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{{redirect|The Crazy 8s||Crazy Eights (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox Band
{{Notability|Music|date=April 2016}}
| band_name = The Crazy 8's
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2015}}
| image =
{{Infobox musical artist
| caption =
| years_active = ]-] | name = The Crazy 8s
| origin = ] | image =
| country = ] | caption =
| image_size =
| music_genre = ]<br />]
| record_label = RedRum | alias =
| origin = ]
| current_members = Todd Duncan, Tim Tubb
| website = None known | genre = ], ]
| years_active = 1982–present
| label = RedRum
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members = Tim Tubb <br /> Dan Schauffler <br /> Todd Duncan <br /> Mike Regan <br/> Mark Wanaka <br /> Rick Washington <br/ > Carl Smith
}} }}


'''Crazy 8s''' is an ] ] and ] band from ].
{{otheruses4|1=the band|2=the card game|3=Crazy Eights}}


==History==
'''''The Crazy 8's''''' were a regional band from the Pacific Northwest of the ], scoring several college radio chart hits ("Johnny Q.", "Law & Order") {{fact}} before disbanding sometime in the ]. The band garnered a cult following {{fact}} in college towns up and down the West Coast of the U.S., but were unable to make the transition to mainstream musical success.


===Formation and first album===
== History ==
The Crazy 8s were formed in ] as "The Cheeks" in 1982.<ref name="Willamette Week: HORN AGAIN">{{cite web|url=http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3040/5366|title="HORN AGAIN" - Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their Debut Album...|work=wweek.com|accessdate=January 21, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929092015/http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3040/5366|archive-date=September 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, because a UK band had already used this name, the band changed its name to "The Sweet Cheeks." During their earliest days, they were notorious for their raucous frat house party gigs{{Citation needed|date=November 2015}} and mostly covered songs by their favorite bands. Later in 1982, Todd Duncan, former sax player of ] rock band "The Sneakers", proposed that The Sweet Cheeks open for ] at La Bamba's in ]. The month before the gig, Todd changed the name of the band to "Crazy 8s" and added several new songs to the band's lineup. The members of the newly monikered group were noticed by Tony DeMicoli, the owner of La Bamba's, during their performance and he hired the band to perform in the upcoming months. In addition, Crazy 8s became a regular opening act for Billy Rancher's band.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2010/05/tony_demicoli_recalls_22_years.html|title=Tony DeMicoli recalls 22 years of Rose Festival music|website=OregonLive.com|date=May 28, 2010|access-date=2016-04-27}}</ref>


The band opened for ] at Oregon State on October 5, 1982 and with ] at the ] the same year.<ref name="Schauffler, Anne 2006">Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006.</ref> In '']'' magazine, the Crazy 8s were defined as one of "nine bands to watch"<ref name="Wing, Eliza 1985">Wing, Eliza. "Small-Time Rockers on a Roll." Rolling Stone: 1985. February 18, 2008.</ref> In addition, the Crazy 8s played alongside several well-known bands such as ], the ], ], ], ], and the ] between 1984 and 1985.<ref name="Schauffler, Anne 2006"/>
The band formed their own label, "RedRum Records", to release their debut offering, "Law and Order". Constant touring in the Pacific Northwest won the band many fans {{fact}}.


]. Ohman's image for the original issue of the album, a caricature of President ] as a gunslinger toting nuclear missiles in his holsters, has been updated for successive reissues of the album. The most recent version of the ''Law and Order'' cover, for the album's 20th Anniversary, includes caricatures of Presidents Reagan, ], ], and ].]]
The Crazy 8s were founded at ] in ] in ]{{fact}}. The group gained recognition mainly through airing on ], specifically ]{{fact}}.


