{{Short description|American new wave band}} {{distinguish|The Jetsons}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Jetzons | background = group_or_band | origin = Tempe, Arizona, U.S. | genre = New wave | years_active = 1981–1983 | label = {{flatlist| *Pan American *Fervor }} | associated_acts = {{flatlist| *Billy Clone & The Same *The Strand}} | past_members = *Bruce Connole *Damon Doiron *Brad Buxer *Steve Golloday }}
'''The Jetzons''' were an American new wave band from Tempe, Arizona. The band comprised guitarist Bruce Connole, keyboardist Brad Buxer, bassist Damon Doiron and drummer Steve Golladay. After the band separated, Buxer became the musical director for Michael Jackson. An unreleased Jetzons song, "Hard Times", was rewritten for the 1994 video game ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3.''
== History == The Jetzons formed in 1981 after the demise of punk group Billy Clone & the Same, which disbanded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte. Former Billy Clone guitarist Bruce Connole and bassist Damon Doiron performed briefly as the Burning Flamingos before adding keyboardist Brad Buxer and drummer Steve Golladay to form the Jetzons.<ref name="Mohawks">{{Cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-04-27/news/from-mohawks-to-mullets|title=Mohawks and Mullets|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Reformed">{{Cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1991-12-25/music/reformed-and-re-formedbruce-connole-has-cleaned-up-his-act-and-the-jetzons-are-back-for-a-one-night-stand|title=Reformed and Re-Formed|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref>
After moving to Los Angeles in 1982, the Jetzons released the EP ''Made in America''. Tracks were recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles and Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, CA as well as Pantheon Studios in Scottsdale, AZ.<ref name="Discogs">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/807749-The-Jetzons-米国製|title=The Jetzons - 米国製|access-date=30 March 2023|website=Discogs.com}}</ref> The record was released on Pan American Records. Though the EP was well received by its fanbase and critics, Connole's own heroin addiction made him difficult to work with and uncooperative, stalling any progress at recording a follow-up and making touring outside of the Los Angeles area impossible. The group played its final performance in July 1983,<ref name="Reformed" /> though they would not formally disband. By 1986, Connole had officially quit the band and returned to Tempe, and the subsequent formation of the country-inflected The Strand by Connole and Doiron signaled the demise of the Jetzons.<ref name="Mohawks" /><ref name="Reformed" /><ref name="Playing">{{Cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/1996-07-11/music/playing-with-the-king-of-hearts|title=Playing with the King of Hearts|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> The band's last public performance was a reunion show interrupted by a power outage New Year's Eve in 1991. They returned to all play together again one last time the next night.<ref name="Mohawks" />
In 2008, the independent label Fervor Records reissued ''Made in America'' as ''The Complete Jetzons''<ref name="Fervor">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fervor-records.com/catalog/ |title=Fervor Records Catalog |access-date=2013-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203034923/http://www.fervor-records.com/catalog/ |archive-date=2013-12-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Complete">{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-complete-jetzons/291709057|title=The Complete Jetzons by The Jetzons|date=12 September 2008|access-date=30 March 2023|via=Apple Music}}</ref> and included several previously unreleased tracks. ''The Complete Jetzons'' was followed in 2013 by a further collection entitled ''The Lost Masters'', which was also issued by Fervor.<ref name="Lost Masters">{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-lost-masters-ep/668980256|title=The Lost Masters - EP by The Jetzons|date=13 August 2013|access-date=30 March 2023|via=Apple Music}}</ref>
In 2020, Fervor Records issued a vinyl single release of "Hard Times" from ''The Complete Jetzons'', in collaboration with President Gator. 250 copies were pressed in "Sonic Blue" vinyl, with artwork evocative of "IceCap Zone" from ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', referencing the music of that stage which was based on "Hard Times".<ref name="The Jetzons Releases 'Hard Times' on Vinyl... Using Sonic 3 Artwork - The Sonic Stadium">{{Cite web |last=Rush |first=Indigo |date=7 September 2020 |title=The Jetzons Releases "Hard Times" on Vinyl... Using Sonic 3 Artwork |url=https://www.sonicstadium.org/2020/09/the-jetzons-releases-hard-times-on-vinyl-using-sonic-3-artwork/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230620193639/https://www.sonicstadium.org/2020/09/the-jetzons-releases-hard-times-on-vinyl-using-sonic-3-artwork/ |archive-date=2023-06-20 |access-date=30 March 2023 |website=Sonicstadium.org}}</ref>
