Los Straitjackets is an American
instrumental rock
Instrumental rock is rock music that emphasizes musical instruments and features very little or no singing. Examples of instrumental rock can be found in practically every subgenre of rock, often from musicians who specialize in the style. Instr ...
band that formed in
Nashville,
Tennessee
Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, United States, in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis (formerly of the
Raybeats
The Raybeats were an American instrumental neo-surf rock combo from New York City that arose from the No Wave musical scene. The original line-up consisted of Don Christensen (drums), Jody Harris (guitar), Pat Irwin (guitar, saxophone, Acetone ...
), Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the name The Straitjackets, the band split up soon after forming, but reunited as Los Straitjackets in 1994 with the addition of bassist E. Scott Esbeck. Esbeck left the band in 1998 and was replaced by Pete Curry.
The current lineup also features Greg Townson on guitar and Chris Sprague on drums.
The band has released fourteen
studio albums, four collaboration albums and eight
live albums.
History
Eddie Angel was a noted
rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blu ...
guitarist who moved to
Nashville in the early 1980s to record and perform with the Planet Rockers. Danny Amis recorded and performed with the
Raybeats
The Raybeats were an American instrumental neo-surf rock combo from New York City that arose from the No Wave musical scene. The original line-up consisted of Don Christensen (drums), Jody Harris (guitar), Pat Irwin (guitar, saxophone, Acetone ...
, then worked as a
sound engineer
An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproductio ...
in Nashville. The two formed The Straitjackets in 1988 with Jimmy Lester, a Nashville session player who played and toured with
Webb Wilder
John Webb McMurry (born May 19, 1954), known as Webb Wilder, is an American country, rock & roll singer, guitarist and actor.
Early life
McMurry was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He started playing guitar at the age of 12 and was playing ...
as well as
Robert Gordon. They played several gigs during the summer of that year, but soon broke up.
In 1994 they reformed as Los Straitjackets, adding bass player Scott Esbeck. Their first album, ''
'', was released the following year on Upstart Records.
[ In the post-'']Pulp Fiction
''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, who conceived it with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; Starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Vin ...
'' surf revival, the group began attracting a following, though their music is not entirely surf-oriented.
Over the next few years, the band developed a cult following through its tight instrumentation and stage shows. In its live performances, band members dress in identical black suits, gold Aztec medallions, and personalized Mexican wrestling masks. Danny Amis, a fan of Luchador films
Luchador films (or ''Lucha Libre films'') are Mexican professional wrestling/action/science-fiction/ horror films starring some of the most popular masked luchadores in Lucha Libre. The luchadores are portrayed as superheroes engaging in battles ...
and Mexican culture
Mexican culture is primarily influenced by its Indigenous inhabitants and the culture of Spain. Mexican culture is described as the 'child' of both western and native American civilizations. Other minor influences include those from other regio ...
had suggested the band wear the masks he had purchased in Mexico at the band's first gig on a whim; the crowd went wild and a tradition was born. Frontman Amis (aka "Daddy-O Grande") was the sole spokesperson of the band, and would introduce the songs in fast, heavily accented Spanish.
In 1998 Esbeck left the band during the recording of ''The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets
''The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets'' is the third studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets, released in 1999 by Yep Roc. It was recorded between September and December 1998, produced by Ben Vaughn, and engineered by M ...
'' and was replaced by Pete Curry, formerly of the Halibuts, a 1980s surf-revival group. In 2005 Lester left and was replaced by Jason "Teen Beat" Smay. They have become known as frequent collaborators, recording ''Sing Along with Los Straitjackets
''Sing Along with Los Straitjackets'' is the fourth studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets. It was released on September 25, 2001, by Yep Roc Records.
Contrary to their instrumental work of previous and subsequent year ...
'' with a number of different artists. They were nominated for a Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
for their collaboration with blues singer Eddy Clearwater
Edward Harrington (January 10, 1935 – June 1, 2018), better known by his stage name Eddy Clearwater, was an American blues musician who specialized in Chicago blues. ''Blues Revue'' said he plays "joyous rave-ups…he testifies with stunning s ...
, ''Rock 'N' Roll City''.
