CroTech is a three piece rock band out of San Pedro, California. They feature heavy tunes that are hard and loud, yet verge on being pop at any giving time. Their blend of punk, grunge, and eighties anthem rock and pop transpire this three piece into what may be the next big thing in the rock scene. Their sound is like blending Nirvana and U2, and putting them on stage at Red Rocks on a rainy day in 1983, Under A Blood Red Sky waving a white flag, and sending a moving message to anyone who could be lucky enough to listen. No, the message wouldn't be about the continuing struggle in Northern Ireland, but more about take these songs for yourself and make them to be anything you want them to be about, they're for you to take, if only for the moment. The band obviously is about something, and it is definitely their music. They are very serious, and very proud of their songs. They wear them over their hearts, because that's where they come from.

CroTech would be the first to have stopped me from writing this piece, because they would have disliked the ending of the third sentence, in which I called them the possible next big thing. But thanks to their open minds to allow me to finish this piece (also because they like me), they didn't say anything until they finished reading this. This is due to the fact that this is a band that will tell you, they don't want to be the next big thing, they don't want to be rich rock stars, (Though John did tell me that if it did happen, they would deal with it, and would not pretend to become martyrs like the so great and humble Eddie Vedder) all they want to do is their own thing. All they want to be able to do is make their music, play it, and if something happens then it will, and let nature dictate the rest. The music, the songs are the only things that matter.

The band is made up of John Aralica on vocals and guitar, Tony (Tone) Viducic on guitar and backing vocals, and John Brunac on drums. Now these guys have a certain distinction that seperates them from most bands. The do not have a bass player. It seems the band grew impatient looking for a decent bass player, so John decided to install a bass pick-up in his guitar. So John plays both guitar and bass at the same time. The first time I heard it I couldn't believe it, it was incredible. I was looking for somebody who should be playing the bass, but he was no where to be found. John made some minor adjustments to both his playing and some of the songs, but after that there is really no difference.

The guys are all natives of San Pedro, California, port of the city of Los Angeles, about 30 minutes away by car from downtown. San Pedro is a working class union town, due to the port. It's filled with thousands of Croatian-Americans, and Italian-Americans, due to the fishing industry of the past. All three members are Croatian-American, and their heritage, as well as its current stature in the world is very evident in their songs. John likes to describe San Pedro as a red necked, dinosaur rock, beer drinking town. "It has it's ups and it's downs. Very red neck, and I don't mean racist, but I do think that element is definetely here, it's just hidden well. It's a nice place to live, but is definetely not what it used to be. Pedro is dying a slow death. I just hope I'm not here to see it's end. The best part of Pedro is it ethnic heritage, it's unlike anywhere else. Pedro is like a mini-Croatia, just with too many radicals. We are a Pedro band, not a L.A. band, but we are not into the Pedro thing musically or socially. It's that red neck Pedro menatlity that makes us say fuck Pedro. That red neck mentallity is in each of us as well at times, it has something to do with this great pride that people have who are from Pedro, and if you're not from Pedro it's like fuck you and get the fuck out of here or we'll kick your ass. But because of everything else, we love Pedro, and are proud of being from it as well," said John.

From my last contact with the band, they are currently working hard in rehersals, and are due to record a album in the fall. The band plans to start playing around L.A. this summer, but should be appearring in a number of coffee houses and clubs doing acoustic sets this spring. According to the band this is all in preperation for the album this fall, then tour next year. Hopefully someone will pick up their self-produced album when it's done. I have no doubts about it. These guys are going to make some noise pretty soon, and whoever hears them first will be pretty lucky. I've heard them, and I only wish I had a record company, because I would love to exploit them.
J.C. April 1997