Man... Or Astro-man? - In Orbit EP. Shake It Records 709.

Mo mo mo Man... Or Astro-Man? I've had this one in draft form for months so it felt right that I release it ahead of a bunch of other stuff. According to the Astro-Man? Ad Nauseum blog there were 900 copies of this Cincinatti-sourced release. It's also one of the very few MOA? releases which plays at 45rpm. Tracks are Complex 34, Space Helmet, Alpha Surfari and Manta Ray. The latter two are covers; the first of a Surfaris track, the second a faithful rendition of a Pixies original.

Enjoy.

Man... Or Astro-man? - In Orbit EP. Shake It Records 709.

instrumental man or astroman? shake it surf

Man... Or Astro-Man? vs. Europa. Homo Habilis 7". HH706

For a band with strong attention to detail and an eye for the gimmick I was always surprised that this was the only time Man... Or Astro-Man? produced a single for tour release. Disappointingly for me I got the postcard informing me of their imminent arrival after they had been and gone. I ended up buying my copy from Estrus mail order. I note the dates of the tour and wonder exactly where they spent Christmas 1993. I hope they were looked after. Enjoy.

Man... Or Astro-Man? vs. Europa. Homo Habilis 7". HH706

Europe homo habilis man or astroman? surf

Man... Or Astro-Man? - The Sounds of Tomorrow. Estrus 7". ES783.

We've not had any Man... Or Astro-Man? for a little while, so here's a 1996 offering from the ever-reliable Estrus records. Track three, Green-blooded Love, is by Thee Shatners, a bunch of Star Trek-loving chancers who had connections with The Ne'er'Do'Wells and The Dukes of Hamburg, and whose only release was an LP on Planet Pimp Records. Enjoy.

Man... Or Astro-Man? - The Sounds of Tomorrow. Estrus 7". ES783.

estrus instrumental man or astroman? star trek surf

Man ... Or Astro-Man? - Welcome To The Sonic Space Age. Clawfist 7".

The previous releases have dropped off the front page, so it's time to upload yet another treat from Man ...Or Astro-Man? The final release from UK singles club label, Clawfist, it's one of a handful of MOA? records that plays at 45 rpm so there are only two tracks. There's some excellent 'theremining' on flipside, Bird's Stuff. Enjoy.

Tracks:
King Of The Monsters (120 BPM).
Bird's Stuff (157 BPM).

Man ... Or Astro-Man? - Welcome To The Sonic Space Age. Clawfist 7".

clawfist instrumental man or astroman? theremin

Man ... Or Astroman? - Amazing Thrills in 3D. Estrus Promo EP ESP7.

Some more Man ... Or Astroman? for you all. My copy of this came free with a pre-ordered from Estrus blue vinyl copy of Is it...? A limited amount were also sold in record stores. The reverse of the sleeve is blank. Enjoy.

Man ... Or Astroman? - Amazing Thrills in 3D. Estrus Promo EP ESP7.

estrus instrumental man or astroman? surf

The Rezillos - Destination Venus. Sire Records SIRE4008.

I was going to upload this stunner as an accompaniment to Man ... Or Astroman?'s cover of it, but then I realised the Astromen never released their version on 7". So this gets precedence. A record I have owned for nearly 33 years. Ouch. Enjoy.

The Rezillos - Destination Venus. Sire Records SIRE4008.

greg lowery man or astroman? rezillos supercharger

Man Or Astro-Man? - Deluxe Men In Space. Touch and Go / One Louder EP.

Inside left.

Inside right.

Mid-period Astro-Man? from the time they started to flirt with the more experimental side of their sound - March of the Androids and Rhombics may be short (both clock in at under a minute) but they demonstrate a new side to the Man or Astro-Man? sound that was further exploited in their later releases. The rest of the tracks are classic Man or Astro-Man? including a cover of U-Uranus that has my kids in fits. Enjoy.

Man Or Astro-Man? - Deluxe Men In Space. Touch and Go / One Louder EP.

man or astroman? one louder surf touch and go records

Various Artists - Oh Canaduh. Lance Rock LP. LRR-19.

No image, so here's a 'video' of UJ3RK5 doing the original version of 'Eisenhower and The Hippies' which Man Or Astro-Man cover almost note for note. Oh Canaduh is an LP of 90s surf, punk and garage rock bands covering Canadian New Wave Hits of the late 70s and early 80s. What makes it better than so many 'cover' LPs is that rather than just looking at one act - Link Wray or Sam The Sham, for example - where the choice can get a bit thin, there is an opening up and the opportunity to cover one band's best song. And there are a lot of best songs on this brilliant record. I'd love to hear all the originals.

Track-listing (original artists listed at the end):

1. Teengenerate: Top Down (Teenage Head)
2. Bum: Screaming Fist (Viletones)
3. Lord High Fixers: Fuck You (Subhumans)
4. The Tonics: I Hate Music (K-Tels)
5. Young Fresh Fellows: Disco Sucks (D.O.A.)
6. The Smugglers: What Do You Want Me To Do (Pointed Sticks)
7. Al Perry: Fun While It Lasts (Active Dog)
8. Fastbacks: Won't Have To Worry (Modernettes)
9. Supersnazz: I Don't Love You (Dishrags)
10. Evaporators: I Can't Puke (The Dry Heaves)
11. Man Or Astroman?: Eisenhower & The Hippies (U-J3RK5)
12. The Onyas: I Don't Give A Shit (The Biz)
13. The Cryin' Out Louds: Now I Ain't Got No Face (No Fun)
14. The Stupes: American Bandstand (Infamous Scientists)
15. Nardwuar The Human Serviette - Secret Track (?)

Various Artists - Oh Canaduh. Lance Rock LP. LRR-19.

al perry bum canada evaporators fastbacks lord high fixers man or astroman? new wave supersnazz teengenerate the cryin' out louds the onyas the smugglers the tonics young fresh fellows

Man Or Astro-Man? - Creature Feature Flexi-disc. Kronophonic Records SEXI FLEXI 002.

No image for this one as flexi-discs don't scan very well. Instead, here's a picture of last night's 'Super Moon' emerging from behind the trees. This flexi came free with a split issue of Highball Magazine and Monsters International. I no longer own the magazine. At least one of the tracks on here has, as far as I know, never been reissued - the cover of Joe South's Creature In The Surfers Lagoon.

While I was trying to find out more about this release I found this tremendous blog cataloguing all the vinyl output of Man Or Astro-Man? More importantly, I found out that current Man Or Astro-Man? operative Victor Vector fell ill with pneumonia and was hospitalised, very seriously ill, at the end of the band's last tour. Like most musicians working at grass roots level, Victor does not have health insurance so an appeal has been set up to raise funds for him. I would ask that if you have been enjoying this blog, the Man Or Astro-Man? stuff in particular (and there is plenty more to come), you go to the band's Facebook page and follow the link to donate towards his medical fees via Paypal.

Man Or Astro-Man? - Creatue Feature Flexi-disc. Kronophonic Records SEXI FLEXI 002.

Flexi-Disc instrumental man or astroman? monsters victor vector

Man Or Astroman? - Captain Holojoy's Space Diner. Lucky Records 7".

One of a billion singles released ages and ages ago on behalf of the now newly-active Man Or Astroman? They were always pretty much on the ball when it came to recycling material for reissue, but some tracks did miss the cut. Including, on this single, a track called Space Potatoes and credited to Rozier. Enjoy it, and the rest of this yummy yummy release.

Man Or Astroman? - Captain Holojoy's Space Diner. Lucky Records 7".

man or astroman? surf