JIMMY DAVIS & JUNCTION Reissue Due in May from MelodicRock Records

MelodicRock Records has announced the 30th anniversary reissue of Jimmy Davis & Junction’s debut album Kick The Wall. Working with Jimmy over the past several months, MRR will chronicle the complete history of JD&J recordings and bring that to the fans, remastered from original master sources.

MelodicRock Records and Jimmy Davis will reissue the debut album Kick The Wall, freshly remastered by JK Northrup along with a very special bonus. The release will feature a second disc featuring a rare live concert, Live At The Bottom Line, as broadcast by Westwood One in 1987.

Jimmy Davis on that debut: “In the early 80s, I met John Scott. We were put together in a theme park show replacing my favorite local bluegrass band turned rock and roll band that featured fiddle, mandolin, guitar whiz Tommy Burroughs. I was already writing and wanted to incorporate all of my influences in one band like they did. But somewhere around 1985 I wrote Kick the Wall and demoed it at John’s home demo studio. We knew we were on to something. We started getting noticed and joined up with a new studio in Memphis, Sounds Unreel. The studio started in our soon to be manager, Jon Hornyak’s house. But they grew into a full on 24 track studio. Our hero Jack Holder and Don C Smith all took us in and we stared recording what became the debut album.”

But that’s not all! A conversation that started well over a year ago will result in the long desired official release of one of the best unreleased melodic rock albums ever. We’re talking about the phenomenal shelved sophomore Jimmy Davis & Junction album Going The Distance. It’s a melodic rock masterpiece.

You could be forgiven for never hearing about this album previously, or even be entirely unaware of Jimmy Davis and his talents as a singer, guitarist and songwriter. It’s never too late to discover a masterpiece. And that’s exactly what these albums represent. An extremely talented band at their very best, another victim of record label machinations.

Jimmy on the ‘lost’ album: “We starred on the second record in Memphis and ended up doing 4 or 5 songs in LA with Danny Kortchmar with Chad on drums. It took a long time and we had amazing quests, Warren Hayes co-wrote and played, Kevin Dukes from Jackson Browne’s band and the Memphis Horns… But things were changing going into the 90s. Grunge for one. I was tired and frustrated, nothing made sense. We made the record for three different label presidents and it was time for a change. I wanted to do what is now called Americana. I simply walked away and Going the Distance was shelved.”

No one knows how the original recording of Going The Distance leaked, probably from one of the original advance cassette that Chrysalis Records sent out when the album was touted for release back in 1990. But that would explain the less than perfect audio that has been heavily traded by collectors ever since. And if that’s you – wait until you hear this record remastered from the original tapes!

The power, passion and performances on Going The Distance are nothing short of melodic rock perfection. Mixing the rootsy, natural live Midwestern rock n roll style with the commercial melodic rock sound of the day is a brilliant combination. Imagine Bryan Adams in his Into The Fire style or John Mellencamp during his Scarecrow period. Add in some Charlie Sexton, John Kilzer, Richie Sambora (solo) and Jimmy’s own unique style and you get an amazing record that I personally would have had on regular rotation over the last two decades had the release gone according to plan.

Using previously unseen original artwork for both albums – including using the original cover Jimmy wanted for Kick The Wall – this is an essential purchase for longtime Jimmy Davis fans. And there is no doubt that Jimmy is going to attract a whole new group of followers with these albums available soon.

MRR will release the Kick The Wall 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition with bonus live disc and the Going The Distance album in May. Exact date, audio previews and pre-order details to follow soon.