Poptronix – TV Programmed TV Set // War of Crime (Klang!) 1981. You wouldn’t be wrong to assume, upon listening to the A-Side of this great single, that Poptronix was a UK band. The singer sounds like a peer of Howard Devoto or Johnny Rotten. Is he from London? Manchester? How about New Jersey. That’s right, Poptronix was from the Garden State of all places. Hackensack, to be precise. When I was a kid, fake British accents were synonymous with “poseur” for me. I had way too many rules when I was a kid about what was good and bad. With that said, faux-Brit vocals are kind of a novelty. A novelty Poptronix drop for the B-Side, War of Crime which is an even better song. Besides their New Jersey origins, very little is known about the band other than this. Who were these guys? What venues and shows did they play? Did they ever play a show with XeX for instance? When did Poptronix form? When did they break up? These are the questions that I need answered. So Poptronix People, if you’re reading this, please fill in the story.
Hardcore Podcasts
September of 2010 I put together eight Hardcore Podcasts. You can check them out here if you are interested. For more insight into how I came up with the years 78-90 for the First Wave you can read about The Hardcore Superiorty Myth.
Heh, we should start a list of Best Poser British Accents. I’ll start:
The Rotters “Sit On My Face, Stevie Nicks”
Mydolls “The(r)apist”
Luchs Brothers – Kiss Me Im Rotten
There’s a good chance they might have played here, Joe…
http://www.youtube.com/user/THX09#p/u/0/bFv79Y-RNSE
The Dirt hosted so many new wave bands that even years later the owner was still adding a “The” and and “s” to every band’s name.
One night I watched him introduce “The Agnostic Fronts.”
The Agnostic Fronts! Thats almost better actually.
I am almost certain that the nucleus of this band became The Communicators, who were even more obscure. (I have their only 12″ EP, which doesn’t include a contact address or any identifying information.) If any Poptronix people respond, let me know so I can badger them with Communicators questions.
So. This is really funny. Because for the record, my parents were in the band The Poptronix and in the Communicators.
Hey! I played bass in Poptronix. We played in New Jersey & New York & did many shows. CBGB’s.. Close Encounters.. Soap Factory..Dirt Club (lots with The Smithereens…Pat’s a pal) Several; appearences on the uncle Floyd show & even did a semi-pro video of a Song called “Meatrack”! Filmed in a slaughterhouse in Newark (I vomited more then once that day). Meat Rack was shown on MTV (when it was NEW & commercial FREE!!) Band broke up in ’8o?…lasted about 3 years. I went on to Join the Undead in ’81 (played on Verbal Abuse 45).. Ed the singer formed Playdo then Communicators. I’ve known Ed since the 60′s & we’re still buds…Good Times!
Becky – is your dad Ed?
Brian – Is there any more Poptronix hidden anywhere? That 45 is awesome!
Yes, Joe, Ed’s my dad, and Sue is my mother. They got married.
The Communicators’ EP has shown up online:
http://vinylobscurity.blogspot.com/2010/09/communicators-st-ep-1983.html
Becky: would be much obliged if you could email me privately. Got tons of questions.