== Influence == The band was at the forefront of establishing the Tempe music scene that would soon come to national prominence by the signing of many area bands to major record labels.<ref name="Zelisko">{{Cite web|url=http://www.scottsdale.com/story/?ID=26470|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716020301/http://www.scottsdale.com/story/?ID=26470|url-status=dead|title=Danny Zelisko Q&A|archive-date=16 July 2011|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Life After Death">{{Cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/content/printVersion/165600|title=Life After Death|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=30 March 2023|archive-date=6 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206092319/http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/content/printVersion/165600/|url-status=dead}}</ref> They were also a very popular live band, known for their mixture of covers and originals.<ref name="Life After Death" /><ref name="Revamped">{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/spotlight-revamped-revenants-rev-up-again/article_92ae8541-fb92-5bd8-ac99-fa45311ff76b.html|title=Spotlight: Revamped Revenants rev up again|first=Chris Hansen|last=Orf|website=East Valley Tribune|date=9 August 2006 |access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> Robin Wilson, singer of Gin Blossoms, said: “I remember when I first joined the band, someone said, "That's Robin. He's in a local group called the Gin Blossoms -- they're almost as good as the Jetzons." Man, I remember hearing that and, at the time, just to be considered in the same breath as those guys was better than selling a million records. That's how important they were.”<ref name="Mohawks" />
== Following the Jetzons == After the Jetzons breakup, keyboardist Brad Buxer worked with Matthew Wilder, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder, and was musical director for Michael Jackson for over 18 years.<ref name="Revamped" /><ref name="Buxer discogs">{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/268523-Brad-Buxer|title=Brad Buxer|website=Discogs.com|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="NME interview">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/tag/video|title=Video|website=Nme.com|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> On September 12, 2008, independent record label Fervor Records released several previously unreleased Jetzons songs. One song, "Hard Times", closely resembles the theme for the level "IceCap Zone" in the 1994 video game ''Sonic the Hedgehog 3'', for which Buxer composed music.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/music/a-michael-jackson-sonic-the-hedgehog-conspiracy-runs-through-arizona-6620734|title=A Michael Jackson-Sonic the Hedgehog Conspiracy Runs Through Arizona|last=Moore|first=Dan|date=December 11, 2013|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=June 4, 2016}}</ref> According to Buxer and other sources, Jackson was also involved in composing for the game, though the publisher, Sega, denied this.<ref name="MJSonic3">{{cite news|url=http://testkitchen.huffingtonpost.com/michaeljacksonsonic/#2/|title=The Michael Jackson Video Game Conspiracy|last1=Van Luling|first1=Todd|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref><ref name="Montgomery, James">{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627664/20091204/jackson_michael.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091207090103/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627664/20091204/jackson_michael.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 7, 2009|title=Did Michael Jackson Compose 'Sonic The Hedgehog 3' Soundtrack?|last=James|first=Montgomery|date=December 4, 2009|publisher=MTV|access-date=December 5, 2009}}</ref>
Guitarist and lead vocalist Bruce Connole has led a long list of bands including the Strand, the Cryptics,<ref name="AZ Local:Cryptics">{{Cite web|url=https://azlocal.blogspot.com/2007/07/cryptics-darker-side-of-you-7-1992.html|title=Cryptics - Darker Side Of You 7" (1992)|website=Azlocal.blogspot.com|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> The Pearl Chuckers,<ref name="Bruce's Lament">{{Cite web|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2000-04-20/music/bruce-s-lament|title=Bruce's Lament|website=Phoenix New Times|access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref> and the Busted Hearts.<ref name="iBluegrass">[http://www.ibluegrass.com/bg_bands2.cfm?b__i=0502J84458B65450704040441#.UptE4cRDvTo] {{dead link|date=March 2023}}</ref> In the late 1990s, Connole reunited with Buxer for the band the Suicide Kings, which has also used the name the Revenants at times to avoid legal problems.<ref name="Playing" /><ref name="Revamped" /><ref name="Kings">{{Cite web|url=https://www.eastvalleytribune.com/get_out/the-suicide-kings-get-name-back/article_cddb9abd-dba0-59e6-aa98-f9d626decddd.html|title=The Suicide Kings get name back|first=Chris Hansen|last=Orf|website=East Valley Tribune|date=14 March 2008 |access-date=30 March 2023}}</ref>
Bassist Damon Doiron has continued playing music, including a short-lived stint in 1985 as lead vocalist in Doug Hopkins's band Algebra Ranch,<ref name="Life After Death" /> as well as participating with Connole in the Strand in the late 1980s. More recently, he has played in the pop band the Jennys.<ref name="Mohawks" />
==Discography== ===EPs=== {| class="wikitable" !align="left"|Year !align="left"|Title |- |align="left"|1982 |align="left"|''Made in America'' *Released: 1982 *Format: 12" Vinyl |- |2008 |''The Complete Jetzons'' * Released September 12, 2008 * Format: Digital |- |align-"left"|2013 |align-"left"|''The Lost Masters'' *Released: August 13, 2013 *Format: Download |}
===Singles=== {| class="wikitable" !align="left"|Year !align="left"|Title |- |align="left"|2020 |align="left"|"Hard Times" *Released: 2020 *Format: 7" Vinyl |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jetzons, The}} Category:American new wave musical groups Category:Musical groups from Tempe, Arizona Category:Rock music groups from Arizona Category:Sonic the Hedgehog