| Crawpuppies make mark on club scene SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT with Tom Lounges |
Published 12/01/2000 01:21:33 PM NORTHWEST INDIANA TIMES
Averaging four bookings a week, 52 weeks a year, makes the Crawpuppies one of the busiest local
bands on the region's club scene. "We're working all the time because we can perform to almost any
kind of audience," explained bassist Aaron Hedges. "We can cover a lot of bases musically. We can
go from doing a show of oldies and dance songs at one of the (gambling) boats, to doing a hard rock
show at a bar like Ruth & Bud's." The 4-year-old band boasts a repertoire of 400-plus songs which
ranges from golden oldies by Del Shannon and Dion to recent hits by Oasis, Live and Pearl Jam. "We
know so many songs that we don't ever use a set list at shows," vocalist/acoustic guitarist Chad
Clifford said. "We play off people in the crowd. We customize each show to fit the audience we
have that night. I call out songs as we go along or one of the other guys will call out a song. We
even take requests sometimes." "We do a lot of Beatles and Led Zeppelin," drummer Chris Karp adds.
"Those are bands everyone loves, and I have to say that we do them both very well." Hedges seems
to favor bass-heavy funk songs such as "Brick House," "Play That Funky Music" and "1999." "I like
to see people dancing and having a good time at our shows," Hedges said. "Most of the music we
play is dancable. Older stuff like 'Brown Eyed Girl' and 'Some Kind of Wonderful' to newer stuff like
'Blister in the Sun' usually gets people dancing. But a song like 'Brick House' always pulls them on the
floor." While Clifford is a prolific songwriter, original music is on the back burner for the group,
while they continue to build their reputation as a full-service party band. Given their popularity, it is
funny to think that their formation was the accidental result of Hedges and Clifford plundering
through a set of well worn chestnuts at a local jam night. Funnier yet, is that their quirky moniker
was adopted after Clifford spied a fast-food snack item of the sme name being advertised on a
Popeye's Chicken marquee across from the club where they were jamming. The club had eventually
asked the duo to put together a "host band" for the venue's weekly "jam night." Karp, who had been
playing with Hedges in Bravo Johnny at the time, became drummer. Lead guitarist Angelo Ciccio
completed the quartet. "Chad sings all the lead vocals except for a few songs, but we have good
three part harmony," Karp said, "which is why we can do Beatles songs so well." "Everyone was
busy with other projects when this all started coming together," Hedges said. "It was never supposed
to be a real band. It was just a side gig hosting a jam night and then suddenly we were getting asked
to play at other clubs." Along with playing out every Friday and Saturday (and most Sundays), the
Crawpuppies will go back to their roots later this month. On Dec. 13, the Crawpuppies will begin
hosting the new open stage night (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.) at The Backdoor Lounge in Griffith. "It's not
really a 'jam night' as much as it is an 'audition night' so that bands can to come down and showcase
for the club," Hedges warns. "The Crawpuppies will start the night off with a set of music and we
will play as much or as little as needed, depending on how many bands stop by on a given night."
Those wanting more information on the band can sign up for their electronic newsletters by emailing
the band at: crwwpuppies@hotmail.com
.
* (E-mail Tom Lounges at Beatboss@aol.com)
Averaging four bookings a week, 52 weeks a year, makes the Crawpuppies one of the busiest local
bands on the region's club scene. "We're working all the time because we can perform to almost any
kind of audience," explained bassist Aaron Hedges. "We can cover a lot of bases musically. We can
go from doing a show of oldies and dance songs at one of the (gambling) boats, to doing a hard rock
show at a bar like Ruth & Bud's." The 4-year-old band boasts a repertoire of 400-plus songs which
ranges from golden oldies by Del Shannon and Dion to recent hits by Oasis, Live and Pearl Jam. "We
know so many songs that we don't ever use a set list at shows," vocalist/acoustic guitarist Chad
Clifford said. "We play off people in the crowd. We customize each show to fit the audience we
have that night. I call out songs as we go along or one of the other guys will call out a song. We
even take requests sometimes." "We do a lot of Beatles and Led Zeppelin," drummer Chris Karp adds.
"Those are bands everyone loves, and I have to say that we do them both very well." Hedges seems
to favor bass-heavy funk songs such as "Brick House," "Play That Funky Music" and "1999." "I like
to see people dancing and having a good time at our shows," Hedges said. "Most of the music we
play is dancable. Older stuff like 'Brown Eyed Girl' and 'Some Kind of Wonderful' to newer stuff like
'Blister in the Sun' usually gets people dancing. But a song like 'Brick House' always pulls them on the
floor." While Clifford is a prolific songwriter, original music is on the back burner for the group,
while they continue to build their reputation as a full-service party band. Given their popularity, it is
funny to think that their formation was the accidental result of Hedges and Clifford plundering
through a set of well worn chestnuts at a local jam night. Funnier yet, is that their quirky moniker
was adopted after Clifford spied a fast-food snack item of the sme name being advertised on a
Popeye's Chicken marquee across from the club where they were jamming. The club had eventually
asked the duo to put together a "host band" for the venue's weekly "jam night." Karp, who had been
playing with Hedges in Bravo Johnny at the time, became drummer. Lead guitarist Angelo Ciccio
completed the quartet. "Chad sings all the lead vocals except for a few songs, but we have good
three part harmony," Karp said, "which is why we can do Beatles songs so well." "Everyone was
busy with other projects when this all started coming together," Hedges said. "It was never supposed
to be a real band. It was just a side gig hosting a jam night and then suddenly we were getting asked
to play at other clubs." Along with playing out every Friday and Saturday (and most Sundays), the
Crawpuppies will go back to their roots later this month. On Dec. 13, the Crawpuppies will begin
hosting the new open stage night (10 p.m. to 1 a.m.) at The Backdoor Lounge in Griffith. "It's not
really a 'jam night' as much as it is an 'audition night' so that bands can to come down and showcase
for the club," Hedges warns. "The Crawpuppies will start the night off with a set of music and we
will play as much or as little as needed, depending on how many bands stop by on a given night."
Those wanting more information on the band can sign up for their electronic newsletters by emailing
the band at: crwwpuppies@hotmail.com
.
* (E-mail Tom Lounges at Beatboss@aol.com)