Bruce Connole

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Bruce Connole (born November 6, 1958) [1] is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, who is known for performing with various bands based in the Southwest United States and is originally from Phoenix, Arizona.

The Jetzons

Probably the most famous of Connole's groups is The Jetzons, which is considered to have helped establish the Tempe, AZ music scene.[2][3] The band never gained much national notoriety, largely because Connole's addictions prevented the band from performing and recording,[1][4] but Tempe would soon come to international prominence with the signing of many local bands to major record labels, including multi-platinum recording artist the Gin Blossoms, who have acknowledged the Jetzons as a direct influence.[5]

Though the Jetzons was his most successful act, Connole has expressed mostly negative feelings about the group. He is not a fan of the band's most popular track, You.[1] He has also called the group an "overrated New Wave cover band," furthermore suggesting that the music did not reflect his actual sensibilities, instead being mostly a preoccupation with what was trendy during this era.[4] Despite this, he has also insisted that the Jetzons and all of his other musical projects were sincere artistic efforts that reflected his tastes at the specific times that they were made.[1]

Post-Jetzons

Connole has performed music in a wide variety of styles, including punk rock (Billy Clone & The Same),[5] new wave (The Jetzons), alternative rock (The Strand),[1][4] grunge (Cryptics),[1] bluegrass (The Pearl Chuckers and Busted Hearts),[6] and honky-tonk (The Revenants/The Suicide Kings).[4][7] Additionally, Connole and former Jetzons bandmate Brad Buxer performed with Stevie Wonder on The Woman in Red soundtrack from 1984.[8] More recently, Buxer and Connole worked together again in The Suicide Kings, who signed a record deal with John Prine's Nashville label, Oh Boy Records.[7][9] Connole’s catalog of songs and recordings from 1982 – 2010 is now controlled by independent record label Fervor Records.[10]

Selected Discography

  • Billy Clone & The Same “X & Y” (1979 Moon Dog Records)
  • The Jetzons Made In America (1982 Pan American Records)
  • The Woman in Red (film), Soundtrack, (1984 Motown Records)
  • The Strand, “The Strand” (1986 Self Released)
  • Cryptics, “Kill Me” (1991 Machine Publishing)
  • Cryptics, “Darker Side Of You” (1992 Epiphany Records)
  • The Suicide Kings, “The Suicide Kings” (1997 Rattle Records)
  • The Revenants, “Artists & Whores” (1998 Epiphany Records)
  • The Revenants, “Jukebox Cantina Combo Platter” (1998 Hayden’s Ferry Records)
  • The Busted Hearts, “Sin, Sorrow & Salvation” (2006 Fundamental Records)
  • The Revenants, “Black Cadillacs” (EP, 2010 Fervor Records)
  • Bruce Connole, "Hillbilly Heroin" (2010 Fervor Records)

External links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Reformed and Re-formed
  2. Danny Zelisko Q&A
  3. Life After Death
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Playing with the King of Hearts
  5. 5.0 5.1 From Mohawks to Mullets
  6. Bruce's Lament
  7. 7.0 7.1 [1]
  8. Stevie Wonder - The Woman in Red
  9. Taste Suicide Kings’ Whiskey Row In New Dallas Premiere (TNT)
  10. Artists | fervor-records.com