The Straitjackets

Mixing the familiar sounds of Dick Dale, Duane Eddy, and the Ventures, Los Straitjackets create their own version of energetic surf guitar twang, complete with Mexican wrestling masks. Los Straitjackets began in the summer of 1988. Eddie Angel (guitar), L.J. "Jimmy" Lester (drums), and Danny Amis (guitar) formed an instrumental trio called the Straitjackets, which played local Nashville shows throughout the summer. After a six-year hiatus, the Straitjackets reunited, added E. Scott Esbeck on bass, and changed their name to Los Straitjackets. In November 1994, the band signed with Upstart Records.

We are not in the times of 100 Club Oxford Street, The Nashville, Hope and Anchor … when a multitude of young people tried to escape from the musical prison that prevailed in England in the mid-70s, where rock stadium and virtuosity They made up the bars for a bunch of low-class misfits who just wanted to get out of the routine between paints.

Having backed up Nick Lowe on his "Quality Holiday Revue" tour, masked instrumental rockers Los Straitjackets understand the virtues of The Greatest Living Englishman's songbook better than the average person. And while most people discussing Lowe's work focus on the wit and wisdom of his lyrics, the man can write a superior melody, and Los Straitjackets offer eloquent proof on their 2017 album, What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Los Straitjackets. This set offers a baker's dozen tunes from Lowe's catalog, ranging from early rockers like "Shake & Pop" and "Heart of the City" to smoother, more contemplative recent numbers like "I Read a Lot" and "Checkout Time," all interpreted in Los Straitjackets' trademark twangy style, borrowing from decades of instrumental rock styles and with no vocals to get in the way…

Celebrate the holiday season with your favorite group of masked surf rockers - Los Straitjackets! Since forming in 1988, Los Straitjackets have put out two full-length holiday records (2002’s ‘Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets and 2009’s Yuletide Beat), a 7-inch single of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” and “Silver Bells,” as well as contributing a song to a Yep Roc holiday compilation and performing a rocking rendition of “Linus and Lucy” while on tour with Nick Lowe. To make life easier for you this holiday season, we’ve compiled all of these essential surf rock holiday staples that are sure to ring your jingle bells in the Complete Christmas Songbook from Los Straitjackets. Put some rocking in your stocking with the dulcet tones of Los Straitjackets!

Over the course of their three-decade career, Nashville's Los Straitjackets have established themselves as America's premier surf rock group. While the band has a handful of albums that range from covers of surf rock staples to slamming originals, Los Straitjackets have released various Christmas albums and singles to much critical acclaim. Yep Roc Records has compiled every holiday song the band has ever recorded into one Los Straitjackets collection, Complete Christmas Songbook.

The enigmatic mask-wearing surf rock legends Los Straitjackets exhibit their unrivaled musicianship by showing they can cover literally any song and turn it into a surf rock classic. Here they put a spin on "Rainy Night in Georgia" by Tony Joe White (and popularized by Brook Benton).