Artist description Ritual Space Travel Agency provides its agents, as well as their audiences, with an outlet for fever-pitched musical Godzilla-worship. With varying parts per million of jazz, ska, klezmer, rock, prog, punk, improv, noise and 'whatever', RSTA pumps out the militant Kung Fu, Pittsburgh-style. In 1999, they released their debut CD, Ritual Space Travel Agency Vol. 1, on Bandaloop Records.

Music Style many

Musical Influences John Zorn, Mr. Bungle, Frank Zappa, Sun Ra, Radiohead, Beatles, Pixies/Frank Black, Elvis Costello, Parliament Funkadelic, Tom Waits, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Coinmonster, WaterShed 5tet

Similar Artists We get all gushy and demure when people tell us we sound like Mr Bungle or Frank Zappa

Artist History Ritual Space Travel Agency is, as statistically improbable as it seems, entirely comprised of the illegitimate children of aliens pretending to be pro basketball players and completely different aliens masquerading as supermodels, each trying to fool the other into donating primo quality human genetic material. The unwanted agents were painted to look like lawn ornaments and then abandoned at garage sales and flea markets around the Pittsburgh area. They grew to adulthood under the tutelage of the mysterious 'Mister Wong', a master of the arts of freestyle pharmacology and mineral husbandry. He taught them to play musical instruments, ride skateboards, trade baseball cards, and subvert the democratic process through political assassination. RSTA travels extensively through the Northeast and loves long walks on the beach, classic films, and anyone who doesn't develop cancer from being within 15' of us.

Group Members Jamie Ball - alto sax; Troy Cramer - drums and percussion; Andrew Fitz - guitars, vocals; Pat Leyden - alto sax, clarinet; SAIC Chico - bass guitar, lead vocal; Bud Smokovich - trumpet, trombone

Instruments Horns,Drums,Bass,Guitar,Vox.

Albums Vol. 1 (Bandaloop Records)

Press Reviews In Pittsburgh News Weekly - Mike Shanley --"RITUAL SPACE TRAVEL AGENCY The six members of Ritual Space Travel Agency play music that's frequently heavy but never overblown. Theirfunk grooves often contain an odd number of beats, yet still manage to swing. Thehorn section often sounds like a mariachi or klezmer band, and Andrew Fitz's guitarcombines flash with taste. So *punk fusion* might be an appropriate descriptionof the band's style... RSTA recently released its self-titled debut CD on the Ohiolabel Bandaloop records. The disc shows off the band's variety, from thefunk of "School of the Americas" to "Arch Stanton," which was inspired by Ennio Morricone's notorious themeto The Good, the Bad and the Ugly... With the release of the CD, RSTA hasstarted to build a regional following, playing in Erie, Cleveland and Buffalo.LocationPittsburgh, PA"On the recent Rock Challenge victory:"Ritual Space Travel Agency won the first round of the Graffiti RockChallenge with an intense performance and display of deft musicianship.The band's highly charged set featured a unique blend of rock, jazz andLatin influences." - Pgh CityPaper"The night's top honors went to Ritual Space Travel Agency; the loudestact of the evening, RSTA was also the most unique, with two alto saxesadded to the standard guitar-bass-drums setup for aMahavishnu-meets-the-Minutemen sound." - In Pittsburgh Newsweekly

Additional Info all songs copyright 1999 Ritual Space Travel Agency Music (BMI)

Location Pittsburgh, PA - USA

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