a change has taken place. Avon Junkies made it visible in just around nine years.

Circa 1999: In an era that generic-bleach, store bought pop-punk was spreading like a California wildfire, the oft-forgotten borough of Staten Island (New York City’s black sheep borough) served as an incubator for Avon Junkies. Their humble beginnings are that of a Dickens-esque, inner-city malaise that brings about the plight and struggle of the common man… actually, it was more like a bunch of bored guys from the same neighborhood hanging out. From within a group of local ne’er-do-wells, Adam Tilzer, Sean Egan and Mike Reinhart formed a three-piece punk outfit with no more motive than to just play music that could rock the socks off of the deaf. Quickly, they gained notoriety and a beginner following from playing shows at venues as seemingly insignificant as the Staten Island South Shore J.C.C. In 2001, a four song demo entitled “I Wanna Be An Avon Junky” was then unleashed on an unwitting public and that would lay the groundwork for the Junkies to expand their horizons and spread chaos throughout the land.

Four years of playing shows at a variety of venues with a variety of set lists would follow. These formative years would help assemble the correct combination of songs to be compiled for the Junkies long-awaited follow up release,”Down With Everyone”. Contained within its driving, speed-freak punk rock licks was the song “I Wanna Be An Avon Junky”; the track that would serve as an anthem for the masses. The song’s refrain would soon be shouted at the tops of the lungs of many kids packed beyond capacity into stuffy, dark clubs, fingers pointed at their maniacal ringleaders like that of an Evangelical revival. Avon Junkies began to gain their much deserved momentum. Even with the disc’s local success and the uber-positive feedback from fans, there was still something missing. Something a little sinister…"

-Johnny Oxen (2008)

== "Enter the horns" ==

"The addition of trombonist Chris Winn filled in the musical gaps and enabled the Junkies' songs to take on new forms by incorporating different facets of music. Injecting the move-your-feet bop of ska and the grandeur of classic rock into the punk rock foundation of the house that Avon Junkies built was the catalyst for their metamorphosis. In 2006, “Open House: Horns Demo” was released to showcase this new dimension. Five previously released songs were reworked with the horn section and released again unto the Avon Junkies kingdom. It was at this time that the fans of the Junkies were to change; support for the band went from fanatical to rabid. The lines of decency and public obedience began to blur and fray as the crowds became frenzied by the music of the Junkies. Anyone who has bore witness to an Avon Junkies performance can attest to this. For those who haven’t, there are pictures, lots of them, some of which show the devotion and appreciation for the band. Some that borderline being X-rated in content (‘nuff said). A welcome gesture that ascended the Avon Junkies to near cult status on Staten Island. A feat not normally achieved by the Island’s usual local music fare. But the Junkies machine wanted more and needed to be fed."

-Johnny Oxen (2008)

New Junkies

"A New York City credit list including the underground haven Arlene’s Grocery and N.Y.C’s famous Knitting Factory was added to the conquered stage checklist of Avon Junkies. Their fan base grew as quick as a blood pool on a kill floor, leaving damaged and happy punkers in their wake. A new trumpet player, Stefanie Azzarelli, joined the Junkies on their crusade and showed these men of will what will really was, amply proving her worth as a member of this juggernaut. The lineup was now complete and the all the pieces were set. The next 9 months (how fitting) were spent in the studio building, stripping down, recreating and perfecting the Junkies next release. “The Merchant’s Tale” would be the largest undertaking the band would have attempted to date, incorporating a barrage of new instruments, musical styles and writing techniques, cleverly woven around a deep, dark story. The record plays out like a playful assault on the cerebellum, causing the body to tap its feet and sing along.

Loved by many, hated by many, and feared by children’s parties, this band refuses to stop. Beginning to venture out of the stifling confines of the New York City scene, they are uncontainable as a shotgun blast and just as resonant. Their chainsaw blend of punk/ska/classic rock/metal are consistently finding ways to transcend definition and swat at the idea of being categorized as a musical King Kong swats down airplanes of screamo or grindcore or whatever else people tag bands with and release back into the public. Avon Junkies have not seen the future, they are slowly creating it."

-Johnny Oxen (2008)

Discography

I Wanna Be An Avon Junky Demo (2001)
#Stupid Trend
#Who Cares
#Labia
#Don't Want To Graduate

Down With Everyone (2005)
#Down With Everyone
#Park Mentality
#Too Late
#Placebo World
#Close My Eyes
#Yo Mama Don’t Wear No Draws
#My Solution
#I Wanna Be An Avon Junky

Open House: Horns Demo (2006)
#Too Late
#Paint It Black (originally by Rolling Stones)
#Labia
#Down With Everyone
#I Wanna Be An Avon Junky

The Merchant's Tale (2008)
#Prelude
#Never Be
#The World
#Let Me In
#Bullshit
#Love Thy Neighbor
#Lost
#Tonic
#The Merchant's Tale

Compilation CDs:
IAR Next Level Vol. 2 (2006)
#Never Be

Current Members
Adam Tilzer: Lead Vocals, Guitar, Alto Sax, Banjo
Sean Egan: Bass, Guitar
Mike Reinhart: Drums, Backing Vocals
Chris "Epic" Winn: Trombone, Baritone Horn
Stefanie Azzarelli: Trumpet, Backing Vocals

Street Team
Johanna
Aries
Tara
Riley
Chris

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See Also

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