The Zit Remedy is the original name of a band formed by Joey Jeremiah (keyboard), Derek Wheeler (bass guitar) and Archie Simpson (guitar) during their Grade 8 year at Degrassi Junior High School in 1987-88. Joey and Snake each had their own ideas for a name, usually with his own name alone, along with a reference to the other two by some label. Somehow, they agreed on Zit Remedy as a compromise. Wheels did not suggest any names for the band.
Wheels could not practice with them for some time while he took tutoring from Ms. Avery to ensure he'd pass Grade 8; in his absence, Simon Dexter played bass for the band temporarily. The band was "officially" broken up in the spring of 1988 when Wheels’ parents told him that he could not see Joey or Snake anymore and Joey‘s parents confiscated his keyboard. However, it reforms at graduation in June to play at the grad dance, as Joey sneaks his keyboard away from his parents.
The band is later renamed "The Zits". However, as with their entire history, they only have one song less than 90 seconds in length, and learn to perform it quite credibly.
Trivia[]
- They are the first (and so far only) band that has had their song as an episode title.
- In Parents' Night, Snake wanted to name the band "Snake and the Charmers," "Snake and the Sneeze" or "Snake and the Snaps" while Joey wanted to name it "Joey and the Joybuzzers," "Joey and the Jumpstarts," "Joey and the Jellybeans" or "Joey and the Jetset."
- In A New Start, Joey suggested "the Barfbags" and "Three" as new names for the band before deciding on the Zits.
- It was revealed on the Degrassi reunion on The Jonovision Show that Pat Mastroianni, Stefan Brogren and Neil Hope did not know how to play musical instruments or sing in real life. They were only shown how to play a few notes and sing the song.
- In an Interview, Neil Hope said he didn't like the song "Everybody Wants Something," and disliked filming the scenes with the band.
- Their notorious song "Everybody Wants Something" was co-written by the thirteen year old nephew of the show's composers Wendy Watson and Lewis Manne.