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Biography
Primary sources|date=April 2010Infobox musical artist | name = Los Straitjackets| image = LosStraitjackets.jpg| caption = Los Straitjackets performing in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2005.| image_size =| landscape = yes| background = group_or_band| alias = The Straitjackets| origin = Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville , Tennessee , USA| genre = Instrumental rock , surf rock , garage rock , rock and roll | years_active = 1988, 1994& ndash;present| label = Upstart, Spinout, Cavalcade, Yep Roc Records|Yep Roc , LoveCat Music|LoveCat , Rounder Records|Rounder | associated_acts = Raybeats | website = http://www.straitjackets.com/ www.straitjackets.com| current_members = Danny Amis Eddie Angel Pete Curry Jason Smay| past_members = Jimmy Lester Scott Esbeck Los Straitjackets is an American instrumental rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville , Tennessee in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis (formerly of Raybeats ) and Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the name The Straitjackets, the band split up soon after forming and 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; drummer Jason "Teen Beat" Smay replaced co-founding member Lester in 2005. Danny Amis is currently undergoing cancer treatment and has been temporarily replaced by Gregorio el Grande as co-lead guitarist.
The band has released eleven studio album s, two collaboration albums and three live album s.
History
Eddie Angel was a noted rockabilly guitarist, having moved to Nashville in the early 1980s to record and perform with the Planet Rockers. Danny Amis recorded and performed with the Raybeats, then worked as a sound engineer in Nashville. The two formed The Straitjackets in 1988 with Jimmy Lester, a Nashville session player who had worked and toured with Robert Gordon (musician)|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, The Utterly Fantastic and Totally Unbelievable Sound of Los Straitjackets , was released the following year on Upstart Records. In the post- Pulp Fiction (film)|Pulp Fiction 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 gimmicky stage shows. When performing live, band members dress identically, wearing black clothing, gold Aztec medallions, and personalized Lucha libre|Mexican wrestling masks . Amis (aka "Daddy-O Grande") is the only member who speaks, introducing songs in fast, badly accented Spanish.
In 1998, Esbeck left the band during the recording of The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets and was replaced by Pete Curry, formerly of the Halibuts, a 1980s surf-revival group. In 2005, Lester left and was replaced by Jason Smay (aka "Teen Beat").
They've become known as frequent collaborators, recording Sing Along With Los Straitjackets with a number of different artists. They were nominated for a Grammy Award for their collaboration with blues singer Eddy Clearwater , ''Rock 'N' Roll City .
As time goes on, their stage shows have become more elaborate. Shows frequently feature choreography, guest vocalists such as Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Kaiser George of the Scottish band the Kaisers, Big Sandy , and burlesque dancing troupe The World Famous Pontani Sisters . In recent years, they have staged festive Christmas Shows during the holiday season.
Film and television
Los Straitjackets provided some of the music for the independent film Psycho Beach Party , 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
col-begincol-2;Current members
Danny Amis & ndash; guitar (1988, 1994& ndash;present)
Eddie Angel & ndash; guitar (1988, 1994& ndash;present)
Pete Curry & ndash; Bass guitar|bass (1998& ndash;present)
Jason "Teen Beat" Smay & ndash; Drum kit|drums (2005& ndash;present)
;Former members
E. Scott Esbeck & ndash; bass (1994& ndash;1998)
Jimmy "L. J." Lester & ndash; drums (1988, 1994& ndash;2005)
The Further Adventures of Los Straitjackets (2009)
col-2;Collaboration albums
''Rock 'N' Roll City (2003)
*With Eddy Clearwater
Twist Party!!! (2007)
*With The World Famous Pontani Sisters
;Live albums
Damas y Caballeros! (2001)
Los Vivos y Los Raros (2003)
*Released in Spain only
In Concert (2008)
*Also released as a DVD
col-end
External links
http://www.straitjackets.com/ Official website
http://lovecatmusic.com/releaseA.php? q=3685 Encyclopedia Of Music Vol. 1 & Vol 2: 2 CDs by Los Straitjackets on LoveCat Music
;Sources
http://www.straitjackets.com/history.html History of Los Straitjackets
Los Straitjackets DEFAULTSORT:Straitjackets, Los Category:Surf music groups Category:Musical groups from Nashville, Tennessee Category:Masked musicians
