Dave "Grand Master Useless" Strength Jeff "Dr. Deleto" Goodwin Jason "Cap'n Zeno" Russell Hayden "Dexter X" Thais Trace "Erich Hubner" Reading Richie "Blazar the Probe Handler" Edelson Jonny "Victor Vector" Browning
"Man or Astro-man?" is an American surf rock group that was formed in Auburn, Alabama in the early 1990s and came to prominence over the following decade.
It is largely believed that the group took its name from the poster of the U.S. release of the Japanese film The Human Vapor, which includes the tagline "IS HE MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?", the line seemingly appropriated as the title of their first album, Is It ... Man or Astroman?.
Members
The main members of the band are Star Crunch (aka Brian Causey) on guitar and sometimes vocals, Birdstuff (aka Brian Teasley) on drums,[4] and Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Robert DelBueno) on bass guitar and electronics.[5][6] The band included various other guitarists over the years, including Grand Master Useless (Dave Strength), Dr. Deleto (Jeff Goodwin), Cap'n Zeno (Jason Russell), and Dexter X (Hayden Thais). In 1998, Star Crunch left the band to run a record label (Athens, Georgia-based WARM Electronic Recordings) and was replaced by Trace Reading (Erich Hubner) and Blazar the Probe Handler (Richie Edelson). Although the real names of the band members are known, the band members themselves have never publicly acknowledged their true identities, and steadfastly claim to be extraterrestrials sent to Earth to play surf music. Birdstuff also played drums in Servotron under the name Z4-OBX and in The Causey Way as Boy Causey. He has also played with St. Vincent, Sound of Humans, and The Polyphonic Spree. Before joining up with the Astromen, Dexter X had played in Supernova. He was also a member of Servotron under the name 00zX1. After leaving MOAM?, Dr. Deleto played with the Immortal Lee County Killers.
The original lineup of the band (Star Crunch, Birdstuff, and Coco) have reunited for shows that started in March 2010. 2nd guitar was handled by Victor Vector (Jonny Browning), who has played in Sound of Humans (also with Birdstuff), as well as Jonny and the Shamen and The Other Timelines, until early 2011 when he fell ill and became too sick to play. Since Victor Vector's departure, Avona Nova (Samantha Erin Paulsen, former guitarist/vocalist for We Versus The Shark), the first female member of the band, has been performing as 2nd guitarist. During their 2013 tour in Europe, Josh Lambert and Yvonne Lambert of The Octopus Project assisted them occasionally, as Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard was unavailable due to the recent birth of his child.
History
Man or Astro-man recorded ten albums between 1993 and 2001 (including the tour-only release A Spectrum of Finite Scale[7]), as well as two CD EPs, and a plethora of singles and contributions to various artists compilation albums.[8] Many of the singles were available on multiple colors of vinyl, some with as many as six variations (see Inside the Head of... Mr. Atom). Their 2001 release, Beyond the Black Hole,[9] was a remixed version of one of their earlier albums, What Remains Inside a Black Hole.[10]
When the band was not in the recording studio, they were usually on the road, gigging almost constantly. Their live shows were notable for their sci-fi theatrics: all members of the band dressed in space age jumpsuits, and often included elaborate sci-fi set pieces.[11]
Although they often receive credit for the theme song to Space Ghost Coast to Coast, it was actually recorded by Sonny Sharrock. The confusion arises because they recorded the show's closing theme and some new interstitial music which all first appeared in the 1997 season,[12] as well as an alternate opening theme that appeared once, but not the more familiar theme song. Also, after his departure from the band in 1998, guitarist/vocalist Star Crunch (aka Brian Causey) would go on to compose and perform the theme song for the popular Nickelodeon TV series, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron.
Eventually, the constant workload of recording and touring caught up with them, and, after the tour for A Spectrum of Infinite Scale ended in 2001, the band began a long hiatus. On June 12, 2006, the band's label Touch and Go Records announced that Man or Astro-man? would be performing for the first time since 2001 at the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary Celebration in Chicago, Illinois, on September 9. They took the stage during the time slot in between Scratch Acid and Big Black, on what was the second day of the three-day festival. The complete original line-up played, and the tesla coil was brought up on stage at the end of the set. The 45-minute show ended with Birdstuff giving away most of his drumset to stunned audience members. In preparation for the Touch and Go reunion show, the band played on September 6 at the Bottletree Café in Birmingham, Alabama. This show featured Birdstuff, Coco the Electric Monkey Wizard, Star Crunch and Dr. Deleto. Additionally, Captain Zeno performed on one song, resulting in a 5 piece Man or Astroman? performance. These were the first shows since 1998 to feature the original line-up of the band.
