Biography

The Zorros played their first gig at the Champion Hotel, Fitzroy in January 1980.

Nic Chancellor was previously a roadie for 1970s punk band, The News and a doorman at 'Bernhardt's Nite Club'. Darren Smith played in The Proles.

The Zorros were popular in the Melbourne music scene of the early 1980s, playing at venues such as the Crystal Ballroom

Crystal Ballroom (Melbourne)

The Crystal Ballroom was a prominent alternative rock venue within the Seaview Hotel located in Fitzroy Street St.Kilda . It was run by a succession of Melbourne Rock promoters from 1978 to 1987 starting with Dolores San Miguel The Crystal Ballroom (AKA The Ballroom / Seaview Ballroom) was a...

 , Exford Hotel Russell St Melbourne CBD, Sydenham Hotel Richmond, Pier Hotel Frankston, Sorrento Hotel, Piccadilly Hotel Kings Cross, Le Tote Fitzroy, Derby Hotel Nth Fitzroy, Katunga RSL Numurkah, Macy's South Yarra, Prince of Wales St Kilda, Duke of Edinburgh St Kilda, Roxy Sth Melb, 465 Club Spencer St, Tiger Lounge St Kilda, Bombay Rock Brunswick, The Champion Hotel Fitzroy, Barleycorn Hotel Collingwood, The Club Collingwood, Hearts Carlton, The Stockade Carlton, The Central Club Richmond, Bananas St Kilda, the Market Hotel Prahran, Geelong Hotel Geelong, The Rehearsal Redfern, The Esplanade St Kilda

Esplanade Hotel

The Esplanade Hotel, built 1878, is an iconic public house in St Kilda, a beachside suburb of Melbourne, Australia. It is situated on St Kilda Beach, at 11 Upper Esplanade, overlooking Port Phillip Bay on a rise opposite the St Kilda Pier, and is a significant landmark of St Kilda...

, Floyd's Canberra, ANU Canberra, The Stockade Canberra, Port Melbourne Park, Princess Hill High, Hunt Club Hotel Merrijig , Brunswick High School.

They released one 7" single on Au Go Go Records

Au Go Go Records

Au Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....

, "Too Young", written by Chancellor,. It was mixed and produced by Tony Cohen

Tony Cohen

Tony Cohen is an acclaimed Australian record producer and sound engineer based in Melbourne, best known for his work with The Birthday Party and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds in the 1980s...

 (The Birthday Party

The Birthday Party (band)

The Birthday Party were an Australian rock band, active from 1973 to 1983.Despite being championed by John Peel, The Birthday Party found little commercial success during their career...

). "Too Young" was released in October 1981 and went to number 3 on the Melbourne 3RRR

3RRR

3RRR is a popular Australian community radio station, based in Melbourne. It is the largest per capita subscribed radio station in the world....

 charts. In 1988 a Zorros' album was released on Dreamtime Software. The Zorros played original independent music for 16 years with over 500 performances and over 500 songs written by Darren Smith and Nic Chancellor.

Evolving from Melbourne's indie rock scene

Australian indie rock

Australian indie rock is part of the overall flow of Australian rock history but has a distinct history somewhat separate from mainstream rock in Australia, largely from the end of the punk rock era onwards.-Beginnings:...

, The Zorros played with other bands such as INXS

INXS

INXS are an Australian rock band, formed as The Farriss Brothers in 1977 in Sydney, New South Wales. Mainstays are Garry Gary Beers on bass guitar, Andrew Farriss on guitar/keyboards, Jon Farriss on drums, Tim Farriss on lead guitar and Kirk Pengilly on guitar/sax...

, Rose Tattoo

Rose Tattoo

Rose Tattoo is an Australian rock and roll band, now led by Angry Anderson, that was formed in Sydney in 1976. Their sound is hard rock mixed with blues rock influences, with songs including "Bad Boy for Love", "Rock 'n' Roll Outlaw", "Nice Boys", "We Can't Be Beaten" and "Scarred for Life"...

, 21 Faces, Z Cars, Marching Girls and La Femme.

They played their final gig on the 31 October 1987 at the Crystal Ballroom in St Kilda.

Darren Smith died 13 February 2009.

In 2008 Chancellor created Zorros 27 Light Years, a music DVD compilation of 16 remastered and remixed songs from the Zorros. Nic's animations have been broadcast to over 300,000 people on the SBS TV Documentary Shaman of the Amazon.

Members

• Nic Chancellor - vocals, bass (1980–1994)
• Greg Pedley - drums (January, 1980 - September 1981)
• Craig Russell - bass (1981–1982)
• Philip - drums (1981–1982)
• Daniel Smith - drums (1983–1984)
• Darren Smith - guitar (1980–1994)
• Gary Williamson - drums (1983 -
• Alex Zammit - bass (1980–1981, 1987–1994)

Discography

• "Too Young"/"Let Me Love You" - Au Go Go Records
  Au Go Go Records
  Au Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....
  
  (ANDA 016) (October 1981)

External links

• The Zorros at acidplanet.com
• Pictorial History of the Zorros
• the Zorros, Inner City Sound