Jeremy Stanfill played drums in his first band, a surf-rock instrumental group called The Mysterious Comics, at age 8.

“I had some leopard-skin Jams pants, Vans, ‘Life’s a Beach’ Bad Boys Club flip-up hat and a Rude Dog tank top,” he said. “We were huge into the Ventures and all that stuff.”

“I didn’t even like music at 8 years old,” said Nick Redmond.

Stanfill and Redmond now are the hosts of Bar Stars, a concert/open mike night on Wednesdays at Neil’s.

Stanfill left music after The Mysterious Comics and got into BMX bike racing. Beginning at age 6, Redmond trained in gymnastics — high bar, parallel bars, vault, floor and rings — in hopes of being in the Olympics.

Those sports stopped when Stanfill and Redmond were in their middle teens.

Stanfill began Crippled Nation when he was 14. For Redmond, music beckoned at age 16. Gymnastics “really kind of ended when I found a guitar in my dad’s closet,” Redmond said. “It was an old beat-up Alvarez.”

Even though he didn’t know Stanfill, Redmond was a fan of Crippled Nation.

“I just have a theory that most bands starting out in Memphis, Tennessee, were probably if not directly influenced by Crippled Nation were just trying to flat-out be like them,” he said. Redmond eventually formed his first band, Hybrid, a new metal group.

Richard Butler started Bar Stars about a year and a half ago. Originally, it was hosted by Brandon McGovern, Van Duren and Stanfill.

“It’s kind of like an open mike to showcase songwriters and talent,” Stanfill said.

McGovern repeatedly asked Redmond to join them on stage Wednesday nights at Neil’s. “I finally did and I was surrounded by my heroes — legends, in my mind,” Redmond said.

Redmond now is in Star and Micey, and Stanfill is in Streetside Symphony, but Wednesday nights are reserved for Bar Stars.

“It’s boys’ night out,” Stanfill said. “I get to hang out with my best friends and play music, and it’s just a good time.”

“You just never know who’s going to walk through that door,” Redmond said. “It blows my mind.”

Listen Up spotlights area performers. Michael Donahue can be reached at 529-2797.

Bar Stars

10 p.m. Wednesdays at Neil’s, 1835 Madison. No cover charge. Call 278-6345.