The CRABS were formed in Hurricane, West Virginia, in 1981. Jon had Betsy, his electric guitar, and Steve found a deal on a set of drums that someone had used as collateral on an unpaid loan. The jamming had begun!

Many of the jams were recorded on a stereo cassette deck. At first using one microphone, then two, then with the addition of a battery powered mixer, four Radio Shack microphones! Soon Richard bought a guitar and amp and joined the jams. Richard had the ability to play a guitar lead "just like the record", which greatly enhanced the songs being covered.

They jammed whenever their schedules permitted over a two month period in Hurricane, then only got together 4 or 5 more times in various places in WV, KY, and TX.

Various friends helped out with vocals and musical contributions: Vicki, Coles, Tim, Charlie, Pete, and Jim.

The CRABS were never constrained by rules of normalcy in their music. The creative urge pushed them into unexpected frontiers. Hocus Pocus is evidence of their anything goes spontaneity. The jet plane sound effects in Back in the USSR is another example. Below the Ocean just seemed to have happened before anyone realized it. They just enjoyed playing music and being the CRABS!