The Tronics were a London-based band that released records from 1979 to 1984. The band was formed and fronted by musician, songwriter, and music producer Zarjaz Baby, also known as Ziro Baby.

Background and influences

The band was known for being primitive and strange, with an underground reputation. They released a string of highly acclaimed records during the

post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of punk music that emerged in the late 1970s as musicians departed from punk's traditional elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a variety of avant-garde sensibilities and non-roc ...

and new wave periods. Tronics has been recognised for releasing the first independent cassette album, ''Tronics'', to be distributed both nationally and internationally. The Tronics' cassette album was soon followed by another cassette album of outsider

art rock Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that generally reflects a challenging or avant-garde approach to rock, or which makes use of modernist, experimental, or unconventional elements. Art rock aspires to elevate rock from entertainment to an art ...

, in 1980, ''What's the Hubub Bub'', that was later reissued on vinyl in 2013 on M'lady's Records. 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 Weave details visible on a purple-colored velvet fabric Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabri ...

comparison, the spirit of Rock 'n' Roll, a fine line between hypnotism and somnambulism, with a

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

atmosphere. Tronics recordings are mainly known to have influences from ''

A Clockwork Orange ''A Clockwork Orange'' may refer to: * ''A Clockwork Orange'' (novel), a 1962 novel by Anthony Burgess ** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (film), a 1971 film directed by Stanley Kubrick based on the novel *** ''A Clockwork Orange'' (soundtrack), the film ...

'', Marc Bolan and T. Rex,

New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial succe ...

Johnny Burnette,

Buddy Holly Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer and songwriter who was a central and pioneering figure of mid-1950s rock and roll. He was born to a musical family in Lubbock, Texas ...

and Ronettes. From their beginnings, Tronics and Zarjaz Baby were reported to be troubled by

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

and paranormal events, described as everyday occurrences. In 1982, the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' reported that although Tronics attracted diverse groups of people, gangs of Hells Angels followed Tronics and were seen lining the back of Tronics audiences. In 1983, Zarjaz was reported to claim that he was married to

Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...

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.

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, firstly on Creation Records in 1984, and then to release records with the band Freakapuss. Tronics records remained highly collectible, being extensively bootlegged into the 21st century, 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. In 2013, ''

UNCUT Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...

'' 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 ''Love Backed by Force'' is the sole studio album by British post-punk band Tronics, released in 1980 by record label Alien. Reception ''Fact (UK magazine), Fact'' called it a "bizarre, brilliant DIY record". References External links ...

'' – 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 websiteOfficial M'Lady's Records websiteLight in the Attic Tronics reviewErdal Can Alkoçlar
* ttps://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.678331298852151.1073741829.178603775491575&type=3 Images of Tronics LPs, 45s and CDs {{Authority control English post-punk music groups English new wave musical groups Musical groups from London Cassette culture 1970s–1990s