Belief in each other is sweet music for band
SOME MIGHT consider eight0eight one of the luckiest local bands in Honolulu.
Maybe it’s the eights in their name and the foresight they had to book an eight-year anniversary party tomorrow at Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.
Or maybe it’s the fact that vocalist and band manager Malcolm Rolsal has resumed performing with the group after surviving a two-year battle with liver cancer.
But ask Rolsal and eight0eight vocal director NJ Chang what they think, and luck isn’t mentioned.
“Being a Christian … I really believe it’s all due to the man upstairs,” Rolsal said of the band’s longevity. “There was one point when we had to go through a major transition … (and then) I fought cancer. But we stood together and held each other up.”
Added Chang: “It’s a testament to our love of the music that we’ve been around for all this time. (Honolulu is) a small community and there are a lot of bands like us, (but) we’ve been busy, so we’re blessed to have that success.”
When eight0eight first started playing their mix of old school jams and contemporary hits in 2000, few musicians were willing to step outside the traditional Hawaiian and Jawaiian genres that dominated local venues.
Chang and Rolsal each played with different groups, but shared a common bass player. After one jam session in his garage, they were convinced gigs would be easier to book if they combined efforts - and eight0eight was born.
While backing musicians have come and gone, Chang and Rolsal remain a constant presence during regular gigs at Gordon Biersch and Kincaid’s. The band’s current members have performed together for three or four years, making them more than just co-workers, according to Chang.
“It’s more than just the music … we truly care for each other as individuals,” she said. “But the absolute most rewarding thing is that we’ve been able to be a part of Armed Forces Entertainment.”
Before Rolsal got sick, eight0eight traveled regularly to military installations around the world as a Department of Defense contractor hired to entertain U.S. troops. The band has performed in nearly 20 countries, with plans to resume travel now that Rolsal is healthy.
“We’ve been through so many changes, but I think we’ll fit in regardless,” he said. “We’ve never been out of work … there are always people who want to hear Earth, Wind and Fire!”
eight0eight’s 8th anniversary bash
>> When: 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. tomorrow
>> Where: Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Aloha Tower Marketplace
>> Call: 294-2112 —
On the Net: www.eight0eight.com
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It’s a testament to our love of the music that we’ve been around for all this time.”
NJ Chang
Vocal director, eight0eight
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