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The Astronauts - Baby Sings Folk Songs live Hitchin ROTW Rhythms of the World 2010

878 views · Published 8 August 2011 · 6:50 · Indexed 4 October 2026

Channel: divergence films · 2011 · Music

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In July 2010 at the ROTW festival The Astronauts played the Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs album in its entirety. 
Learn more about The Astronauts here:
Eternal long-haired losers who also have some of the best tunes this semi-legendary band has only released 8 albums in its long existence but each of them is a bonafide classic.The ASTRONAUTS 2nd album ALL DONE BY MIRRORS judged by those who heard it as among the best albums of the 1980s was a stunning collection of explosive pop songs and traditional folk ballads recorded at a time when all their gigs were with anarchist punk bands.Their 5th album IN DEFENCE OF COMPASSION experimented with ambient house music years before other conventional bands even thought of doing so.

Inspired by the UK punk explosion Mark Astronaut formed the band with a few friends in 1977 and began playing local gigs in their hometown of Welwyn Garden City. By 1979 The Astronauts were regularly appearing at free festivals and gigs in London organised by a hippy collective known as Fuck Off Records and from these began a close friendship with London punk bands Zounds and the Mob.That year the first Astronauts ep was released on local label Bugle Records and musically it reflected the hippie drug culture combined with the energy of punk.'All Night Party' still sounds like the paranoid nightmare it did back then.The record established the Astronauts on the local gig scene among the non mainstram hippie/punk/biker crowd.Also in 1979 an ep was released under the assumed name of RESTRICTED HOURS on the Stevenage Rock Against Racism label.'Getting Things Done' attacked the political apathy of smalltown life while 'Still Living Out The Carcrash' was musically a typically nightmarish theme.

By 1980 gigs throughout England with Zounds had won over an army of fans and the 'Pranksters In Revolt' ep sold all its copies within weeks.Musically the 4 songs were not as adventurous as the first ep although the lyrics were as incisive as ever.Like many great bands from the postpunk era the Astronauts were completely ignored by the UK music press which then as now was only interested in anything trendy,fashionable or middle class.Local fanzine Zero began to champion the band as did the local newspapers.
'Peter Pan Hits The Suburbs' was released in 1981 to widespread acclaim.Incredibly it received great reviews in virtually all the UK music press.The typical Astronauts audience at the time was largely hardcore punks attracted by the energetic gigs and a handful of hippies so the album was something of a surprise.Full of heartfelt folk ballads and featuring legendary jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill the album was not what fans had expected but appealed to a different audience.The contradiction of heavy chaotic punk performances and structured melodic alternative pop/folk/ambient songs continues to this day.

Throughout 1982-1985 there were hundreds of gigs with the many anarcho punk bands of the era.'All Done By Mirrors' (1983) found the Astronauts at the top of their game. Bursting with tunes and melodies which would have been at home in the mainstream music charts and bristling with indignation the album remained unknown beyond their core fans .'Soon' featured great songs but was let down by lifeless production while 'Seedy Side Of Paul' combined a scathing indictment of the 1980s attitudes of greed with some truly wonderful songs.By 1986 Mark was fed up with constant gigs and decided to slow down.Astronauts songs were always socially aware and 'In Defence Of Compassion' had the usual great tunes but an underlying bleakness .By contrast the 'Constitution/Please Don't Come Around Tonight' 7" was an upbeat pop punk gem.

From 2006 a new lineup re - energised The Astronauts with a heavier punchier sound and they continue to play gigs & release new songs.

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