Bruce Connole
Encyclopedia
Bruce Connole is an American singer, songwriter and musician originally from Phoenix, Arizona
and now based in Nashville, Tennessee
.
Connole is known for his work as the leader of several influential bands in the Southwest United States including, Billy Clone & The Same, The Jetzons
, The Strand, The Cryptics, The Pearl Chuckers, The Busted Hearts, The Revenants and The Suicide Kings.
Connole’s band, The Jetzons
were at the forefront of establishing the Tempe, AZ music scene. Tempe would soon come to international prominence with the signing of many local bands to major record labels including multi-platinum recording artists, the Gin Blossoms
.
Robin Wilson
, lead vocalist of the Gin Blossoms
said the following about The Jetzons
;
“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”.
Connole is unique in his ability to successfully cross a wide array of musical genres in his career with great critical acclaim. He started with Punk rock
(Billy Clone & The Same), New Wave
(The Jetzons
), Alt rock (The Strand), Grunge
(The Cryptics), Bluegrass (music) (The Pearl Chuckers and Busted Hearts) and Honky tonk music (The Revenants/The Suicide Kings).
In 1984 Connole, along with Jetzons bandmate Brad Buxer, performed with Stevie Wonder
on The Woman in Red (film) Soundtrack. Buxer went on to work with Mathew Wilder, The Temptations
, Smokey Robinson
, Stevie Wonder
and was musical director for Michael Jackson
for over 18 years.
Buxer and Connole are working together again in The Suicide Kings who have signed with Nashville
label, Oh Boy Records
. The Oh Boy roster includes, John Prine
, Kris Kristofferson
, Todd Snider
, Steve Goodman
, and Shawn Camp.
Connole’s catalog of songs and recordings from 1982 – 2010 is now controlled by independent record label Fervor Records
.
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and now based in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Connole is known for his work as the leader of several influential bands in the Southwest United States including, Billy Clone & The Same, The Jetzons
The Jetzons
The Jetzons were an American New Wave band based in Tempe, Arizona. The group later relocated to Los Angeles.The band formed in 1981 after the demise of hugely popular punk group Billy Clone & The Same. Billy Clone folded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte...
, The Strand, The Cryptics, The Pearl Chuckers, The Busted Hearts, The Revenants and The Suicide Kings.
Connole’s band, The Jetzons
The Jetzons
The Jetzons were an American New Wave band based in Tempe, Arizona. The group later relocated to Los Angeles.The band formed in 1981 after the demise of hugely popular punk group Billy Clone & The Same. Billy Clone folded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte...
were at the forefront of establishing the Tempe, AZ music scene. Tempe would soon come to international prominence with the signing of many local bands to major record labels including multi-platinum recording artists, the Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms is an American pop rock band formed in 1987, in Tempe, Arizona. They took their name from a photo of W.C. Fields which bore the caption "W.C. Fields with gin blossoms", referring to what appeared to be the actor's gin-ravaged nose, but was actually a skin condition known as rosacea...
.
Robin Wilson
Robin Wilson
Robin Wilson may refer to:*Robin Wilson eco-friendly lifestyle expert*Robin Wilson , science fiction author and former president of California State University, Chico...
, lead vocalist of the Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms
Gin Blossoms is an American pop rock band formed in 1987, in Tempe, Arizona. They took their name from a photo of W.C. Fields which bore the caption "W.C. Fields with gin blossoms", referring to what appeared to be the actor's gin-ravaged nose, but was actually a skin condition known as rosacea...
said the following about The Jetzons
The Jetzons
The Jetzons were an American New Wave band based in Tempe, Arizona. The group later relocated to Los Angeles.The band formed in 1981 after the demise of hugely popular punk group Billy Clone & The Same. Billy Clone folded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte...
;
“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”.
Connole is unique in his ability to successfully cross a wide array of musical genres in his career with great critical acclaim. He started with Punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
(Billy Clone & The Same), New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
(The Jetzons
The Jetzons
The Jetzons were an American New Wave band based in Tempe, Arizona. The group later relocated to Los Angeles.The band formed in 1981 after the demise of hugely popular punk group Billy Clone & The Same. Billy Clone folded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte...
), Alt rock (The Strand), Grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
(The Cryptics), Bluegrass (music) (The Pearl Chuckers and Busted Hearts) and Honky tonk music (The Revenants/The Suicide Kings).
In 1984 Connole, along with Jetzons bandmate Brad Buxer, performed with Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
on The Woman in Red (film) Soundtrack. Buxer went on to work with Mathew Wilder, The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
, Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and was musical director for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
for over 18 years.
Buxer and Connole are working together again in The Suicide Kings who have signed with Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
label, Oh Boy Records
Oh Boy Records
Oh Boy Records is an independent American record label founded in 1984 by singer John Prine, his manager Al Bunetta and their friend Dan Einstein. The label has released more than 40 audio and video recordings by singer-songwriters Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Slick Ballinger, Shawn Camp, Dan Reeder...
. The Oh Boy roster includes, John Prine
John Prine
John Prine is an American country/folk singer-songwriter. He has been active as a recording artist and live performer since the early 1970s.-Biography:...
, Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, Todd Snider
Todd Snider
Todd Daniel Snider is an American singer-songwriter with a musical style that combines Americana, alt-country, and folk.-Biography:...
, Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman
Steve Goodman was an American folk music singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois. The writer of "City of New Orleans", made popular by Arlo Guthrie, Goodman won two Grammy Awards.-Personal life:...
, and Shawn Camp.
Connole’s catalog of songs and recordings from 1982 – 2010 is now controlled by independent record label Fervor Records
Fervor Records
Fervor Records is an American independent record label based in Phoenix, Arizona. Since its origin in 1990, this netlabel has issued releases featuring a wide variety of artists and genres from the 1950s through the present.- Company history :...
.
Discography
- Billy Clone & The Same “X & Y” (1979 Moon Dog Records)
- The JetzonsThe JetzonsThe Jetzons were an American New Wave band based in Tempe, Arizona. The group later relocated to Los Angeles.The band formed in 1981 after the demise of hugely popular punk group Billy Clone & The Same. Billy Clone folded due to the heroin overdose and death of bandleader Mike Corte...
Made In America (1982 Pan American Records) - The Woman in Red (film), Soundtrack, (1984 Motown RecordsMotown RecordsMotown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
) - The Strand, “The Strand” (1986 Self Released)
- The Cyrptics, “Kill Me” (1991 Machine Publishing)
- The Cyrptics, “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
- http://www.thesuicidekings.org/
- http://www.myspace.com/thesuicidekingsmusic
- http://www.wildwhirled.com/fervor_vm/vmnewwavepop/