Dee Willy, vocals, guitar
Billy Rich, guitar, vocals Cletis Carr, keyboards, guitar, vocals
Johnny Zipgun, bass, vocals Marquis Olsen, drums, vocals
Later member: Todd Duncan, sax, vocals
Unofficial 'official' member: Henry Cooper, harmonica
Crew:
Dave Welch, sound
Shawn Welch, lighting
Bud Costley, staging
Joel Meyers, staging
Management:
Doyle H. "Huck" Coleman
Allen Kovac
Phillip Kovac
Recording team:
Roger Atkins, producer
Peter Lorincz, engineer
Album art:
Mick Chudy, for the Art Maggots
Rudy Fox, photography
Kathy Rounds, logo
Influences
Roots: The Beatles, The Kinks, The Who, Small Faces, Paul Revere & the Raiders, Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Beach Boys, Tom & Jerry, The McCoys, Tommy James & the Shondells, Donovan, Peter Tosh, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley
Heroes & Contemporaries: The Clash, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Rockpile, Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, The Plimsouls, Boomtown Rats, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, The Ramones, Devo, The Police, Talking Heads, Chris Spedding, Eddie & the Hotrods, Dwight Twilley Band, The Specials, The English Beat, Squeeze, Bruce Springsteen, Mink DeVille
Sneakers began as a bunch of high school kids from Springfield Oregon in the mid-70's. Armed with mediocre equipment (including lighting that they'd stolen from the local lodge), and even less initial talent, they played anywhere they could, building a fan base as well as their own confidence. The band rehearsed. A lot. And focused.
Eventually settling on a solid lineup, and straddling the fence between classic 60's pop and the emerging "New Wave", Sneakers found guidance with the help of Allen Kovac's then fledgling managment firm, and producer Roger Atkins, who'd written hits for the likes of the Animals and the Monkees.
Sneakers was hailed as the first band with a nationally released album from Oregon since Paul Revere and the Raiders in the '60s. The Ear Cartoons album nabbed the "Pick of the Week" honor in Billboard magazine upon its release in 1980.
The band toured non-stop, opening for international acts and filling venues in their hometown. Keyboard/guitarist Cletis Carr left the band in 1981, to be replaced by sax player Todd Duncan (who later went on to form the popular ska band Crazy 8's). The band then recorded a second album, Music From The Sole which remains unreleased. The band uprooted from Oregon to Houston and shortly thereafter broke-up.
Their influence on the NW scene was immeasurable, as their free-form live shows, paired with their boundless energy and quality pop songs helped the local scene drag itself from the morass and excess of the 70's and happily into the MTV-era 80's.
Sadly, the band were just a little ahead of their time, if only MTV were around when the band were at their prime, who knows how far they could have gone.
HI thnx for the add & friendship ! Think it’s nice to be connected with musicians all over the world !!! Took some time to listen to your music and it sounds really GREAT ...COOL STUFF ….just love it !! Greetz from D E E Z E L (Belgium) and lots of luck in every thing you do!! If you can find the time check out my music too (thnx)
