In today’s world of affordable home recording equipment and easy access to worldwide distribution, it’s easy to forget that music was once extremely difficult to release. Recording in a top-notch, professional studio was cost-prohibitive to many, and before the digital revolution many projects simply did not see the light of day for a variety of reasons. By the 1980’s, things were beginning to change, and indie music was gaining momentum towards its eventual mainstream acceptance. Many “unsigned” bands were beginning to record self-released albums, EPs and singles that rivaled their major label counterparts in quality, even as they labored in obscurity and worked with severely limited budgets.  Junk Ranchers were…