The Jetzons - Jetzons (Made In America) 1982



The Jetzons 6 song ep from 1982, the interpretation of the Japanese is "Made In America".

From the New Times Article by Bob Mehr:
In the mind's eye, they are inextricably linked. Bruce Connole, literate and lithe, a wasted poet whose talent was eclipsed only by a penchant for self-destruction. Then there was his foil, the diminutive Damon Doiron, who served as both collaborator and conscience. The two began their unlikely partnership backing another troubled talent, Mike Corte, as part of Valley New Wave avatars Billy Clone and the Same. When Corte died of a heroin-related overdose in 1980, Connole and Doiron recruited keyboardist Brad Buxer and drummer Steve Golladay and mutated into the Jetzons. During a rocky, on-again, off-again eight-year run, they would go on to become one of the most popular and significant groups in local music history. Whether drawing 700 people on a Sunday night at the Devil House or playing Merlin's -- four sets a night, four nights a week for months on end -- people intuitively gravitated to the band's music, a danceable mélange of sprite New Wave and rock. Their influence as the first true local "stars" cannot be understated; they almost single-handedly launched what was then a nonexistent Tempe music "scene" and went on to inspire countless scores of aspiring rock 'n' rollers. Though they were never able to parlay their local celebrity into national prominence, the group had its chances for success. But the lure of industry centers like Los Angeles (where the group relocated in 1982) held as much danger as promise for the band's leader. Little, save for some enduring feelings of regret over wasted chances, resulted from their forays into the big city.

After the eventual demise of the Jetzons, Connole (along with Doiron and drummer Alan Wiley) formed the popular Strand. Connole would later go on to front a pair of other successful, if short-lived, combos before disappearing into the abyss of full-time drug addiction. When he emerged again in the mid-'90s, it was sober, and with a surprising new twist. Gone were the musical pretensions and rock 'n' roll sensibilities; in its place a dark, raw country muse. Forming the Suicide Kings (who later changed their name to the Revenants) with guitarist Richard Taylor, Connole finally found his true voice as neo-traditional twanger, part Nick Cave, part Johnny Cash. Doiron, the consummate sideman who spent his life playing counterpoint to a succession of gifted yet difficult artists (Corte, Connole and Doug Hopkins -- whom Doiron sang for in 1985's Algebra Ranch), continues to play music, most recently with an unassuming pop combo called the Jennys. The Jetzons did re-form, briefly, on New Year's Eve 1991 for a one-off reunion gig. But as if a perfect metaphor for its career, a mile-wide power outage forced the group to cancel the show, leaving a packed house to wonder what might have been. -- BM

Some outstanding scans are included courtesy of FritzB and also some scans of an autographed inner sleeve I have that I picked up at Eastside Records in Tempe.

Band Members:
Brad Buxer - Keyboards
Bruce Connole - Guitar, Vocals
Damon Doiron - Bass Guitar, Vocals
Steve Golloday - Drums

Laird Davis - Management
John Scott - Lighting Director

Produced By Mike Condello


Downloads all available on main page : http://azlocal.blogspot.com/

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is terrific and outstanding, even unique! Sounds 100 % fresh and has great songwriting qualities. (I am German and had never heard of these guys but know quite a lot of lesser known music from this period.) So thank you very, very much!

Wolfgang

Anonymous said...

Awesome! Thanks for making this available. It brings me back to my days at ASU in the early '80s, frequenting the Devil House and other bars and clubs.

Anonymous said...

The Jetzons EP is possibly the most authentic and truest form of New Wave in existence. It's a slick version of a high tech Plimsols meets Johnny Thunders, on a good night, with skinny ties and keyboards.

Unknown said...

I left 1/2 my brain at the Mason Jar while listening to these guys. It was a good trade! Somewhere someone has a pile of tapes with some of their best work on it. "1st Romances take their chances..." Awesome Stuff! If anyone knows where I can get my hands on it, please post!

Anonymous said...

Does anyone have any live recordings? Thats what I remember these guys sounding the best.....you know the early shows at Merlins......

Anonymous said...

