TZU (pronounced "Tee Zed Yoo") were an
Australian hip hop
Australian hip hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and is largely inspired by hip hop and other urban musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music which i ...
group, formed in 1999 by
Joelistics
Joelistics (born Joel Ma) is an Australian MC, producer and multi-instrumentalist, who is a member of the Melbourne-based Australian hip hop group TZU and a solo artist on the Elefant Traks music label.
Early life
Ma was raised in Sydney, Austral ...
, Yeroc, Seed MC and Paso Bionic. They used instruments in live performances, giving their shows a rock-infused feeling. Duzy What joined in 2005. TZU released four studio albums, ''
Position Correction
Position Correction is the debut album by Australian Hip Hop band TZU, released in 2003. The album was released under the Liberation Music record label.
Track listing
# "Who?" - 3:56
# "Summer Days" - 3:53
# "Position Correction" - 3:57
# "G ...
'' (2004), ''
Smiling at Strangers
Smiling at Strangers is the second studio album by Australian Hip Hop album by TZU, released in September 2005. The album was produced by Magoo (Australian producer), Magoo (Regurgitator and Butterfingers (Australian band), Butterfingers) and rel ...
'' (2005), ''
Computer Love'' (2008, which peaked in the
ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
top 30) and ''Millions of Moments'' (2012), before disbanding in 2013.
History
TZU were formed as an
Australian hip hop
Australian hip hop traces its origins to the early 1980s and is largely inspired by hip hop and other urban musical genres from the United States. As the form matured, Australian hip hop has become a commercially viable style of music which i ...
band in 1999 in Melbourne, initially as a side project, by Joel Ma
Joelistics
Joelistics (born Joel Ma) is an Australian MC, producer and multi-instrumentalist, who is a member of the Melbourne-based Australian hip hop group TZU and a solo artist on the Elefant Traks music label.
Early life
Ma was raised in Sydney, Austral ...
on vocals, guitar and bass guitar; Corey McGregor Yeroc on drums and samplers; Phillip Norman Seed MC or Countbounce on vocals, guitar and bass guitar (ex-Pan); Shehab Tariq Paso Bionic (ex-
Curse ov Dialect).
Pan were a "drum-and-bass/funk/reggae mash-up" band, while Curse ov Dialect were an "oddball experimental hip hop group with a penchant for throwing meat at the audience."
According to Joelistics, the group's name is taken from the Chinese philosopher
Lao Tzu
Laozi (), also known by numerous other names, was a semilegendary ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher. Laozi ( zh, ) is a Chinese honorific, generally translated as "the Old Master". Traditional accounts say he was born as in the state of ...
,
which was suggested by Lee Hartney of
the Smith Street Band
The Smith Street Band are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, in which the titular Smith Street can be found. The band have released five extended plays and six studio albums, ''No One Gets Lost Anymore'' (2011), ''Sunshine and T ...
. Styled as TZU and originally pronounced "Tzu" its pronunciation was changed to "Tee Zed You" to add an "element of mystery."
Their debut seven-track
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP), ''um... just a liddlbidova mic check'' (2001), was recorded in a portable studio, "in the back of a truck," parked near
Hobart
Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...
.
''Local Noise''s Tony Mitchell described it as "tentative."
After the EP's appearance they were signed to
Liberation Music
Liberation Music is an Australian record company and label, started in 1999 by Michael Gudinski and Warren Costello, based in Melbourne. Its stated aim is to find, nurture and then to develop new talent for a world market while remaining inde ...
.
TZU's debut album, ''
Position Correction
Position Correction is the debut album by Australian Hip Hop band TZU, released in 2003. The album was released under the Liberation Music record label.
Track listing
# "Who?" - 3:56
# "Summer Days" - 3:53
# "Position Correction" - 3:57
# "G ...
'', appeared on 19 February 2004 and was co-produced by Seed and Yeroc,
which peaked just outside the
ARIA Charts
The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...
top 100 in March.
Greg Lawrence of ''WHAMMO'' described how the quartet, "
rea bunch of true technicians who successfully transmit their love for beats and lyrics. The double-pronged vocal attack is more exact than the scalpel of a master surgeon, the subterranean bass growls and snappy beats are premium."
Mitchell felt, "
tcovers a wide range of moods, styles and tempos, and represents another new direction in Australian hip-hop coming from an idiosyncratic Melbourne push which is making an important impact on local indigenisations of the genre."
In 2005 keyboard player, Duzy What
was added to the group's line-up. TZU issued their second studio album, ''
Smiling at Strangers
Smiling at Strangers is the second studio album by Australian Hip Hop album by TZU, released in September 2005. The album was produced by Magoo (Australian producer), Magoo (Regurgitator and Butterfingers (Australian band), Butterfingers) and rel ...
