The Vault: The Cosmic Love Of Jonzun Crew

Because our collections haven’t been alphabetized since mid-1997, your Idolators sometime need some assistance with The Vault, our recurring look at the old school. Once again with the assist is Peter Rubin (not pictured, though he does own a canary-yellow wig):

Hey, Le Tigre fans! You know about Afrika Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” and Kraftwerk, right? Of course! And Mantronix and Newcleus? Sure! But have you busted a cosmic slop to the Jonzun Crew?

“Sure! I love that song from the cereal commerciall!”

That is a great song. But no, not the Brothers Johnson, the Jonzun Crew! After techno-funk/electro exploded in 1982, the Boston-by-way-of-Florida quartet found a willing audience for Michael Jonzun’s futuro-rake aesthetic. That’s not his term, it’s ours. Because if the Tin Man had sex with John Malkovich’s character in Dangerous Liaisons–as your slash-fiction writing group already likes to imagine–then Michael Jonzun would be their sweet funky lovechild.

If you were lucky enough to be eight years old in 1983 and get your hands on a copy of The Jonzun Crew’s Lost in Space , then you too would have known the joy of having your mind blown by these jams. But now, despite a 2001 reissue by Tommy Boy, the album starts at $70 on Amazon! What gives?

Jonzun Crew – Space Cowboy [MP3, link expired] Jonzun Crew – Electro Boogie Encounter [MP3, link expired]