In order to release their 1983 debut album, ''Law and Order,'' the band formed their own record label titled "RedRum Records". Not having the financial means to fund such an endeavor, the Crazy 8s turned to Joe Johnson's brother, Steve Johnson, an Oregon State University and ] player, who invested $2,000 in the recording, production and distribution of the album. The band rejected offers from several major labels, including Warner Brothers. After the release of the hit single "Johnny Q", the band's album reached the "Top 20" on the ''Gavin Report''.<ref name="History of Portland Rock" />The original ''Law and Order'' album , is missing two tracks "Jump Rock" and I'm Ok Your'e Ok" wriitten by the bands then manager Joe Johnson aka JamminJoe/JamminJoe The True Smooth Saxophonist.
Their first album, ''Law and Order'', was released in ] and sold 6,000 copies in its first week{{fact}}, finally totalling 11,000 units sold{{fact}}. The album reached the top 20 on the ] during the year of its release, with the hit single ''Johnny Q.''{{fact}}. They were selected to appear on ] as a novelty rock band{{fact}}, and received a top score of four stars{{fact}}. Afterwards, they were reviewed by ], who said that the lead singer, ], bore a striking resemblance to ] of ] fame{{fact}}.
The album was an instant classic. It was all made possible by the bands manager/saxophonist JamminJoe who provided the initial funding to make the album and hire producer "Marlon McClain" guitarist for the band "Pleasure"; hire political cartoonist Jack Ohman to make the original album cover; wrote the aforementioned songs; performed on all of the album songs; and successfully negotiated and secured the band a performance spot and "Wide World Exposure" on
'']'' TV show/write ups in '']'', ] magazine and ]......The album made a lot of people musically happy and satisfied.


===Reception===
In ], the Crazy 8s opened for ]{{fact}}, ]{{fact}}, and ]{{fact}}. In ], they played with ] on their first tour{{fact}}. They were featured in the ] ] issue of ] magazine as one of the top 10 bands playing on college radio{{fact}}.
The Crazy 8s were written up in several newspapers, magazines and other news sources, including '']'' Other, '']'', ''The Rocket'', The ], The ], the ''Scene Magazine'', ''ISU Daily'', ''The Varsity'', ''Two Louies'', ''This Week'', The ], ''The Mast'', ] and ].<ref name="ReferenceA">Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006</ref>


Greg Barbrick, a ] writer for ''The Rocket'', wrote:
The Crazy 8s went on to make a total of six albums, including one live recording at the ], which sold a total of over 100,000 units{{fact}}, an unusual achievement for an independent band.
{{cquote| vision is of expanding the parameters of popular vision... is a melting pot...}}<ref>Barbrick, Greg. "It's a Dog Eat Dog World." The Rocket: June 1990. February 18, 2008</ref>
For Barbrick, Crazy 8s was a group that deserved to be "international sensations." In another issue of ''The Rocket'', released not long after the ''Rolling Stone'' article, he wrote that:
{{cquote| on the edge of pop success...}}
However, Crazy 8s did not break into mainstream pop culture.<ref>Pike, Jeff. "Let's Go CRAZY." The Rocket: November 1985. February 18, 2008</ref>


The Crazy 8s were the only ''independent'' release to have a song to reach number 69 (or higher) in Tower Record's ''Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart.'' Their 1985 song "Touchy Situation" reached the #6 position at CFNY (]) and #13 at Z100 (]).<ref name="ReferenceA"/>


== Members == ==Founding members==
*'''"Tasty" Phil Allen''', ]
* Casey Shaar, ]
*'''Todd Duncan''', lead ] and ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> - played in ''The Sneakers,'' from ] in 1979 to 1982.<ref name="The Sneakers">{{cite web | title = The Sneakers – the Band from Eugene, OR | work = pnwbands.com| url= http://pnwbands.com/sneakers.html | accessdate=January 21, 2008}}</ref>
* Danny Schauffler, ], ], ]
*'''Bruce Marler''', ]
* Todd Duncan, lead ] and ]
*'''Casey "Spacey" Shaar''', ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* Tim Tubb, ]
*'''Malcolm "Sweet Pity" Smith''', ]
* Ric Washington, ]
*'''Tim "The Fat Man" Tubb''', ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> - wrote the piece ''"Johnny Q."''<ref>Johnny Q. (Sheet Music). Tim Tubb</ref>
* Mike Regan, ]
*'''Mark "Wah-Wah" Wanaka''', ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* Joe Johnson, ] (original member)
*'''Rick Washington''', ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
* Mark Wanaka, ]
* Carl Smith, ] *'''Gary "The Warehouse" Williams''', ]


