Man Or Astro Man November 13, 2010

----There's some undeniable connection between the South and occurences of exrta-terrestrial form. From other worldy jazz guru, Sun Ra, to German Rocket Scientist, Wernher von Braun, Alabama has always had more than an ample share of connections to outer space. Such is the case with Man or Astro-Man?, arriving/crash landing (whatever you wish to call it) in a small college town in Alabama some years ago. Realizing that in order to integrate into human society, they would have to downplay their true identities and take on aliases, most conveniently in the form as students. Studying industrial design and film, the group began formulating a mode in which to learn more about their new earthly environment. They soon became attracted to pop culture, they decided that the cliche of a being a rock band would provide a perfect vehicle in which to traverse the globe and further their research. Full integration into Earth society would thus commence for what was soon to become known to the world as Man or Astro-Man?

----Rediscovering records long stashed away in parents' attics or hidden behind racks of old magazines at dilapidated thrift stores in Alabama, the entities of Man or Astro-Man? became enamored with the scratched up sounds of Link Wray, The Ventures, Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, The Marketts, The Safaris, and other instrumental guitar oriented music of the late fifties and early sixties. For them, instrumental music provided a great escape from the sappy, pretentious lyrical drivel emanating from the, then newly christened, "alternative" FM radio. At the same time, offbeat stage set ups and designs by Kraftwerk, The Spotniks, The Residents, Devo, Sun Ra, and Captain Beefheart had a great impact on the rapidly developing troupe.

----Over their constant global journeys, Man or Astro-Man? played in 28 countries and 49 states (everywhere except Delaware--this was done mostly out of spite, but also partially out of lack of demand). They did 8 sessions for the late John Peel. They were huge on South American MTV for one summer. They hit 2 deers with their van on various tours. One member once threatened another member by shaking a water bottle in their face. They played Columbus, Ohio at a place called Stache's 14 separate times. They only had their van broken into once, but the robber just stoled guitars from a short-lived member of the band. They were banned from college radio in Atlanta for 3 years after causing mild hysteria by announcing that a plane had crashed on I-85 during rush hour traffic. After not being able to agree on what music to play on the van stereo, they instituted a "headphones only" rule in 1996. They tried to get sued by NASA over a T-shirt design but were unsuccessful. The biggest crowd they played for was 40,000 at the Lowlands festival in the Netherlands and the smallest crowd was for 2 people at an in-store somewhere in Southern Australia. Fitness legend / Three's Company star Susanne Summers became a fan of their first record after meeting the band at a battered women's convention.

Official Website: http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com/event/5171