Who is Crazy Johnny and how did the club get started?

Here is an excerpt from an article that appeared in the Nassau Tribune…

After 33 years in the family business as a marine mechanic and workshop manager for Brown’s Boat Basin, 50 year old Johnny Brown had had enough. While the work may have furthered his father’s business, given him a livelihood and paid his bills, his heart, his passion, remained steadfastly rooted in music, Rock N Roll music to be exact.

“I had enough of killing myself in the hot sun and in the very tight confines of boats. When I woke up from my sixth surgery on January 19, 2007, my second rotator cuff surgery in eight years- I realized I had had enough and I wanted to fulfill my dreams of having my own place, of being my own boss and being involved in what I truly have always known to be my honest passion”, Johnny said.

Now the owner and operator of Crazy Johnny’s All Rock N Roll Club on East Bay & Fowler St., Johnny has been able to accomplish something that most adults only hope of- fulfilling a childhood dream.

With salt water in his veins and rock n roll in his heart, Johnny says that he knew from an early age that rock n roll was his passion.

“I realized  probably 20 years age, after my cousin opened his club- Waterloo- of which I was a loyal patron for over 30 years- that I wanted my own place that specialized in  rock n roll music and not only the listening aspect, but the visual aspect- of being able to see performing artists in a video capapcity.”

According to Johnny, Crazy Johnny’s offers the first opportunity in the Bahamas, that he’s aware of, to be able to hear your favorite music as be able to watch the performances of your favorite band on a big screen with a big sound. “It’s as close to being at the show as we can offer” he said, adding that the festive mood and surroundings always lends to everyone having a great time.

Open since June 30 (2007), after seven grueling weeks of renovations and completely rebuilding the premises, the response from the public has been very good, with new faces constantly coming and old faces coming back for more.

Asked whether he was concerned that The Buzz, a club which was formerly housed on the premises, had to close down, Johnny said he wasn’t concerned at all.

“I feel this club will be successful because I really believe that there is big market for rock n roll ands that is making resurgence in popularity among Bahamians, and the western world in general. A testimony to that is the popularity of Y98.7 (the Tribunes newest station) I also think why I‘ll be successful is my presence in welcoming everyone who comes to the club and making them realize that this is their club and I’m merely the owner. Also, we offer the opportunity to visually enjoy the music and live performances as well as being able to listen to your favorite bands and artists in a friendly clean environment”

Johnny also noted that he has the highest respect and a close friendship with one of the former Buzz owners, Mr. Gerry Cash Jr. The two maintain close relationship and he has received tremendous assistance from Mr. Cash with the sound and lighting of the present club.

“It’s still very scary, very , very scary and a bit unnerving when I consider the fact  that at 50 years old I’ve ventured into complete unchartered waters with no formal experience and very little assistance from anybody and had been in the business.. I did have endless support and encouragement form my incredible fiancée, Mary.

Asked about his love of music and the particular draw of rock n roll, Johnny said that he was 12 years old the first time he was on stage, acting at the Dundas and playing drums in his first band. He says that he knew form this tender age that rock n roll was his passion. And as an avid fan today, Johnny said that he attends several concerts a year I, usually in Florida but he’s traveled as far as England, New York and California to catch various acts of his favorite artists.

As an adult, Johnny was an active musician. He played 17 years with Modern Vintage, and the band played at various functions in Nassau and the Family Islands.

“ I remember from my first 45, the Monkey’s, “I’m A Believer”, that I truly was moved by this music. I always asked on all my birthdays, from the age of five, for a drum and at the age of 10 I had my first real snare drum. At  the age of 12 I was given my first se of drums and was playing professionally before the age of 13.

“We would play at local parties and teen dances and each of us received a whopping $10, which was very substantial at the time, especially to a young teenager. We never really had a name, we went through a lot of attempted names such as The Orange Bread Box, Four Cat Day - a take off on Three Dog Night- which was popular at the time. We were also labeled by one of our unintended promoters- Mary Alice Wassitch- Johnny Brown’s Bashful Boys Band. Of course none of the names stuck or were used so we remained untitled for the band’s entire existence”

One element of Johnny’s drive and passion that may surprise people is his relationship with God. According to Johnny, some may even see it- his passion for rock n roll and his love for God, as a bit of a dichotomy.

“I’m pretty zealous in my faith and feel that God is first and everything else is second. I feel very comfortable in my ongoing attendance of weekly worship at Sacred Heart on Shirley Street. Other than my Mother, Elsie Brown, Archbishop Patrick Pinder, has been the single biggest influence in my ongoing faith.”

The club boasts a small kitchen with the best burgers in town, which has given birth to a new slogan, ’Burgers,Beer,Rock nRoll’ . Another slogan I like to maintain is ‘your wish is our desire - you say it-we’ll play it’ If a patron makes a special song request we try to fulfill that promptly. If we don’t have that particular song in the archive we try to obtain it and put it in so that it’s available the next time they visit and want to hear their favorite tune.

So many times we visit places and request a song form the DJ but leave the event not ever hearing the song we asked for. I always felt that was a bit of a disrespect to patrons and I would rather be honest and tell them the song is unavailable at the present time. All of this adds to the reason why I believe Crazy Johnny’s will not only be successful, but the best, most fun rock and roll establishment this town has seen in the past 20 years.

The opening of Crazy Johnny’s proves that passion can never be snuffed out and if you have the will and determination to see a dream through, then the success can be yours. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be able to do this, grateful for the opportunity that Brown’s Boat Basin offered me-namely my father- the late Sidney Brown and my uncle Donald, but I’m also very happy that I had the courage to make this move despite the late timing of it. I would rather strike out than to never have stepped up to the plate. It’s my intention to knock this ball so far out of the park that no fan will ever be able to find it”