Man or Astro-Man?

This thing came out pretty nicely if we don’t say so ourselves.

ROYGBIV (Recordings From The BBC), by Man...or Astro-Man? 35 track album

Today is National Coco Day of Creation so please wish him a happy birthday! I believe there are very few people on Earth who are as good at building things from scratch, then breaking them, then fixing them, and then repeat and rinse.

Anyway, on a rare serious note, it’s hard to say enough nice things about how awesome he is. He has always been the Astro member who has been the most self-sacrificing by far. He’s solved so many tough situations for the band again and again—easily over a thousand times. No matter how late it is and how exhausted he is, he always makes time for people. I am positive no one on Planet Earth has taught teenagers how a Tesla Coil works more than he has. Beyond anything, I wouldn’t know what the speed of light is if I hadn’t heard him say it into a microphone hundreds of times. It’s 299 792 458 m / s in case you needed a refresher course. You guys have admit, he’s easily the best Electronic Monkey Wizard of all-time.
—Bitdstuff

Once upon a time, I was in the control room with Steve. Just me and him. I think we were tracking drums. One of his assistants rings up from the office and says, "Spin Magazine is on the phone and is requesting a quick interview". Steve didn’t interrupt sessions often, but said he’d take the call. A few seconds pass while the journalist pitches something to him and he responds, “Well, I don’t think I've recorded anything awful lately nor do I have a new fashion line so I just don’t have a comment”. Click. Thirty minutes pass and his assistant rings up saying that he hates to bother us again but a local high school is calling to see if they can organize a tour of the facility (Electrical Audio) for students interested in the field of music. Again, Steve says he’ll take the call. A few seconds pass and Steve says “Absolutely. No problem at all. What would you think about us also offering free studio time for a few students as incentive for good conduct, grades, etc?”. Miss you Steve. - Crunch.

Launch Schedule:

Life is so cruel at times especially when our sharpest rays of light get abruptly taken from us. I cannot express how devastated I am. No one came close to fostering the sound our music. With Man or Astro-Man? he always cut through all the bu****it and got to the core of the music we were doing and simply made it exactly how it should be. Steve asking us to play the Electrical Audio 20 Year Anniversary Party a few years back was such a massive honor. A hero. A mentor. A big brother. A beautiful human. Miss you deeply man and peace be with all of us who have been part of the family.
—Birdstuff

What an emotional day. Out of all the beautiful homages and pieces written about Steve today, I would be proud if this one had the most bizarre title. That would certainly be fitting for our band and Steve together. My mind is flashing with so many incredible memories and many tales that now sound utterly unbelievable…like this one.
—Birdstuff

How Steve Albini kept a band warm during a blizzard in rural Alabama BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Steve Albini lost the best seat in the house to a cat. An audio engineer and producer known for his collaborations with groups like Pixies and Nirvana, Albini had been spe…

Hello citizens of the universe—Here is a brand new podcast I did with the great folks at the Abandoned Albums podcast. It was a really fun conversation and I’m taking it that you may be interested because at some point in the last 15 years you hit follow on the Man or Astro-Man? page. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much!

—Birdstuff

Episode 806 - WAKE THE KIDS AND PHONE THE NEIGHBORS (just don't tell the FBI) Brian Teasley of Man or Astroman? stopped by for a career spanning conversation. WAKE THE KIDS AND PHONE THE NEIGHBORS (just don't tell the FBI). Brian Teasley of Man or Astroman? stopped by for a career-spanning conversation. LINKS Man or Astr…

Ignition Sequence Restart!
Crew: Coco, Avona Nova, Birdstuff, Star Crunch
Launch date: 08.10.2024.
Destination: Mexico City
Landing Site: Wild O’ Fest

Sure, many people are investing in gold right now (Costco is selling 100 million in the stuff every month), but we say don’t believe the hype. Shhhhh…we’ll let you in on a little secret: Buying Man or Astro-Man? Records is recommended by many of the top financial advisers in the world for an incredible high yield return that continues to pay out huge sums. What’s that? You say you don’t like the band? No problem! Just think as this low low entry purchase of a complete set of the Astro Peel Session records as a sure fire way to make sure Jr. can pay for whatever land grant university his mediocre SAT scores will get him into. Look, don’t do it for us; do it for the future of you and yours. Now…put down your gold bullion and act now! Link in bio. Thank you!

Long live Dex. Certainly an inspiration to many of us at Astro Industries. Dex personified rock and roll in its most (un)refined form. We were lucky enough to share the stage with him many times - early on in the form of Flat Duo Jets and most recently on tour with The Dex Romweber Duo with his sister, Sara. All stellar performances. However, I’ll always remember the first time we played with him at the Hoyt Street Station in Athens, GA around 1991 or 1992. Side note: I’m pretty sure this is the same show Dick Dale was supposed to headline and had asked us if he could play first as he had a plane to catch early in the morning. At the time it seemed kinda lazy on Dick’s part to ask for that, but in retrospect, he probably saw us unloading TV after TV from our trailer and said, “F$%^& this”. Smart move. Anyways...Dex shows up to that gig with his trademark Silvertone guitar but no amp. “Y’all have an amp I can maybe use tonight?”, he asks. We did. We had my Fender Vibrolux Reverb and Dr. Deleto’s Pro Reverb. I said, “Sure, you can use DD’s Pro Reverb!” (Sorry Mr. Deleto). We played our show (we were 2nd out of 3) and then left the Pro Reverb up there for him. He walks up on stage, immediately turns the volume k**b on the amp to 10, and proceeds to obliterate the ears of anyone in a 5 mile radius of the club. It was awesome. After the show, Doctor Deleto inspected his amp and said, “Both speakers are blown”. Long live Dex. - Star Crunch

At the Chunklet Bandcamp…

How many times do you think Coco has set this theremin on fire? It still works by the way…most of the time at least!

