The Astronauts

by Richie UnterbergerAlong with Minnesotas Trashmen, the Astronauts (from Colorado) were the premier landlocked Midwestern surf group of the 60s. They recorded numerous singles and albums and achieved vast regional popularity, but only scored one modest national hit, Baja. With little material of their own, they judiciously tapped heavyweights like Lee Hazelwood (who wrote Baja), Roger Christian, and Gary Usher, as well as covering tunes by Dick Dale and Henry Mancini. The group shone brightest on their instrumentals, which used mounds of Fender reverb and two rhythm guitars; when they sang, the results were much less successful.