Tony,
What up? You're hard to get a hold of, I was looking for your email address and found this page. I have a very high quality turn table you can use if you're still doing this kind of stuff, but it needs a needle/cartridge. My Mom and I paid like 800 for it back in like 1983. It's a linear tracking Mitsubitsi (however you spell that.) I'm sending that laptop back to bestbuy because they screwed up and gave me one with some dudes information on it. In return they are giving me a new tower... That kicks ass, but I need some form of logic for the projects I already started on Logic and need to finish. Let me know of the best way to accomplish this, if you have any ideas. Papapill has convinced me to try a free version of recording software that his friend wrote, he says its better than protools. I have 16 channels of motu now. But need to expand my microphone collection as you can probably relate. Let me know if you have any ideas. thanks.

chris

dougthesnake said...

Awesome!!!! i have been looking for this for ages...keep us updated if you come up with more, i was just listening to Tone Set, and Jetzons came to mind

Anonymous said...

Once again, Words can't discribe what it was like to catch this band live @ Merlins or The Devil House!!!
Thank you for posting!!!

Have a lot of live Revenants from Nitas on video and other AZ bands from Gibons in the mid-90's if anyone want's to uplink it???

Some great shows from the Stumbles,Refreshments,Revenants still exist...

Anonymous said...

Once again, Words can't discribe what it was like to catch this band live @ Merlins or The Devil House!!!
Thank you for posting!!!

Have a lot of live Revenants from Nitas on video and other AZ bands from Gibons in the mid-90's if anyone want's to uplink it???

Some great shows from the Stumbles,Refreshments,Revenants still exist...

C said...

Hey, I'd love to uplink any video you have, shoot me an e-mail here at azlocal @ gmail. com

thanks
PJ

Unknown said...

I went to school at ASU, and used to go see the Jetzons every chance I got. I bought their album at Tower Records, but, sadly, it had met an unfortunate demise in a hot car. I've tried to download the EP from the website, as I'd love to hear it again, but I can't get the payment options to work. Any suggestions? It seems like others, based on their posts, have had better luck. I can't do it through PayPal, and the other options given don't work. HELP!!!

Unknown said...

I went to school at ASU, and went to hear the Jetzons play every chance I could. I had the vinyl, but sadly I accidently left it in a hot car, and that was the end of that. I don't have a PayPal account, and I can't seem to get any of the other methods to work when trying to download the EP from the website. I would LOVE to hear the band again. Can you help me???!!! PLEASE?

C said...

I have refreshed the links, if you have any problem let me know!!

Anonymous said...

I was there, at Merlin's and later at the Devil House-- I remember partying with Bruce and the gang at a girl named Tammy's house-- Tammy was an incredible, professinal dancer with an artificial leg. Bruce and I made a beer run in my old Karmann Ghia(!)I took all my friends to see their shows, have the LP, and was devastated when the band fizzled. Good times, good times...

Anonymous said...

The company I work for will be reissuing Made In America digitally sometime in early to mid 2011. Look out for it on iTunes.eMusic etc.

Anonymous said...

Saw this band scores of times at Merlin's. As stated, they provided as great a show as any band I've ever seen. Also, I saw them open for Roxy Music at the Mesa Amphitheater. They were as good as Roxy and I love Roxy. The Jetzons, The Strand, The Sidewinders, Arizona Bands just don't get the recognition.

Anonymous said...

I wish to god i still had that album. I remember seeing the band members walking around Fiesta Mall one day long ago and I just about shit. They were gods to us. I loved the song YOU. Last time i saw Bruce was at Nita's Hideaway in like '94 and I loved his version of POP-A-TOP!!

lynda said...

I have several live tapes from the original shows and a tape from the reunion show. Would love to get them out to fans, just don't know how. My sister has copied them CD. I will look back for info on getting them posted here.

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Unknown said...

Thanks for this! I've used materials on this post re: Jetzons - Made In Japan http://buff.ly/1LecI85

M. Wendell said...

My band The Results opened for The Jetzons many times at the Devil House. Bruce helped us launch our career which eventually took us to
LA and in '89-90 the USSR as Club Adobe. Thanks for believing in us Bruce.

DxAxVxExTV said...

Hi M. Wendell Frey
I posted a live audio recording of the Jetzons Live at Merlins in Tempe Arizona in the early 80s and if you listen to the end Bruce thanks the Results!

YouTube Link:

https://youtu.be/4vHaXGhs66I

Dave

Unknown said...

sooo bad ass, the jetzons are my favorite band out there and i need to get a cassette with some jetzons on it please let me know if there is any in existence??

DxAxVxExTV said...

https://youtu.be/4vHaXGhs66I

DxAxVxExTV said...

Jetzons live from sound board cassette at Merlins