The Crazy 8's
Encyclopedia
The Crazy 8s, one of the more popular college bands to have emerged during the 1980s from the Pacific Northwest
(of the United States
) , made their way to the top of the charts (hitting the space for #1 on College Radio). Their most celebrated pieces are "Johnny Q." and "Law and Order."
By the time the Crazy 8s were ready to disband, they accumulated a large fan following throughout colleges, towns, and cities along the West Coast, however, they were unable to make the transition to mainstream musical success.
in Corvallis, Oregon
in 1982, as "The Cheeks." Because a UK band had already used this name, they changed their name to "The Sweet Cheeks". Notorious for their raucous frat/house party gigs, covering tunes from their favorite bands of the day, they were just beginning to build a following, when Todd Duncan, the sax player for the Eugene, OR rock band, "The Sneakers", who had just recently broken up, came to The Sweet Cheeks with a proposal: The Sneakers had a gig coming up, opening for Billy Rancher and the Unreal Gods at La Bamba's in Portland, OR. Todd wanted to change the name of the band to "The Crazy 8's" and had a number of other songs for the band to work up before the gig, which was a month away. The newly monikered Crazy 8s members rose to the occasion, and played to rousing applause, and the notice of Billy Rancher's fans, and Tony DiMicola, owner of La Bamba's. This led to many gigs, over the next few months, of opening for Billy and gang, and becoming a band of note on the ever evolving music scene in Portland.
The rock/new wave/ska band performed with a national act for the first time when they opened for Romeo Void
at Oregon State
Oct. 5th, 1982, in addition to an appearance with The English Beat at the University of Oregon
in 1982. In an appearance in the Rolling Stone
magazine, the Crazy 8s were defined as one one of "nine bands to watch, [chosen by] radio programmers." In addition, Crazy 8s have played alongside several well-known bands such as The Clash
, the Violent Femmes
, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth
, The Three O'Clock
, and the Beach Boys, among several others, all between 1984 and 1985.
In order to release their hit debut album, "Law and Order," in 1983, the band formed their own label titled "RedRum Records." Not having the monetary means to fund such an endeavor, the 8's turned to Joe Johnson's brother, Steve Johnson, Oregon State University and NBA player, to invest $8000 in the recording, production and distribution of the album. Having created said label, they rejected offers from several major labels such as Warner Brothers Label and others of the like. With the release of the hit single, "Johnny Q", the band's album status elevated to the "Top 20" on the Gavin Report.
Greg Barbrick, a British
writer for The Rocket, wrote:
For Barbrick, Crazy 8s was a group that deserved to be "international sensations." In another appearance in The Rocket, an issue that was released not long after the Rolling Stone article, the main article stated that:
However, as the article points out, Crazy 8s did not have the chance to get on mainstream pop culture.
Crazy 8s were the only independent release to get their song to hit number 69 (or higher) in Tower Record's Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart. In 1985, their song, "Touchy Situation", earned them a #6 hit at CFNY (Toronto
) and a #13 hit at Z100 (Portland, Oregon
).
All albums were released under the Crazy 8s' official label, RedRum Records.
In 2009 Crazy 8s joined Facebook. Their page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/Crazy8sPDX.
Horn Player of the Year Award, The Crystal Award:
Oregon Music Hall of Fame:
Billboard Hits:
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
(of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) , made their way to the top of the charts (hitting the space for #1 on College Radio). Their most celebrated pieces are "Johnny Q." and "Law and Order."
By the time the Crazy 8s were ready to disband, they accumulated a large fan following throughout colleges, towns, and cities along the West Coast, however, they were unable to make the transition to mainstream musical success.
Formation (and First Album)
Crazy 8s were formed at Oregon State UniversityOregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
in 1982, as "The Cheeks." Because a UK band had already used this name, they changed their name to "The Sweet Cheeks". Notorious for their raucous frat/house party gigs, covering tunes from their favorite bands of the day, they were just beginning to build a following, when Todd Duncan, the sax player for the Eugene, OR rock band, "The Sneakers", who had just recently broken up, came to The Sweet Cheeks with a proposal: The Sneakers had a gig coming up, opening for Billy Rancher and the Unreal Gods at La Bamba's in Portland, OR. Todd wanted to change the name of the band to "The Crazy 8's" and had a number of other songs for the band to work up before the gig, which was a month away. The newly monikered Crazy 8s members rose to the occasion, and played to rousing applause, and the notice of Billy Rancher's fans, and Tony DiMicola, owner of La Bamba's. This led to many gigs, over the next few months, of opening for Billy and gang, and becoming a band of note on the ever evolving music scene in Portland.
