The Trashmen

The Trashmen
The Trashmen live in 2008
The Trashmen live in 2008
Background information
OriginMinneapolis, Minnesota
Genres
Years active1962–1967, 1982–2016
LabelsSoma, Major Label Records
Past members

The Trashmen were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis in 1962[1] and are best known for their biggest hit, 1963's "Surfin' Bird",[1] which reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The original line-up of the group featured guitarists Tony Andreason and Dal Winslow, bassist Bob Reed, and drummer Steve Wahrer.

Along with Colorado-based contemporaries the Astronauts, the Trashmen have been described as "the premier landlocked Midwestern surf group of the '60s."[2] The band took their name from "Trashman's Blues", a song written and recorded in 1961 by Minneapolis musician Kai Ray (Richard Caire, 1935–2017), who later wrote songs for the band.[3]

  1. ^ a b Du Noyer, Paul (2003). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music. Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
  2. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "The Astronauts Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
  3. ^ Miguel Otárola, "Richard Caire, rock 'n' roll musician known as Kai-Ray, dies at 81", Star Tribune, June 24, 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2019