Butthole Surfers To Release Lost Album 'After The Astronaut', Share Jet Fighter
Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Written by Jon Stickler
Butthole Surfers are to release a lost album this summer.
Recorded in 1998, 'After The Astronaut' will finally be released through Sunset Blvd on June 26, nearly 30 years after it was meant to follow 1996's 'Electriclarryland' but was shelved by Capitol Records at the last minute for not having enough commercial appeal. Guitarist Paul Leary explained:
"We were pretty stoked to make another album after the success of our previous album and its single Pepper. Capitol Records was stoked to get that next record until our relationship soured."
After leaving Capitol, the band signed a new deal with Hollywood Records and re-recorded the songs from 'After The Astronaut' for 2001's 'Weird Revolution', their most recent studio album.
"Hollywood Records bought the album but wanted to make changes to it which was an uncomfortable experience for us," Leary continued. "Now we have the right to release the original recording the way we intended it to be with its original title, 'After The Astronaut.'"
Drummer King Coffey added: "After the Astronaut was a fun project. We were using all the digital toys at our disposal at the time, and it felt much like the creation of 'Locust Abortion Technician'. We were playing with new toys, creating things that amused us with the crayons we had, and we weren’t worried about radio airplay. It felt like we were going back to our experimental roots while still navigating the major label ecosystem."
Alongside the announcement, the Texas band have shared the track Jet Fighter, which is pretty different to the version on 'Weird Revolution' but still maintains their pychedelic noise-rock style. Check out the accompanying Jeffrey Garcia-directed video below.
Since 'Weird Revolution', Butthole Surfers have put out several compilations and remastered editions of earlier albums, and a live record last year, 'Live at the Leatherfly'. Their feature-length documentary, Butthole Surfers: The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt, also premiered at SXSW last year.
'After The Astronaut' tracklist:
1. Weird Revolution
2. Intelligent Guy
3. Jet Fighter
4. Mexico
5. Imbuya
6. Venus
7. The Last Astronaut
8. Yentel
9. Junkie Jenny In Gaytown
10. They Came In
11. I Don’t Have A Problem
12. Turkey And Dressing
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