Formed in mid-2011, Astrid & The Asteroids were six cosmic warriors who produced soul-pop tunes that were (space pun intended) out of this world. Their first EP, aptly named Horoscopes,was released early 2012 providing a fabulous preview of the great things that were still to come for the band (see what we did there). All puns aside, the EP was a strong first offering, and later that year the band won the inaugural Billy Thorpe Scholarship worth $10,000 at the Queensland Music Awards.
In 2013, the Asteroids released their witty and catchy-as-hell single West End (music video below) which went viral on Youtube. Written about their distaste for the Brisbane suburb and the hipsters it houses, West End is a must-listen for all Brisbanites! In August 2013, their second single Autopsy dropped.
Autopsy was inspired by the story of Charles Whitman who, after murdering his wife and mother, climbed the University of Texas clock tower and shot 14 people dead and injured 32 others. Whitman who was killed by police, had left a note with a final request that an autopsy be performed on his body. The autopsy showed a tumour growing in the middle of his brain, leading the coroner to conclude he may not have been conscious of his actions. Autopsy therefore was a beautifully written piece that explored what separates good from evil.
Both West End and Autopsy can be found on the band’s self-titled EP released in October 2013. The Astrid and The Asteroids EP showed the band’s ability to write and perform upbeat, humours tracks as well as serious, thought-provoking ones. Even though the band went their separate ways in early 2014, their ‘sci-fi soul’ and ‘cosmic pop’ tunes remain imprinted in Brisbane’s soundscape forever.
Watch ‘West End’ By Astrid & The Asteroids