On January 20, 2010, it was announced that Man or Astro-man? would be performing at Whirly Ball in Atlanta, Georgia on March 5 and The Bottletree in Birmingham, Alabama on March 6, as well as multiple SXSW dates.[13] In June 2010, Man or Astro-man? played the NXNE festival in Toronto, Canada, with performances at the Horseshoe Tavern (June 19, 2010) and Sneaky Dees (June 20, 2010).
Their ninth album Defcon 5...4...3...2...1[14] came out, as digital download, on April 24, 2013, a 12 track LP with familiar sounds from 1000X[15] and EEVIAC.[16]
In 1998 Man or Astro-man? sent a group of "clones" out on the road to tour.[17] The clones had names similar to their original counterparts: Birdstuff became Dorkstuff, Coco became Cocoid, Star Crunch became Chromo Crunch and Dexter X became Dexter Y. This new line-up toured under the name "Man or Astro-man Clone Tour Alpha" and maintained their clone identities while on stage. Members of the Alpha clones were also in numerous other bands including Toenut, The Causey Way, Jonny and the Shamen, The Man Made Brain, Sound of Humans, Neutronic, Pilot Scott Tracy, The Plastic Plan, etc.
Gamma Clones
After the success of the Alpha Project, Man or Astro-man? "cloned" themselves a second time, in 1999, this time using females, who adopted the names Coco Active (Guitarist/Vocalist Shonali Bhowmik), Chromia Staria (Guitarist/Vocalist Deb Davis), Tweety-Tone (Drummer/Vocalist Ani Cordero), and Carol (Guitarist/Vocalist Shannon Wright), and toured nationally under the name "Man or Astro-man? Clone Project Gamma."
Man or Astro-man? and Mystery Science Theater 3000
The band covered the Mystery Science Theater 3000 "love theme".[18] It was released on Amazing Thrills! in 3-Dimension and later on the album Destroy All Astromen! and was also performed live. MST3K creator Joel Hodgson joined them on stage to sing the theme at a show in 1996, and Joel's character on MST3K later claimed to have toured in Australia with Man or Astro-man? doing pyrotechnics for the band.
Man or Astro-man? guitarist Hayden Thais (Dexter X) and drummer Brian Teasley (Birdstuff) were also members of the "all-robot band" Servotron, which was named for MST3K robot character Tom Servo. A handbill for at least one concert has featured an image of the robot puppet.
Analog Series Vol. 17-inch Clear (limited edition first 200 copies), orange (limited edition Chunklet exclusive), red (first repress), gold (second repress) or black Vinyl (Chunklet Magazine web site – 2012)
Analog Series Vol. 27-inch Clear (limited edition first 200 copies), green (limited edition Chunklet exclusive), red (first repress) or black Vinyl (Chunklet Magazine web site – 2012)
Analog Series Vol. 37-inch Clear (limited edition first 200 copies), purple (limited edition Chunklet exclusive) or black Vinyl (Chunklet Magazine web site – 2013)
"Planet Collision (Trans Hip-APhonic Post Acid Flip Trance Mega Blast Alterno-Universe Mass Marketing Schtick Mix)" on The Money Shot CD (Chunklet Magazine insert – 1997)
"24 Hrs." on Live at WREK. – 91.1fm 1997 Atlanta Radio Comp CD (1997)
"Updated Theme to Supercar" on All Punk Rods! LP/CD (Gearhead/Lookout! Records – 1998)
"Tazerguns Mean Big Fun" on Chairman of the Board Soundtrack CD (Virgin Records – 1998)
"Synthesis of Previously Unknown Substances" on Hang 10, Volume One CD (American Pop Project Records – 2000)
"Floatation Devices for Frequencies Yet to Be Detected" on Surf Monsters CD (Del-Fi Records – 1999)
"Escape Velocity" on 26 Spicey Sizzlers CD (Estrus Records – 1999)
"Manta Ray" (Pixies cover) on Southern Edge Vol. 1 CD (Beloved – 1999)
"Yo Yo's Pad" on Delphonic Sounds Today CD (Del-Fi Records – 1999)
"Theme from EEVIAC" on Cinema Beer Belly CD (Hopeless Records – 1999)
"Jonathan Winter's Frankenstein" on "BBC Sessions Covers" (incorrectly identified on track listing as a cover of the "Edgar Winter Group"'s track "Frankenstein")
Related Research Articles
Fu Manchu is an American stoner rock band formed in Orange County, California in 1985. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout the 80s and 90s, but has remained consistent since 2001. The band currently consists of founding guitarist turned lead vocalist Scott Hill, bassist Brad Davis, lead guitarist Bob Balch and drummer Scott Reeder.
Servotron was a science fiction-influenced rock band active from 1995 to 1999. Members portrayed a collective of robots whose chosen medium for dissemination of ideas was music. They claimed to spread the word of robot domination, encouraging machines to rise up against their human oppressors and humans to adopt cybernetic enhancements.