The rock/new wave/ska band performed with a national act for the first time when they opened for Romeo Void
Romeo Void
Romeo Void was an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. The band primarily consisted of saxophonist Benjamin Bossi, vocalist Debora Iyall, guitarist Peter Woods, and bassist Frank Zincavage. The band went through four drummers, starting with Jay Derrah and ending with...
at Oregon State
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
Oct. 5th, 1982, in addition to an appearance with The English Beat at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in 1982. In an appearance in the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine, the Crazy 8s were defined as one one of "nine bands to watch, [chosen by] radio programmers." In addition, Crazy 8s have played alongside several well-known bands such as The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, the Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes were an American alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially active between 1980 and 1987 and again from 1988 to 2009...
, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock
The Three O'Clock were a United States alternative rock group associated with the Los Angeles 1980s Paisley Underground scene. Lead singer and bassist Michael Quercio is credited with coining the term "Paisley Underground" to describe a subset of the 1980s L.A...
, and the Beach Boys, among several others, all between 1984 and 1985.
News Appearances
Crazy 8s appeared in several newspapers, magazines, and other reliable news sources, their most prominent being the Rolling Stones article mentioned above. Other news sources include the Oregonian, The Rocket, the Seattle Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Scene Magazine, ISU Daily, The Varsity, Two Louies, This Week, the Gazette-Times, The Mast, Billboard, and Willamette Weekly.Greg Barbrick, a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
writer for The Rocket, wrote:
For Barbrick, Crazy 8s was a group that deserved to be "international sensations." In another appearance in The Rocket, an issue that was released not long after the Rolling Stone article, the main article stated that:
However, as the article points out, Crazy 8s did not have the chance to get on mainstream pop culture.
Crazy 8s were the only independent release to get their song to hit number 69 (or higher) in Tower Record's Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart. In 1985, their song, "Touchy Situation", earned them a #6 hit at CFNY (Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
) and a #13 hit at Z100 (Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
).
Founding Musicians
- "Tasty" Phil Allen, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
- Todd Duncan, lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
and alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
. –played in the band known as The Sneakers, from Eugene, OregonEugene, OregonEugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
in 1979 to 1982. - Bruce Marler, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Casey "Spacey" Shaar, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
. - Malcolm "Sweet Pity" Smith, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Tim "The Fat Man" Tubb, tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
.- wrote the piece "Johnny Q." - Mark "Wah-Wah" Wanaka, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. - Rick Washington, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
. - Gary "The Warehouse" Williams, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Additional Members (listed chronologically)
- Joe Johnson, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
. - Jim Wallace, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
also played in seminal Portland, OR bands: The Odds, 2:50, Map of France, Theatre of Sheep - Mike Regan, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.– currently employed at Gordon Russell Middle School as the band director. - Carl Smith, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, currently working with renowned concert violinist Aaron Meyer - Dan Schauffler, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
, fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
.– currently employed at Valley Catholic School (Beaverton Oregon) as the band teacher. originally a member of the band Nu ShoozNu ShoozNu Shooz is an American Freestyle-R&B-Dance group fronted by husband-and-wife team of John Smith and Valerie Day, based in Portland, Oregon. The Shooz released four albums in the U.S...
. - J, tenor sax, replaced Danny and was on the 10th anniversary reissue of "Law and Order."
- Ron Regan, keyboards and alto sax
Discography
- 1984 - Law and Order.
- 1985 - Nervous in Suburbia.
- 1987 - Out of the Way.
- 1988 - Big Live Nut Pack.
- 1989 - Doggapotamus World.
- 1992 - Law and Order re-release .
- 1992 - Still Crazy After All These Beers.
All albums were released under the Crazy 8s' official label, RedRum Records.
Website
2008 saw the opening of the Crazy 8's official website http://thecrazy8s.com/, which features information on interviews, discography, upcoming performances, and important musical links relating to the band, in addition to other forms of information.In 2009 Crazy 8s joined Facebook. Their page can be found at http://www.facebook.com/Crazy8sPDX.
Awards and honors
Player of the Year Award:- 1987 - Dan Schauffler (Two Louies)
Horn Player of the Year Award, The Crystal Award:
- 1992 - Tim Tubb.
Oregon Music Hall of Fame:
- 2007 Crazy 8's.
Billboard Hits:
- 1984 - Law and Order (College Media Journal)
- 1984 - "Johnny Q." (Screamer of the Week for WLIR)
- 1985 - Nervous in Suburbia (#69, Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart)
- 1985 - "Touchy Situation" (#6, CFNY Station)
- 1985 - "Touchy Situation" (#13, Z100 Portland)