The Trashmen
The Trashmen were an American rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1962. The group is best known for their hit single "Surfin' Bird," which was released in 1963 and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The original lineup of the band included Tony Andreason on lead guitar and vocals, Dal Winslow on rhythm guitar and vocals, Bob Reed on bass guitar and vocals, and Steve Wahrer on drums and lead vocals.
The band's name was inspired by "Trashman's Blues," a song by Minneapolis musician Kai Ray. Initially, the group played primarily instrumental music, but Steve Wahrer began taking on more vocal duties. The Trashmen gained an interest in surf rock after being influenced by the music of Dick Dale. "Surfin' Bird" was a combination of two R&B songs by the Rivingtons, "The Bird's the Word" and "Papa-Oom-Mow-Mow," and it became a staple in movies, television shows, commercials, and oldies radio.
Despite the success of "Surfin' Bird," the Trashmen struggled to replicate its success with subsequent releases. They released only one album during their original run, titled "Surfin' Bird," in 1964. The band disbanded in 1967 but reunited in 1982 and continued to perform until 2016. Steve Wahrer passed away in 1989. The Trashmen were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2005, recognized for their contribution to rock and roll history.
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