Their stage shows have become more elaborate and frequently feature choreography, guest vocalists such as Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Kaiser George of the Scottish band the Kaisers, Big Sandy, and the burlesque dancing troupe The World Famous Pontani Sisters
The World Famous Pontani Sisters are a dance act and burlesque revue based in New York City, consisting of three sisters: Angie Pontani, Tara Pontani, and Helen Pontani. They have been billed more recently as Angie Pontani and the World Famous Pont ...
. In recent years, they have staged festive Christmas shows during the holiday season.
In 2010 Danny Amis was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He was sidelined from recording and touring while under treatment. Los Straitjackets recruited guitarist Greg "Gregorio El Grande" Townson to fill Amis' role during his absence. In 2012 Amis announced that his cancer was "under control" and he would return to recording and limited touring with Los Straitjackets in September 2012. This coincided with the band's new studio release ''Jet Set'' and debut of new drummer Chris "Sugar Balls" Sprague. Amis now lives in Mexico City.
In late 2016, Los Straitjackets were due to embark on a tour with NRBQ
NRBQ is an American rock band founded by Terry Adams (piano), Steve Ferguson (guitar) and Joey Spampinato (bass). Originally the "New Rhythm and Blues Quintet", the group was formed around 1965. Adams disbanded it for a time, and the group re ...
. Prior to the tour, Pete Curry had to undergo shoulder replacement surgery. While he was recovering, his replacements consisted of Eddie's son, Max, Todd Bradley of the Hi-Risers, and Juan Ugalde of The Outta Sites.
On May 19, 2017, the band released ''What's So Funny About Peace, Love And...'', a tribute to the music of Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and New wave music, new wave,[Yep Roc Records
Yep Roc Records is an American independent record label based in Hillsborough, North Carolina, and owned by Redeye Distribution. Since 1997, the label has released albums from North Carolina and international artists, including Nick Lowe, Paul W ...]
. In 2019 the band embarked on a UK tour backing Lowe. Their February 2019 single with Lowe, "Love Starvation," was described by ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' magazine as "a peppy-sounding old-school rock song that paints a bleak lyrical picture of romantic fallout." Lowe said of the band: "Apart from being a fantastic rock ‘n’ roll band, they know how to play tons of different styles really well. They can knock you out a version of Bacharach
Bacharach (, also known as ''Bacharach am Rhein'') is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the ''Verbandsgemeinde'' of Rhein-Nahe, whose seat is in Bingen am Rhein, although that town is not withi ...
and David's " The Look of Love" with no trouble at all."
Film and television
Los Straitjackets provided some of the music for the independent film ''Psycho Beach Party
''Psycho Beach Party'' is a 2000 comedy horror film based on the off-Broadway play of the same name, directed by Robert Lee King. Charles Busch wrote both the original play and the screenplay. As the title suggests, ''Psycho Beach Party'', set ...
'', and appeared briefly in the film. They also recorded two albums of music specifically for television and commercial use, and their work is often heard as filler or background music on radio and television shows.
In the late 1990s, Conan O'Brien had the band perform Christmas music each holiday season on his late-night television program.
Band members
;Current members
*Eddie Angel – guitar (1988, 1994–present)
*Pete Curry – bass (1998–present)
*Chris Sprague – drums (2012–present)
*Greg Townson – guitar (2010–present)
;Former members
*Danny Amis – guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected strin ...
(1988, 1994–2017)
*E. Scott Esbeck – bass (1994–1998)
*Jimmy "L. J." Lester – drums (1988, 1994–2005)
*Jason "Teen Beat" Smay – drums (2005–2012)
;Timeline
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bar:Jimmy from:01/06/1988 till:01/09/1988 color:drums
bar:Jimmy from:01/05/1994 till:01/04/2005 color:drums
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Discography
Studio albums
*'''' (1995)
*'' ¡Viva! Los Straitjackets'' (1996)
*''The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets
''The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets'' is the third studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets, released in 1999 by Yep Roc. It was recorded between September and December 1998, produced by Ben Vaughn, and engineered by M ...
