Los Straitjackets

Los Straitjackets is a Nashville based band known primarily for performing instrumental surf music. Members include guitarists Eddie Angel and Danny Amis, bassist Pete Curry, and drummer Jason Smay. They use DiPinto guitars.

Angel, Amis and Jimmy Lester formed The Straitjackets in 1988 in Nashville. 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.

Over the next few years, the band developed a cult following through its tight instrumentation and gimmicky stage shows. When performing live, band members all dress alike, wearing black clothing, gold medallions, and Mexican wrestling masks. Amis is the only member who speaks, introducing songs in fast, badly accented Spanish.

In 1998, Esbeck left the band during the recording of ...