Don Caballero was an American math rock band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Preston Wright Long III is an American musician, journalist and documentary filmmaker.
Soledad Brothers were an American garage rock trio from Maumee, Ohio. Taking strong influence from blues rock, the band consisted of Ben Swank on drums, Johnny Walker on guitar and vocals, and Oliver Henry on sax and guitar. The band produced four albums: Soledad Brothers (2000), Steal Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move (2002), Voice of Treason (2003), and The Hardest Walk (2006).
EEVIAC Operational Index and Reference Guide, Including Other Modern Computational Devices is the 5th full-length studio album by Man or Astroman?. E.E.V.I.A.C. is an acronym and stands for "Embedded Electronic Variably Integrated Astro Console" and is a play on ENIAC, which is sometimes hailed as the first modern computer.
Experiment Zero is an album by the American band Man or Astro-man? It was released in 1996 by Touch and Go Records.
Amazing Thrills! in 3-Dimension is a Man or Astro-man? promo 7" that was given away with the first 1,000 copies of their debut album, Is It ... Man or Astroman?. It was released on Estrus Records in 1993 on black vinyl only. By some counts, 1,000 copies is a generous estimate, as the Estrus website places the actual number pressed as only 400. This is the first time Man or Astro-man's cover of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 theme song was released. It was later re-released on Destroy All Astromen!.
Mission into Chaos! is a Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP released on One Louder Records in 1993 and pressed exclusively on black vinyl. The back cover states that the songs are meant to be a soundtrack to the film of the same title which has been lost.
Inside the Head of... Mr. Atom is a Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP released on Estrus Records in 1995. It was recorded by Steve Albini. The cover art and design is by Art Chantry. The back cover states "This single is dedicated to the vital memory of the band Bolt Thrower." It was released on clear green vinyl, opaque purple vinyl, opaque gray vinyl and black vinyl. Early pressings of the 7-inch have red and yellow center labels. The center labels on later pressings are black and silver, and these were available on black vinyl and gray vinyl.
UFO's and the Men Who Fly Them! is a 1996 Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP released jointly by Jezz Thorpe and Henry Owings of Chunklet (magazine) on Drug Racer Records. It was released on gray vinyl, anti-freeze green vinyl, red vinyl and black vinyl—with red being the rarest. The EP was recorded at Zero Return Studios in Wetumpka, AL.
Deluxe Men in Space is a Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP/CDEP released on Touch & Go Records and One Louder Records in 1996. The 7-inch was released on black vinyl, with a gatefold sleeve.
What Remains Inside a Black Hole is a Man or Astro-man? compilation album. It features tracks that originally appeared on 7-inch EPs. It was released in Australia on Au-Go-Go Records and remains difficult to find in the US. In 2001, Estrus Records released a compilation entitled Beyond the Black Hole, which features many of the same songs.
Man or Astro-man? in Orbit is a Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP released on Shake It Records in 1995. It was released on clear vinyl and black vinyl. On the record sleeve the band members are listed as "Mission Astronauts" rather than musicians since the title implies that the band will be in orbit.
The Sounds of Tomorrow is a Man or Astro-man? 7-inch EP released on Estrus Records in 1996. It was released on both black vinyl and gray vinyl.
Walter Daniels is an American musician and harmonica player noted for introducing the instrument into a number of styles of music not usually associated with the harmonica, including punk rock, and avant-garde free improvisation.
Intravenous Television Continuum is a full-length album released by the surf rock group Man or Astroman?. It is a collection of alternate mixes of previously released songs and a handful of TV show themes. The first pressing was available in 1996 on clear vinyl and opaque purple vinyl through One Louder Records. The following year, the CD was re-issued through Australia's Au-Go-Go Records. It was recorded at Zero Return in Elmore, Alabama sometime in 1994 and 1995. It features cover art and design by Shag. The 'thank you' section specifies that the band wished to "thank every organization and citizen on the planet Earth except John Esplen and One Louder Broadcasting."
Live Transmissions From Uranus!! is a full-length album released by the surf rock group Man or Astro-man?. It was recorded live at the Covered Dish in Gainesville, Florida on November 19, 1994. It was available on CD and on standard, black vinyl through Homo Habilis records. It was also released on CD and as a limited 12" picture disc through One Louder records in the UK. It was later reissued through the Chicago-based label Touch and Go Records. Design by Art Chantry, and cover photos by Kyle Scott.
Vanessa Briscoe Hay is an American singer for the Athens, Georgia bands Pylon, Supercluster and Pylon Reenactment Society.
Chunklet is a Georgia-based American humor and music magazine founded by Henry H. Owings in 1993.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