'' (1999)
*''Sing Along with Los Straitjackets
''Sing Along with Los Straitjackets'' is the fourth studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets. It was released on September 25, 2001, by Yep Roc Records.
Contrary to their instrumental work of previous and subsequent year ...
'' (2001)
*'' Encyclopedia of Sound'' (2001)
*'''Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets!
''Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets!'' is the sixth studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets, released on October 8, 2002 by Yep Roc Records. The album is a cover of traditional Christmas songs, and includes two origi ...
'' (2002)
*''Supersonic Guitars in 3-D
''Supersonic Guitars in 3-D'' is the seventh studio album by American instrumental rock band Los Straitjackets, released on September 9, 2003, by Yep Roc Records.
Track listing
Personnel
;Los Straitjackets
*Danny Amis – guitar
*Eddie Ange ...
'' (2003)
*''Play Favorites'' (2004)
*''Encyclopedia of Sound, Vol. 2'' (2005)
*''The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets'' (2009)
*''Yuletide Beat'' (2009)
*''Jet Set'' (2012)
*''Play The Great Instrumental Hits!!!!!!'' (2014) (Record Store Day Release)
*''What's So Funny About Peace Love And...'' (2017)
Live albums
*''Pink Dominoes (Live At KFJC)'' (1995)
*''Winter Swell II (Live At KFJC)'' (1996)
*''Damas y Caballeros!
Damas may refer to:
__NOTOC__ Geography
* Damas-aux-Bois, a village in northeastern France
* Damas-et-Bettegney, a village in northeastern France
* Damas, Egypt, a city in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt
* Damas River (Chile), a river in southern Ch ...
'' (2001)
*''Los Vivos y Los Raros'' (2003)
*''Live On Spanish TV'' (2003) (Released in Spain only)
*''In Concert'' (2008) (Also released as a DVD)
*''Mas Alla Del Limite'' (2008)
*''Quality Holiday Revue Live '' (2015) (With Nick Lowe
Nicholas Drain Lowe (born 24 March 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician and producer. A noted figure in power pop and New wave music, new wave,[Eddy Clearwater
Edward Harrington (January 10, 1935 – June 1, 2018), better known by his stage name Eddy Clearwater, was an American blues musician who specialized in Chicago blues. ''Blues Revue'' said he plays "joyous rave-ups…he testifies with stunning s ...]
)
*''Twist Party!!!'' (2007) (With Kaiser George and The World Famous Pontani Sisters
The World Famous Pontani Sisters are a dance act and burlesque revue based in New York City, consisting of three sisters: Angie Pontani, Tara Pontani, and Helen Pontani. They have been billed more recently as Angie Pontani and the World Famous Pont ...
)
*'' Rock en Español, Vol. 1'' (2007) (With Big Sandy,Cesar Rosas and Little Willie G.)
*''Sings The Great Instrumental Hits!!!!!!'' (2014) (With Deke Dickerson)
Compilation albums
*''Mondo Zombie Boogaloo'' (2013) (6 tracks: "It's Monster Surfing Time", "Que Monstruos Son" (feat. Keith Streng & Mary Huff), "Theme From Young Frankenstein", "Theme From Halloween", "The Ghoul On The Hill", "¡Ghostbusters!")
*''Dr Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen (born April 2, 1941), known professionally as Dr. Demento, is an American radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograp ...
Covered In Punk'' (2018) (1 track: "It's A Gas")
*''Complete Christmas Songbook'' (2018) (compiles ''Tis the Season'' and ''Yuletide Beat'' with four additional tracks from singles and compilations)
References
Notes
Other sources
Interview with Chris "Sugarballs" Sprague @ Rockerzine.com 2014
External links
Official website
Eddie Angel - Official Website
Danny Amis - Official Website
Encyclopedia Of Music Vol. 1 & Vol 2: 2 CDs by Los Straitjackets on LoveCat Music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Straitjackets, Los
Surf music groups
Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee
Masked musicians
Bands with fictional stage personas
Musical groups established in 1988
Musical groups disestablished in 1988
Musical groups reestablished in 1994
1988 establishments in Tennessee
1994 establishments in Tennessee
Yep Roc Records artists
Rounder Records artists