==Additional members==
== External links ==
(listed chronologically)
*
*'''Joe Johnson''', ].<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*'''Jim Wallace''', ], also played in seminal Portland bands, (i.e. The Odds, 2:50, Map of France, Theatre of Sheep)
*'''Mike Regan''', ]<ref name="ReferenceA"/> currently employed at Gordon Russell Middle School as the band director.
*'''Carl Smith''', ],<ref name="ReferenceA"/> currently working with renowned concert violinist Aaron Meyer
*'''Dan Schauffler''', ], ], ]<ref name="ReferenceA" /> originally a member of the band ].<ref name="History of Portland Rock">{{cite web | title = History of Portland Rock | work = spclarke.com | url = http://www.spclarke.com/historyofportlandrockpart4.htm | accessdate = January 21, 2008 | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://archive.today/20110716114304/http://www.spclarke.com/historyofportlandrockpart4.htm | archivedate = July 16, 2011 | df = mdy-all }}</ref>
*'''Jerry Burton''', ], replaced Danny and was on the 10th anniversary reissue of "Law and Order."
*'''Megan Murphy''', ], ], ]<ref name="ReferenceA" /> session and fill in for Dan S. Went on to play with the Oregon Symphony.
*'''Ron Regan''', ] and ]
*'''Lance Kreiter''', ], replaced Howard Clarke in 1993 and was in the band through the NYE show of 1994/1995 at Key Largo. Rejoined in August 2014.


==Discography==
{{US-band-stub}}
*1984 - ''Law and Order''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1985 - ''Nervous in Suburbia''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1987 - ''Out of the Way''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1988 - ''Big Live Nut Pack''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1989 - ''Doggapotamus World''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1992 - ''Law and Order '''re-release''' ''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1992 - ''Still Crazy After All These Beers''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>


All albums were released under the Crazy 8s' official label, RedRum Records.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
]

]
==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.<ref name="Tim Tubb, 2009">Tim Tubb, 2009</ref>
Oregon Music Hall of Fame:
*2007 Crazy 8's.<ref name="Tim Tubb, 2009"/>

;Billboard Hits:
*1984 - ''Law and Order'' (])<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1984 - "Johnny Q." (Screamer of the Week for WLIR)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1985 - ''Nervous in Suburbia'' (#69, Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1985 - "Touchy Situation" (#6, CFNY Station)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>
*1985 - "Touchy Situation" (#13, Z100 Portland)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

]
]
]
]
]
]
]

Latest revision as of 10:00, 24 March 2024

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The Crazy 8s
OriginCorvallis, Oregon
GenresRock, ska
Years active1982–present
LabelsRedRum
MembersTim Tubb
Dan Schauffler
Todd Duncan
Mike Regan
Mark Wanaka
Rick Washington
Carl Smith

Crazy 8s is an American rock and ska band from Oregon.

History

Formation and first album

The Crazy 8s were formed in Corvallis, Oregon as "The Cheeks" in 1982. However, because a UK band had already used this name, the band changed its name to "The Sweet Cheeks." During their earliest days, they were notorious for their raucous frat house party gigs and mostly covered songs by their favorite bands. Later in 1982, Todd Duncan, former sax player of Eugene rock band "The Sneakers", proposed that The Sweet Cheeks open for Billy Rancher and the Unreal Gods at La Bamba's in Portland. The month before the gig, Todd changed the name of the band to "Crazy 8s" and added several new songs to the band's lineup. The members of the newly monikered group were noticed by Tony DeMicoli, the owner of La Bamba's, during their performance and he hired the band to perform in the upcoming months. In addition, Crazy 8s became a regular opening act for Billy Rancher's band.

The band opened for Romeo Void at Oregon State on October 5, 1982 and with The English Beat at the University of Oregon the same year. In Rolling Stone magazine, the Crazy 8s were defined as one of "nine bands to watch" In addition, the Crazy 8s played alongside several well-known bands such as The Clash, the Violent Femmes, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sonic Youth, The Three O'Clock, and the Beach Boys between 1984 and 1985.

The cover of the band's Law and Order album has featured a series of cartoons by award-winning cartoonist Jack Ohman. Ohman's image for the original issue of the album, a caricature of President Ronald Reagan as a gunslinger toting nuclear missiles in his holsters, has been updated for successive reissues of the album. The most recent version of the Law and Order cover, for the album's 20th Anniversary, includes caricatures of Presidents Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush.

