Crank the amps, roll down the windows and point the car straight toward the horizon. ‘Hot Hot Sun‘, the first new single of Junkhouse’s 2026 chapter, is out now on High Or Hurtin, and it finds singer, songwriter and guitarist Tom Wilson in thrilling form, leading the Hamilton, Ontario roots rockers into a bold new era of fresh songs and fierce energy. Gritty, groove soaked and radiating summer heat, the track is a song about chasing freedom and following the warmth wherever it leads.
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Wilson sets the scene as a new day dawns over “broken golden slumbers,” then introduces a narrator who was built for the season: “I was born straight under June / With summer on the run.” By the time the chorus arrives, the song has become a joyous anthem for every free spirit who has ever been misunderstood, as Wilson sings, “Don’t call me lazy / I’m chasin’ the hot hot sun.” A shout along “yey yey yey yey” hook and an open invitation to “come on come on come on with me” make it tailor made for summer festival crowds and long drives with the volume way up.
The single also marks a wonderful homecoming. Gary Furniss, one of the very first people to champion Wilson’s songwriting and a key figure in Junkhouse’s earliest recording and publishing days, co-wrote ‘Hot Hot Sun‘ with Wilson and produced, recorded and mixed the track at his Stonehouse studio. Furniss also played an arsenal of instruments on the recording, including electric, acoustic and baritone guitars, EBow, bass and keyboards, alongside programming and background vocals. “Champagne” James Robertson adds searing slide and electric guitar, while Thompson Wilson joins his father on background vocals, making ‘Hot Hot Sun‘ a true family affair. Noah Mintz handled the mastering.
The song arrives from a band with deep roots in Canadian rock. Junkhouse first came together in Hamilton in 1989, with Wilson joined by guitarist Dan Achen, drummer Ray Farrugia and bassist Russ Wilson, sharpening a raw, muscular sound night after night in the city’s bars and clubs. A deal with Sony Music Canada led to their 1993 breakthrough ‘Strays‘, produced primarily by Malcolm Burn, which went Gold in Canada and delivered radio favourites ‘Out of My Head‘, ‘Praying for the Rain‘ and ‘Big Brown Turtle‘.
Wilson has long described ‘Strays’ as a folk album at its heart, with songs strong enough to stand on a voice and an acoustic guitar, which the band’s volume, chemistry and restless energy transformed into something explosive. ‘Birthday Boy’ followed in 1995 and ‘Fuzz’ in 1997, and their reputation as a ferocious live act carried them across Canada and onto stages in the United States, Europe and Australia. Those three albums remain cornerstones of the Canadian rock canon, carrying the spirit of founding members Dan Achen and Russ Wilson, whose artistry is woven into every song the band plays.
The 2026 edition of Junkhouse unites Wilson and original drummer Ray Farrugia with a remarkable new generation of talent. Thompson Wilson holds down the bass, sharing the stage with his father and linking the band’s history directly to its future. Guitarist Aaron Goldstein brings his own distinctive voice to the six string, keyboardist Jesse O’Brien widens the sonic palette and Robertson, a versatile Hamilton guitarist, songwriter and producer known for his work with New Country Rehab, MOONRIIVR and Dwayne Gretzky, rounds out the line-up. Beyond Junkhouse, Wilson’s creative reach extends through Blackie and the Rodeo Kings and his project Lee Harvey Osmond, and Hamilton’s streets, characters and working class soul continue to fuel everything he writes.
Junkhouse bring ‘Hot Hot Sun‘ to one of their biggest stages yet when they headline the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls on Saturday, November 21st at 8 p.m. With a loud, rugged and thoroughly alive new single leading the charge, the band is gathering a whole new generation of fans and heading straight for the sun, with a night to remember waiting at Fallsview.
Junkhouse Live:
November 21st , 2026, OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON, 8 p.m.
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