Astro question of the day: Do you think Avona Nova is space goth? Please explain your answer in the comment section below.

The “Distant Pulsar” EP just got repressed and you can get it via the Chunklet Bandcamp. This is a stand alone EP we put together at the tail end of the pandemic universe. None of these songs will be on the full length we plan to release this year so if you want to hear them, grab one of these if you can. Also, we used the “boost cool” filter on this photo so hoping to hit Platinum by 5:00 PM EST tomorrow. Thank you!

Where to go when you run out of frets?
Star Crunch in Chicago, 2006, Touch and Go 25th Anniversary

Caption this moment in Astro history:

Big New Year sale on the Astro Peel Session records on the Chunklet Bandcamp. Get them while you can. Also, Happy New Year if that is happening in your dimension of time!

Happy (fill in Earth holiday) day from your favorite band Man or Astro-Man?

SxSW 2010. We were anachronistically wearing the 1997 “Made For Technetium” era jackets made for the “Lo-Batt” video. These had lingered sweaty in a sealed crate for 13 years and smelled quite organic.

Did anyone else ever stay at Bob Stupak's outer space-themed hotel, Vegas World? We went here on tour either in ‘93 or ‘94. Unfortunately, the hotel was torn down in 1995 so we just barely made the cut to see it. Nonetheless, it was pretty damn awesome even in its dilapidated state. Seen here is a photo of the main interior room. Man, even the toilet paper had interstellar-themed objects on it. After all, who doesn’t want rockets on their toilet paper?

Halloween at La Luna, Portland ‘97. Anyone, anyone?

Dear People of Planet ______,

There are two new Astro Peel Session singles out. Take it from the completely unbiased opinion of the band who record them, you really should go back in time and order them yesterday at: https://chunklet.bandcamp.com

Bless you Mr. Peel!

THE SINGLES ARE:
YELLOW: Chunklet Industries is proud to announce a breakthrough in broadcasting technology. For the first time, the BBC working hand-in-hand with intergalactic audio pioneers Man…or Astro-Man? present to you seven volumes of their famed U.K. radio sessions. The band’s debut for famed DJ Mark Radcliffe marks the final BBC session with original member Dr. Deleto. Although the band did a complete interview with Mr. Radcliffe, only the four tracks recorded that day in 1994 are presented on this third of seven singles.

GREEN: This is the band’s second session for famed DJ John Peel shows a band in full blossom. That day in March 1995 had Captain Zeno on second guitar and gives a trashier and far more frenetic and less precious sound than earlier sessions. For John Peel, who was one the earliest, most visible and most vocal supporters of the band, five songs were recorded and four tracks are being released on this fourth of seven singles.

Happy Halloween Space Creeps! I thought I’d share this about one of my favorite Halloween songs. Read it…if you dare (insert crappy, stock sounding mad scientist laugh here).
—Birdstuff

While it has become a token gesture to include this on any old Halloween playlist, it still astounds me how utterly iconic and remarkably signature of a song “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” is. There is absolutely nothing significant ever being played in any sense; truly all that is here is vibe and style. It is so haphazard in a way, so ephemeral — almost like a band just warming up at practice by lightly jamming to a silly little riff—yet the sum of the parts Is unforgettable.

And just think of this…it was both the first song they ever played together and the first song they ever recorded. How does that even happen? Bands spend entire careers chasing a singular distinct sound and never get as far as Bauhaus did in 30 minutes. Astronomically rare and utterly insane.

Lads in their early 20s from Wolverhampton walk into a room together for the first time. “What song do you want to play boys? Why don’t we just write ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead,’ yeah?”

It is a single that is that 9 1/2 minutes long. It is an undeniable classic. It is probably already on your Halloween playlist. If it isn’t, it should be.

Haze or Purple-Haze?

6 years ago…Avona Nova and Steve Albini at the Electrical Audio 20 year anniversary party. It was a real honor to play this. Good times celebrating the absolute best recording studio of all time.

1994 Peter Lorre kick drum head by Scott Williams.

Destination Vegas

Our LA show has sold out but still some tix avail for the other 3 shows of this microscopic excursion! Starts tomorrow!

Back at it again!

Addendum:
We definitely want to come play everywhere we can for you all. Our time is just limited this year and with the time we do have we desperately need to finish recording and mixing a bunch of new and new / old stock material we have. We may do another short run of shows this year, but it will likely be in the Southeast. Next year when we have a new record out, we’ll do some wider touring.

In the meantime, we’ll likely have another one or two 7”s / EPs of stuff we recorded during the pandemic and the Peel Sessions (available through Chunklet) are starting to come out. Finally, the Coco swimsuit calendar should be ready for 2024 so get ready to see what lies beyond the stinky orange space suit. Thanks for your patience and support!
Birdstuff

These Man or Astro-Man? Peel Sessions are starting to come out. There are a bunch of them and I am sure they are available on the world wide internet. John Peel was such an amazing force for championing underground music and also for simply whatever he liked. There will never be another like him.

It’s a bit ridiculous that our connection with him started by me sending him a postcard (no record mind you) from Auburn, AL when I was 20 years old asking him to please never play our band. Well, over the years he certainly showed us, and for that, I am eternally thankful.: