Crazy 8s (band)

The Crazy 8s were formed in Corvallis, Oregon as "The Cheeks" in 1982.{{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}} 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 being "wild" and were banned from Oregon State , 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.{{Cite web |date=May 28, 2010 |title=Tony DeMicoli recalls 22 years of Rose Festival music |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2010/05/tony_demicoli_recalls_22_years.html |access-date=2016-04-27 |website=OregonLive.com}} 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"Wing, Eliza. "Small-Time Rockers on a Roll." Rolling Stone: 1985. February 18, 2008. 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.Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006.

File:Crazy8s.jpg. 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. The original Law and Order album [1984], is missing two tracks "Jump Rock" and I'm Ok Your'e Ok" written by the bands then manager Joe Johnson.

Law and Order sold over 12,000 units, and earned the band a number 9 rating on Rolling Stone for independent bands in the nation. The next album, Nervous in Suburbia, sold 6,000 within the first week. The band was named "Northwest Band of the Year" in 1985 by Seattle's Rocket music publication and the Oregonian.

After the release of the hit single "Johnny Q", the band's album reached the "Top 20" on the Gavin Report.

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.Schauffler, Anne. A History of the Crazy 8s. 2006.{{Better citation|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=May 2025}}

Greg Barbrick, a British writer for The Rocket, wrote:{{Cite news |last=Barbrick |first=Greg |date=June 1, 1990 |title=It's a dog eat dog world |url=https://washingtondigitalnewspapers.org/?a=d&d=RCT19900601&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |work=The Rocket |pages=37}}

{{cquote|[Crazy 8s'] vision is of expanding the parameters of popular vision...[their album, Doggapotamus] 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:

{{cquote|[The Crazy 8s are] on the edge of pop success...}}

However, Crazy 8s did not break into mainstream pop culture.Pike, Jeff. "Let's Go CRAZY." The Rocket: November 1985. February 18, 2008

Their 1985 song "Touchy Situation" reached the #6 position at CFNY (Toronto) and #13 at Z100 (Portland, Oregon).{{Better citation|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable (WP:NOTRS).|date=May 2025}}

• Phil Allen, tenor saxophone
• Todd Duncan, lead vocals and alto saxophone. - played in The Sneakers, from Eugene, Oregon in 1979 to 1982.{{cite web | title = The Sneakers – the Band from Eugene, OR | work = pnwbands.com| url= http://pnwbands.com/sneakers.html | accessdate=January 21, 2008}}
• Bruce Marler, trumpet
• Casey Shaar, keyboard.
• Malcolm Smith, bass guitar
• Tim Tubb, trombone. - wrote the piece "Johnny Q."Johnny Q. (Sheet Music). Tim Tubb
• Mark Wanaka, guitar.
• Rick Washington, drums.
• Gary Williams, percussion

(listed chronologically)

• Joe Johnson, tenor saxophone.
• Jim Wallace, bass guitar
• Mike Regan, bass guitar
• Carl Smith, percussion
• Dan Schauffler, tenor saxophone, flute, keyboard originally a member of the band Nu Shooz.{{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 }}
• Jerry Burton, tenor sax
• Megan Murphy, alto saxophone, flute, keyboard
• 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.

• 1984 - Law and Order. {{Cite web |title=Red Rum Records {{!}} THE NORTHWEST MUSIC ARCHIVES |url=https://nwmusicarchives.com/label/red-rum-records/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=nwmusicarchives.com}}
• 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.{{Citation |title=Crazy 8's - Still Crazy After All These Beers 1984-1993 |date=1998 |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/8864212-Crazy-8s-Still-Crazy-After-All-These-Beers-1984-1993 |access-date=2025-05-12 |language=en}}

Most albums were released under the Crazy 8s' official label, RedRum Records. The final album, Still Crazy After all these Beers, was released under BDC Records. {{Cite web |last=Noble |first=Barnes & |title=Still Crazy After All These Beers 1984-1993 |url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-crazy-after-all-these-beers-1984-1993-crazy-8s/5696516 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20211206181658/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/still-crazy-after-all-these-beers-1984-1993-crazy-8s/5696516 |archive-date=2021-12-06 |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Barnes & Noble |language=en}}

Player of the Year Award:

• 1987 - Dan SchaufflerTwo Louies

Horn Player of the Year Award, The Crystal Award:

• 1992 - Tim Tubb.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Oregon Music Hall of Fame, 2007 {{Cite web |title=Induction Timeline |url=https://www.omhof.org/induction-timeline/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Oregon Music Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}

;

;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)

{{Reflist}}

Category:Musical groups established in 1982

Category:American ska musical groups

Category:Rock music groups from Oregon

Category:1982 establishments in Oregon

Category:1994 disestablishments in Oregon

Category:Musicians from Corvallis, Oregon

Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1994