The Tronics were a London-based band that released records from 1979 to 1984.Washington City Paper 20 April 2012 The band was formed and fronted by musician, songwriter, and music producer Zarjaz Baby, also known as Ziro Baby.UNCUT Magazine November 2013
Background and influences The band was known for being primitiveUNCUT Magazine November 2013 and strange,Sounds 19 September 1981 with an underground reputation.Melody Maker 3 September 1983 They released a string of highly acclaimed records during the post-punk and new wave periods.Melody Maker 3 September 1983 Tronics has been recognised for releasing the first independent cassette album, Tronics, to be distributed both nationally and internationally.NME September 1982 The Tronics' cassette album was soon followed by another cassette album of outsider art rock,UNCUT Magazine November 2013 in 1980, What's the Hubub Bub, that was later reissued on vinyl in 2013 on M'lady's Records.UNCUT Magazine, November 2013 The last Tronics release was "Wild Cat Rock", a 7" record on Red Rhino Records in 1984.
Style and sound The Tronics' style and sound saw several changes during their activity described as a clash of punk attitude, sixties psychedelic (Jimi Hendrix), a Velvet Underground comparison,Sounds, 19 September 1981 the spirit of Rock 'n' Roll,Melody Maker, 3 September 1983 a fine line between hypnotism and somnambulism,Sounds, 19 September 1981 with a medieval atmosphere.Vox Magazine, October 1981 Tronics recordings are mainly known to have influences from A Clockwork Orange, Marc Bolan and T. Rex,NME, September 1982 New York DollsSounds, 26 May 1979 Johnny Burnette,Melody Maker, 3 September 1983 Buddy Holly and Ronettes.UNCUT Magazine, November 2013
From their beginnings, Tronics and Zarjaz Baby were reported to be troubled by supernatural and paranormal events, described as everyday occurrences.ZigZag Magazine, August 1981 In 1982, the NME reported that although Tronics attracted diverse groups of people, gangs of Hells Angels followed Tronics and were seen lining the back of Tronics audiences.NME, 11 September 1982 In 1983, Zarjaz was reported to claim that he was married to Marilyn Monroe in the afterlife and that she had influenced him to create the sleeve artwork of 1983's Tronics "Wild Cat Rock" single depicting Marilyn Monroe on a subway air vent, with a tiger's head.Melody Maker, 3 September 1983
The end of Tronics and beyond The Tronics series ended when Zarjaz Baby moved into other music areas, including the innovative development of classical music as pop music with The Zarjaz, La Leggenda Del Block releases,Dazed & Confused Magazine, July 2010 firstly on Creation Records in 1984, and then to release records with the band Freakapuss.Washington City Paper, 20 April 2012 Tronics records remained highly collectible, being extensively bootlegged into the 21st century,Washington City Paper, 20 April 2012 including on the Messthetics series and then legitimately reissued, firstly on the Wrench Records CD reissue of the 1980 cassette album What's the Hubub Bub and then the Messthetics Greatest Hits album in 2006.Washington City Paper, 20 April 2012
In 2013, UNCUT magazine noted that it had taken the best part of 30 years for the pop world to catch up to Zarjaz.UNCUT Magazine, November 2013
Discography "Suzy"/"Favorite Girls" – 7" double A-side single (1979, Tronics, T001) "Time Off"/"Goodbye" – 7" single (1980, Tronics, T002) Tronics – cassette album (1980, Tronics, T003) What's the Hubbub Bubb – cassette album (1981, Tronics, T004) Love Backed by Force – vinyl album (1981, Alien Records, BEALIEN 3) "Love Backed By Force" – flexi-disc, free with Chainsaw Magazine No. 12, September 1981 "I'm a Diver" – compilation track on The Snoopies Album (1981, House of Noise, RSB1) "Tranzister Sister" – 6 track 12" 45 rpm single (1982, Press Records, PRESS 1) "Wild Cat Rock"/"Tonight" – 7" single (1983, Red Rhino Records, Red 31) What's the Hubub Bub – CD reissue of the 1980 cassette album (2001, Wrench Records, Wrench 17) Shark Fucks – compilation track on Messthetics Greatest Hits, The Sounds of UK D.I.Y. 1977–80 (2006, Hyped To Death, Messthetics 100) Love Backed By Force – MP3 digital download album (2012, Basilica Records) What's the Hubub Bub – debut vinyl album release of the 1980 cassette album (2013, M'lady's Records, MLADYS 9) Say! What is This? – vinyl compilation album of rare and previously unreleased Tronics recordings from between 1978 and 1984. (2013, M'lady's Records, MLADYS 10)
References
External links Official Freakapuss website Official M'Lady's Records website Light in the Attic Tronics review Jigsaw Underground interview with Zarjaz by Tobi Vail Erdal Can Alkoçlar Zarjaz/Tronics interview with Kimberly Powenski for Gilded Gutter Images of Tronics LPs, 45s and CDs