The Aquabats | |
|---|---|
 The Aquabats performing in Anaheim, California, in December 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Huntington Beach, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Discography | The Aquabats discography |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Labels | |
| Members | |
| Past members | |
| Website | theaquabats |
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in Huntington Beach, California, in 1994. Throughout many fluctuations in the group's line-up, singer the MC Bat Commander and bassist Crash McLarson have remained the band's two constant fixtures. As of 2024, the Aquabats' members include saxophonist Jimmy the Robot, drummer Ricky Fitness, guitarists Eaglebones Falconhawk and Chainsaw, the Prince of Karate, trumpeter Cat Boy and keyboardist Gorney.
Easily identified by their masks and matching costumes, the Aquabats are perhaps most recognized for their comedic persona in which they claim to be crime-fighting superheroes. This theme serves as subject for much of the band's music and as part of their theatrical stage shows, which typically feature various stunts and fight scenes with costumed villains and monsters. Musically, the Aquabats have continuously evolved over the course of their career, initially starting as a ska band before reinventing themselves in the early 2000s as a new wave–influenced rock band. The band's current musical style mixes rock and punk with elements of new wave, ska and synth-pop.
The Aquabats have released six studio albums, two extended plays, one compilation and one soundtrack album, among other recordings. To date, three of the Aquabats' albums have charted on the Billboard 200: 1997's The Fury of The Aquabats!, 2011's Hi-Five Soup! and 2019's The Aquabats! Super Show! Television Soundtrack: Volume One. The Aquabats' seventh studio album, Finally!, was released on June 21, 2024.
From 2012 to 2014, the Aquabats also created and starred in The Aquabats! Super Show!, a live-action musical action-comedy television series which aired on American cable channel The Hub. The series ran for three seasons, earning a total of eight Daytime Emmy Award nominations and ultimately winning one. Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, the series was independently revived as a YouTube series from 2019 to 2021.