Dissipated Eight
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The Dissipated Eight, also known as the Middlebury College Dissipated Eight or D8, is an all-male collegiate a cappella ensemble from Middlebury College in Vermont. The Dissipated Eight was formed in 1952 and still exists today, generally with more than eight members. The group is not bound to particular individuals, so its members are constantly shifting as students graduate and new students enroll in the college.
The Dissipated Eight's repertoire consists of covers of popular music. They generally do not use any instruments in their recordings, carefully utilizing singers of different pitches to simulate the sound of all the instruments of the song they are covering, including rapid or high-pitched instruments such as the fiddle or drum set.
Several former members of the Dissipated Eight have gone on to gain national prominence, including international opera performer William Burden, television and film actor Jake Weber, and author/actor Scott Janes.
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[edit] Formation and Naming
Shortly after the class of 1955 arrived at Middlebury in the Fall of 1951, Pete Baldwin's interest in quartet singing led him to form a small singing group. By February, seven were practicing on a regular basis. WRMC announcer Bob Arel, noting the double quartet (which had no name at the time) was short by one, jokingly called the group "the dissipated eight". The Dissipated Eight made its debut at the Ides of March Dance on March 15, 1952.
[edit] Discography
Dissipated Eight have released nine albums on Compact Disc.
- Super 8 (1990)
- A Moveable Fest (1993)
- Clapping Joes (1996)
- Eighps (1997)
- Altitude (1999)
- No Sleep For Dreaming (2000)
- Eight Balls (2002)
- Golden Jubilee: 50 Years Of Dissipation (2002)
- Out Of The Ashes (2005)
[edit] Artists Covered
A few of the artists Dissipated Eight have covered:
- The Beatles (Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End)
- Jeff Buckley (Lilac Wine)
- Coldplay (In My Place)
- Dave Matthews Band (Two Step and Satellite)
- Depeche Mode (Enjoy The Silence)
- Dispatch (Here We Go)
- Bob Dylan (All Along The Watchtower)
- Ben Folds (Philosophy)
- Naked Eyes (Always Something There To Remind Me)
- Pink Floyd (Comfortably Numb)
- R.E.M. (Nightswimming)
- Paul Simon (Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes)
- Spacehog (In The Meantime)
- Toto (Africa)
- Weezer (Buddy Holly)
[edit] Achievements
The Dissipated Eight has been featured three times on Best of College A Cappella (BOCA) compilations:
- 1997 - For What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield)
- 1998 - Satellite (Dave Matthews Band)
- 2000 - Windmills (Toad the Wet Sprocket)
Two albums were designated "Male Collegiate Album of the Year" by The Contemporary A Cappella Society (CASA):
- 1997 - Clapping Joes
- 1998 - Eighps
In the Meantime (from Eight Balls) was featured on the first Collegiate A Cappella Music Organization (CAMO) compilation "Top Shelf A Cappella"
Chris Molina's work on A Wink and a Smile (on the album Altitude) was named "Solo of the Year" by CASA in 2000.
Mike Olcott's work on Superstition (on the album Out Of The Ashes) was nominated for "Solo of the Year" by CASA in 2006.
