Eight Seconds was a Canadian synthpop/progressive rock band formed in 1982 in Ottawa. The group initially gained traction as a cover band playing local bars, but their original song "Where's Bula?" won the CHEZ 106 Sharechez '83 homegrown contest, leading to a music video that received airplay on MuchMusic and MTV's Basement Tapes show. In 1985, Eight Seconds competed in CBC Television's Rock Wars battle of the bands competition series and released their five-song EP Ottava Rima, which charted in Ottawa. Producer Rupert Hine was impressed by their songwriting and flew to Canada to see them perform live, eventually signing them to Polygram New York. The band recorded their debut album Almacantar at Hine's Farmyard Studios in Buckinghamshire, England. Released through Polydor, the album featured the lead single "Kiss You (When It's Dangerous)", which peaked at number 14 on the Canadian charts and number 72 in the United States. Eight Seconds toured extensively throughout North America from 1986 to 1987, supporting acts such as Wang Chung, Paul Young, and David Bowie. In early 1988, they recorded their second studio album Big Houses, produced by Paul Northfield and Frank Levin, which was delayed due to management issues. The band disbanded shortly after the album's release in 1990. Eight Seconds reunited in 2002 to cover "Hey Jude" for a Beatles tribute album.
