Fired up on the energy of punk, JerKBanK fuels the crowd with fast, punchy, and melodic tunes that engrave a mark in your brain and make you leave saying "shit... that was tight". Singing about personal issues, JerKBanK touches base with life situations such as united societies, freedom of choice, deadbeat relationships, and everyone's favorite, substance abuse.
"By fusing traditional ska rhythms and aggressive punk, this trio has come up with an energetic and irresistible sound. Perceptive and down-to-earth lyrics are another of their strengths."NOW Magazine June 8-14, 2000 Issue 960 Vol 19 No 41
The band originated in early 1998 by fate, as a trio comprised of Steve Plum, Joey Proulx and Jeret Koop. Steve, also an accomplished tattoo artist, used to steal punk CDs from the local record store where Joey was an employee. Realizing that the two had the same musical taste and passion to make their own music, they decided along with Jeret to start JerKBanK. This threesome quickly released a 5-song demo entitled "High School Dreams". Although the demo was only available as downloads from the web, it still managed to average substantial hits per month.
JerKBanK's online popularity had given the band an opportunity to have their music heard around the world. In the year 2000, they had over 40,000 downloads of their songs (sans cd release) from www.jerkbank.com and www.mp3.com/jerkbank . This has resulted in numerous reviews, fan mail and countless E-zines around the world as well as internet and commercial radio play worldwide.
Shortly after the band began gaining creditable recognition, Jeret decided to part with the band to pursue a solo career. This was fortunately a blessing in disguise. Brendan McGarvey stepped up to bat as the new bassist for JerKBanK. The rebirth of JerKBanK as a stronger force resurfaced in 2000 and resulted in their first CD release titled "Takin' Out the Trash". Since then, nothing but opportunity has fallen onto their plates.
"In your face punk with refreshing little doses of ska and some classic riffs. Somehow this trio know when to hold some punches and then let them go without it seeming predictable or unremarkable. "Slacker" sounds as if it could be the another rousing punk anthem yet the lyrics register a valid complaint with an unexpected twist. Instantly likable are clutch songs like "I Tried" and "DTW" though they draw comparisons to Operation Ivy. Now that's not a bad thing since recent expertise in this vein has been severely lacking. Could JerKBanK be leading the next ska-punk revival? Check 'em out and find out for yourself. It obvious the band knows exactly what they are doing and this short release just leaves you wanting more."Skip Viitala, Ska Party - CIUT 89.5FM Exclaim! Magazine
The year 2000 also saw JerKBanK starting their own promotional company, Romp Or Stomp, to showcase unknown punk bands in Canada and giving them a chance to play with more established bands in the area. This has proven quite successful with all shows so far being sold out.
2001 has seen the band recording their first full length CD with producer Rob Sanzo (Sum 41, Treble Charger, Grade, Jersey and Joydrop)"Full Tilt" follows up the first self released 9 song EP, "Takin Out the Trash", along with a full line of new merch. As they get set to release their first full length album in 2002 along with their first video, JerKBanK plans to change the values and sound of punk music forever! Their fast, aggressive, raw musical deliverance has been compared to their influences such as Rancid and Good Riddance, but with a stronger edge by fans and industry professionals nationwide.
"Punk and ska surpassing all expectations."Exclaim! Magazine December 6, 2001