Beware—Crime-A-Billy music is on the rise in Portland and The Strange Tones are just the ones to shake it up

By Laurie Morrisey

Dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun, dun...can you hear the theme of your favorite crime fighting show drumming through your head? Do you see a gal and three guys playing music in a choreographed dance reminiscent of the staged fights between Batman and the Joker? Do they have that intense stare that seems to say, “We are here to kick butt and take names?” Then you must be at a performance of none other than The Strange Tones.

They describe their music as “A one-of-a-kind fiery blend of original blues, rockabilly, surf, vintage R&B, and film noir sonic hues,” or just crime-a-billy. Their shows aren’t just a presentation of music—it is an experience which is not soon forgotten. On occasion they add in the dancing talents of the Volcano Vixens and you have a rocking night that leaves you wanting more.

This quintessential quartet is made up of Guitar Julie on vocals, lead guitar, and rhythm guitar; Suburban Slim on vocals, lead guitar, rhythm guitar, trumpet, and bass; Andy Gauthier on drums and percussion; and Andy Strange on vocals, bass, harmonica, and bottleneck guitar. This group of musical crime fighters can often be found at their Lava Lair (which is at a secured location,) along with the Volcano Vixens--Vivian Vixen (aka Jenny Hauser) and Veronica Vixen (aka Susan Kane.)

Andy and Julie have nothing but wonderful things to say about their fellow Strange Tones. “Suburban Slim has a one-of-a-kind sound and approach to music and Andy G. is a ‘drummer’s drummer.’ They are both creative and funny—you just couldn’t ask for better bandmates. Their work ethic helps to make our band run and they have good musical ideas,” Andy says about the other half of The Strange Tones.

“We are so fortunate that everyone gets along and contributes to the success of our band,” Andy said.

It’s a good thing they all work so well together, because they are the ones that do all the work. Andy and Julie do all the jobs required of a band—no outside help from an agent or manager. “We do what we want to do. We have full artistic freedom, but that also means that we do all the graphics, website upkeep, bookings, etc.,” according to Julie.

This unique group is the brain child of Guitar Julie and Andy Strange—a husband and wife team that met 21 years ago at a CBA meeting. “Longtime friend Boyd Small introduced us. Our friend Joey Scruggs was also there. We started talking about how we liked the same kind of music and just hit it off.”

Over the years they have played in other bands but formed The Strange Tones about eight years ago.

When asked what got them interested in blues music, Andy and Julie had similar answers.

“My father was a professor and Robert Johnson was required listening,” said Andy. “And my step father was also a professor and a big blues fan,” Julie said. Andy went on to explain that his father was so into blues music that it intrigued him. He said it taught him to pursue the dream of what his music could be.

The band is currently in the studio working on a Christmas CD and are planning to have a CD release/Christmas party December 10th at Duff’s Garage. They have another CD in the works but have put it on the back burner to complete the Christmas CD by this December—look for it to be out in 2012. It will be a work of all original material. “We are taking our time to get it right,” Andy said. Their other CDs are We’re On Our Way (2008), Crime-A-Billy (2005), and Stink bomb! (2003)—all on Meteor Sonic Records.

The band was recently nominated for the 2011 CBA Muddy Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Act and for Best Performance for their show at the 2011 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival. Suburban Slim was also nominated for Best Electric Guitar and Best Male Vocalist.

They have received numerous Muddy Awards from the CBA including: Best Contemporary Blues Act (2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008); Northwest Recording of the Year (2008); Suburban Slim’s awards for Best Electric Guitar (2005, 2006, 2008, and 2009); and they were inducted in the Muddy Hall of Fame, Best Contemporary Blues Act  (2007).

Additional awards include the 2005 Bronze Telly Award for “Live at the Waterfront Blues Festival” video and the 2005 Best of the Northwest Award of Excellence for “Live at the Waterfront Blues Festival” video.

But that’s only the start of their list of accomplishments. In 2010 and 2011 they were nominated for “Outstanding Achievement in Blues” from the Portland Music Awards. They performed in the movie “Portland Mojo: How Stumptown Got the Blues”; were featured on prime time television show PDXposed; band’s original track “Mama Makes More” is in the soundtrack for James Keach’s movie “Waiting for Forever”; their song “Pinto Squire” was featured on National Public Radio’s Car Talk; they wrote and recorded the soundtrack for the independent film “Overdrawn”Еthe list goes on, but those are some of the highlights.

Music isn’t the only thing that pays the bills in the Strange household (as in, Strange, their name. Not that their household is strange, although I can’t imagine it being very sedate either.) Andy has been in the digital printing industry for over 25 years. Julie is an English Language Learner Teacher for K-5. For about the past 20 years she has worked with students who are limited-English speakers. They have also worked together to raise Julie’s 25-year-old son, Nick. He recently was in the Peace Corps in Thailand and is now studying at Johns Hopkins University. He’s spending a year studying abroad in Italy, then he will be in Washington, DC, to finish his schooling.

In October you can find The Strange Tones in Eugene at Mac’s at the Vet’s Club on Saturday, October 15th, then on Halloween weekend, Saturday, October 29th, they will be scaring up some Crime-A-Billy at The Trail’s End Saloon. For more information about upcoming shows visit their website at strangetones.com. And don’t forget their CD release/Christmas party December 10th at Duff’s Garage.

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