Man or Astro-Man? Returns, Does SXSW

Gearing up once again to bring you yesterday's technology tomorrow...

By Fred Mills

Did Man or Astro-Man? tour in the 1990s more than any other band? Some say yes, while others contend that the group cloned itself and sent those faux-MOAM outfits on the road - kinda like that early ‘70s pre-Buckingham/Nicks touring iteration of Fleetwood Mac that bamboozled American audiences, only in this instance way cooler and more underground. At any rate, the stats speak for themselves: 49 states and over 30 countries, 10 years of nonstop journeying in some form or another.

However, today the band has announced its return:

"After 10 years of relentlessly exploring the earth, it became obvious that their research on humanity was complete and they could finally take a long-need cellular rejuvenation in their underground cryogenic center, deep in the lower levels of the Alabama bedrock.

"Now the slumber is over and Man or Astro-Man? must see what has become of earth in the wake of their absence. So indeed, for all of humanity, 2010 will be the year of contact, or, at least re-contact with the original space cadets themselves: Starcrunch, Birdstuff, and Coco. In addition to all the scientific experiments and live music demonstrations, MOAM? will host a variety of benefits and charities for earth specimens, predominantly in the human or animal form."

First stop: Birmingham, Ala. Then it's off to Austin and SXSW, which takes place March 17 - 21. Be there or be Astro-square.

Photos, sound samples, and some highly entertaining (though somewhat old) blog entries at the band's MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/manorastroman