Jank 1000 (J1K) was a suburban pop punk band that combined catchy, hook filled songs with clever and intelligent lyrics.
J1K was originally formed in late 1998, in the suburbs of Omaha, NE. The band consisted of Matty Lewis on lead vocals and guitar, bassist Danny Isgro and drummer Jake Horrocks. The trio quickly gained a small following and after their first independent EP release “Suburban Punks Are Go!!” became the front runners in the Nebraska punk scene. The band continued to expand their growing fanbase by playing with major national bands such as The Ataris, ALL, Rx Bandits, The Hippos, The Impossibles, Sugarcult, and Catch 22, and touring around the Midwest area.
In the year 2000, after the release of their first independent full-length CD “My Love Notes And Her Death Threats”, J1K gained recognition from The Album Network as a Regional Best Seller. Both of the band’s releases spent several months atop the local album chart in Omaha, and the band’s first single “Misty 540°” received extensive radio airplay. The band quickly built a strong following, and immediately became a force in the Omaha-area punk scene.The band continued touring and energizing crowds with their powerful live shows.
In 2001, J1K grabbed the attention of Singerman Entertainment whose roster included Zebrahead, The Misfits, Motörhead, and Dokken. After replacing Horrocks with Albert Kurniawan, J1K soon broke out of the Midwest and made their way to take on the Southern California punk scene. The band quickly gained popularity from fans in So-Cal , Neveda, and Arizona after playing clubs and venues to warm reviews. The band even played selective spots on the 2002 Vans Warped Tour. In May of 2002, booked, funded, and supported entirely by themselves, J1K embarked on a national tour hitting 14 states spanning from LA to NY.
Shortly afterwards the band took a couple months off to write new material and re-write old songs for their second LP Bruised But Not Beaten. Unfortunately due to the strains of writing, producing and recording the new material the band split up and the three members went their sepeate ways, leaving J1K officially extinct.
The band split up in 2003. At the present, Matty Lewis is enjoying a successful career with Zebrahead, and Albert Kurniawan plays in the Omaha based band Go! Motion.