'', which was produced by
Magoo (
Regurgitator
Regurgitator are an Australian rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, formed in late 1993 by Quan Yeomans on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards; Ben Ely on bass guitar, keyboards and vocals; and Martin Lee on drums. Their debut studio album, ''Tu ...
, Butterfingers).
It reached the ARIA Albums Chart top 100 in late September.
Mitchell noticed, "
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
can successfully combine rock and hip hop... through a desire to experiment with and stretch the often restrictive parameters of MCing and Djing."
Simon Jones of ''Soulshine'' compared it to their debut album, "
hey
Hey or Hey! may refer to:
Music
* Hey (band), a Polish rock band
Albums
* ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014
* ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980
* ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the title s ...
have taken a more instrument-based approach in the studio, leaving behind the beats and samples of their debut ''Position Correction'' and replacing them with guitars, piano, drums and the occasional horn line."
In February 2006 the album was short-listed for the inaugural
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was made by Australian Music Pri ...
for releases in 2005.
In February-March 2006, they won
Yahoo! Music's "Who's Next" monthly music public-voted poll.
In November of that year they re-released ''Smiling at Strangers'' as a limited edition 2×CD, ''
Snarling at Strangers
''Snarling at Strangers'' is a repackaged version of '' Smiling at Strangers'', an Australian Hip Hop album by TZU
TZU (pronounced "Tee Zed Yoo") were an Australian hip hop group, formed in 1999 by Joelistics, Yeroc, Seed MC and Paso Bion ...
'', with the addition of a second five-track disc, ''Snarl'', and three music videos.
The additional, previously unreleased tracks were described by Tristan of ''There Is no Roseability'' as, "a harsh critique of current politics/society. It's not as militaristic or angry as The Herd's material, but it's harsh nonetheless. It still has the genius wit and timelessness of Australian hip-hop."
In 2008, the band released their third studio album, ''Computer Love''. ''
Rolling Stone Australia
''Rolling Stone'' Australia is the Australian edition of the United States' ''Rolling Stone'' magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture, published monthly. The Australian version of ''Rolling Stone'' was initially published in 197 ...
'' said "Melbourne group TZU just can't stop upping the ante ... They meld classic eighties electro with the more traditional funk keeping the emphasis on authenticity and class throughout." ''Inpress'' said "''Computer Love'' is full of old school synth's, masterful sampling and live instrumentation - a maverick in its field and release that will set a new standard for the Australian music landscape."
Richard Kingsmill, Musical Director of Australian radio station
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
, stated in regard to the band's 2008 J Award nomination for ''Computer Love'', "They open their album saying "TZU still feelin' awesome". I couldn't agree more. They keep growing as an act and expanding on their influences. This album has so much life and they're doing all this themselves. No mentors, producers or anyone getting in the way. Pure talent."
In 2012, after a period of inactivity for the band, TZU released their fourth and final album ''Millions of Moments''. To promote the album, they went on tour. Subsequently, Joelistics pursued a solo career and Count Bounce became a producer.
Members
Credits:
* Joel Ma
Joelistics
Joelistics (born Joel Ma) is an Australian MC, producer and multi-instrumentalist, who is a member of the Melbourne-based Australian hip hop group TZU and a solo artist on the Elefant Traks music label.
Early life
Ma was raised in Sydney, Austral ...
– vocals, guitar, bass guitar
* Corey McGregor Yeroc – drums, samplers
* Phillip Norman Seed MC or Countbounce – vocals, guitar, bass guitar
* Shehab Tariq Paso Bionic – turntables
* Dustin Duzy What – keyboards
Discography
Studio albums
Remix albums
Extended plays
Singles
Awards and nominations
APRA Awards
The
APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the
Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
, -
,
2007
File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, "In Front of Me"
, Most Performed Urban Work
,
, -
Australian Music Prize
The
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was made by Australian Music Pri ...
(the AMP) is an annual award of $30,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The commenced in 2005.
, -
, 2005
, ''Smiling at Strangers''
, Australian Music Prize
,
, -
, 2015
, ''Leisure''
, Australian Music Prize
,
, -
J Awards
The
J Awards
The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J and which are judged by the music and on-air teams from radio stations Triple J, ...
are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
's youth-focused radio station
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
. They commenced in 2005.
, -
,
J Awards of 2008
The J Award of 2008 is the fourth annual J Awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J. The announcement comes at the culmination of Ausmusic Month (November). In 2008, a new award for ''Au ...
, ''Computer Love''
, Australian Album of the Year
,
References
{{Authority control
Australian hip hop groups
Victoria (Australia) musical groups
Musical groups established in 1999
Musical groups disestablished in 2013
1999 establishments in Australia