In order to release their 1983 debut album, Law and Order, the band formed their own record label titled "RedRum Records". Not having the financial means to fund such an endeavor, the Crazy 8s turned to Joe Johnson's brother, Steve Johnson, an Oregon State University and NBA player, who invested $2,000 in the recording, production and distribution of the album. The band rejected offers from several major labels, including Warner Brothers. After the release of the hit single "Johnny Q", the band's album reached the "Top 20" on the Gavin Report.The original Law and Order album , is missing two tracks "Jump Rock" and I'm Ok Your'e Ok" wriitten by the bands then manager Joe Johnson aka JamminJoe/JamminJoe The True Smooth Saxophonist. The album was an instant classic. It was all made possible by the bands manager/saxophonist JamminJoe who provided the initial funding to make the album and hire producer "Marlon McClain" guitarist for the band "Pleasure"; hire political cartoonist Jack Ohman to make the original album cover; wrote the aforementioned songs; performed on all of the album songs; and successfully negotiated and secured the band a performance spot and "Wide World Exposure" on Star Search TV show/write ups in TV Guide, Billboard magazine and Rolling Stone magazine......The album made a lot of people musically happy and satisfied.

Reception

The Crazy 8s were written up in several newspapers, magazines and other news sources, including Rolling Stone Other, The Oregonian, The Rocket, The Seattle Times, The Chicago Sun-Times, the Scene Magazine, ISU Daily, The Varsity, Two Louies, This Week, The Corvallis Gazette-Times, The Mast, Billboard and Willamette Week.

Greg Barbrick, a British writer for The Rocket, wrote:

vision is of expanding the parameters of popular vision... is a melting pot...

For Barbrick, Crazy 8s was a group that deserved to be "international sensations." In another issue of The Rocket, released not long after the Rolling Stone article, he wrote that:

on the edge of pop success...

However, Crazy 8s did not break into mainstream pop culture.

The Crazy 8s were the only independent release to have a song to reach number 69 (or higher) in Tower Record's Pulse Chainwide Sales Chart. Their 1985 song "Touchy Situation" reached the #6 position at CFNY (Toronto) and #13 at Z100 (Portland, Oregon).

Founding members

Additional members

(listed chronologically)

  • Joe Johnson, tenor saxophone.
  • Jim Wallace, bass guitar, also played in seminal Portland bands, (i.e. The Odds, 2:50, Map of France, Theatre of Sheep)
  • Mike Regan, bass guitar currently employed at Gordon Russell Middle School as the band director.
  • Carl Smith, percussion, currently working with renowned concert violinist Aaron Meyer
  • Dan Schauffler, tenor saxophone, flute, keyboard originally a member of the band Nu Shooz.
  • Jerry Burton, tenor sax, replaced Danny and was on the 10th anniversary reissue of "Law and Order."
  • Megan Murphy, alto saxophone, flute, keyboard session and fill in for Dan S. Went on to play with the Oregon Symphony.
  • Ron Regan, keyboards and alto sax
  • Lance Kreiter, drums, replaced Howard Clarke in 1993 and was in the band through the NYE show of 1994/1995 at Key Largo. Rejoined in August 2014.

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.

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)

References

  1. ""HORN AGAIN" - Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their Debut Album..." wweek.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  2. "Tony DeMicoli recalls 22 years of Rose Festival music". OregonLive.com. May 28, 2010. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  3. ^ Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006.
  4. Wing, Eliza. "Small-Time Rockers on a Roll." Rolling Stone: 1985. February 18, 2008.
  5. ^ "History of Portland Rock". spclarke.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  6. ^ Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006
  7. Barbrick, Greg. "It's a Dog Eat Dog World." The Rocket: June 1990. February 18, 2008
  8. Pike, Jeff. "Let's Go CRAZY." The Rocket: November 1985. February 18, 2008
  9. "The Sneakers – the Band from Eugene, OR". pnwbands.com. Retrieved January 21, 2008.
  10. Johnny Q. (Sheet Music). Tim Tubb
  11. ^ Tim Tubb, 2009
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