Crazy Town

Crazy Town was an American rap-rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1995 by Bret "Epic" Mazur and Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer. They began collaborating in 1995 under the name The Brimstone Sluggers. By early 1999, the group was officially known as Crazy Town and the lineup included Mazur, Binzer, Rust Epique, James Bradley Jr., Doug Miller, Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein, and Antonio Lorenzo "Trouble" Valli.

The Gift of Game and "Butterfly"

The band released their debut album, "The Gift of Game," in November 1999. Initially, the album's first two singles, "Toxic" and "Darkside," failed to chart. The band gained significant attention after releasing their third single, "Butterfly," in October 2000. The song, which samples the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Pretty Little Ditty," became a massive international hit, reaching number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in March 2001. The success of "Butterfly" propelled "The Gift of Game" to sell over 1.6 million copies in the US and more than 2.5 million worldwide. Following the success of "Butterfly," the band toured with Ozzfest in 2001.

Darkhorse and Hiatus

Their second album, "Darkhorse," was released in November 2002. Produced by Howard Benson, the album had a more rock-oriented sound. It did not achieve the same commercial success as their debut, and the singles "Drowning" and "Hurt You So Bad" had limited to no chart success. Citing pressure from their record company to produce another hit like "Butterfly," the band broke up in 2003. During the hiatus, members pursued solo projects. Binzer released a solo album called "Happy Love Sick" in 2004 and was featured on Paul Oakenfold's 2002 single "Starry Eyed Surprise". Guitarist Rust Epique formed the band pre)Thing and passed away from a heart attack in 2004.

Reunion, The Brimstone Sluggers, and Later Years

Crazy Town reformed in 2007 and began working on new music. In August 2015, they released their third album, "The Brimstone Sluggers". The album's title is a nod to the original name Mazur and Binzer used. The album featured a return to a more hip-hop-focused sound and included a track featuring former member DJ AM, who died in 2009 of an accidental drug overdose. In 2017, Mazur left the band, and Binzer began performing under the name Crazy Town X. The band released an EP titled "Flirting with Disaster" in March 2024.

Deaths of Shifty Shellshock and Legacy

Shifty Shellshock publicly battled with substance abuse for many years, appearing on the reality shows "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" and "Sober House". On June 24, 2024, Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. His death was later ruled an accident, caused by the combined effects of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine. His passing has left the future of the band uncertain.