The Japhies ARE rock n roll, for better or worse. There are 4 or 5 things that break up young bands on the rise, and they had all those things happen in the span of a few days. Attention, record deals, lawyers, money... extra-curricular activities. “We were 4 astronauts sitting in the rocket ship we had built, ready to blast off, and everything exploded underneath us!” laughs frontman Reed Wilkerson.
Starting in 2009 when guitarist Ben Hovorka would visit Reed Wilkerson in his sober house bedroom to write songs together. They played their first shows as an acoustic duo at art shows and coffee shops while searching for players to fill the lineup. In walks Matthew Homan on bass, “the most rock n roll m*ther f*cker I’ve ever met,” says Wilkerson. Completed by drum phenom Anthony “Gorgeous” Gore, The Japhies played shows relentlessly, honing their loud, fast no rules rock n roll sound and wild shows.
The reputational success of their self-released six-song EP in early 2011 gave The Japhies an opportunity to flex their DIY muscles. That summer saw them relentlessly booking, promoting, and performing over 50 shows across five states, all without external assistance from agents or promoters.
The momentum brought them into Flowers Studio with Producer Ed Ackerson (Polara, BNLX, 27 Various) to record their debut full-length. Ackerson brought the band’s sound and vision to the next level, acting not only as a producer/engineer, but as a mentor and friend as the band navigated success. With a record deal being negotiated for the band, pressure was high as the band created their rock n roll masterpiece that was to be unleashed onto the world. A sold-out show at The Triple Rock to release the music video for their first single, with radio support, a tour booked, and a record release scheduled.
“Then, like Gary Anderson lined up to kick a field goal to send the Vikings into the Super Bowl in ’98, we choked! A true Minnesota band.” Wilkerson jokes. “After the show I walked off stage, straight out the back door and just wandered around Minneapolis’ West Bank for hours... I ended up in the hospital the next day.” The days following resulted in the tour being canceled, record being shelved, and members of the band not speaking to each other for 10 years...
“A few of us came from rough backgrounds, and good things happening were not a part of our respective origin stories. Had we left on that tour, there was a very good chance we would be bringing back a couple of body bags,” remembers Hovorka.
Time heals a lot of wounds. “...And if Oasis can do it, why can’t we?” jokes Wilkerson. “The music is the most important thing, it’s magic when you do it right, it transforms people. This music transformed us and brought us back together as friends. “
The Japhies have reunited after 13 years to release their record Allegations in 2026. With the help of new bass player Lee Carter (4onthefloor), The Japhies are hitting the stage again with their raucous live shows. Long live rock ‘n’ roll!
Best stated by others... “The Japhies pick up where classic rock radio has left us, wondering what has happened to the authenticity of rock bands. Difficult to describe but undeniable when witnessed live, The Japhies have revived the corpse of rock and roll, bringing a visceral, raw energy to live performances as well as dynamic songwriting, reminding fans that it's okay to turn it up to 11. Their music, performances, and persona have inspired a wide array of classifications.
Ciaran Daly of The Idle Hands, a staple band of the Minneapolis rock scene, after experiencing a live show: "The Japhies were decanted from a test tube of Iggy Pop's semen mixed with the accumulated DNA of the 80s sunset strip."
Local radio personality Cyn Collins (Spin With Cyn) quickly became a diehard advocate for the band: "A newer band becoming well-known for their unpredictably killer live shows, The Japhies are one of my favorite new bands this year, a band to be watched as they are taking off."
