is an American surf rock group that was formed in Auburn, Alabama in the early 1990s and came to prominence over the following decade.

was known for their anachronistic dedication to science fiction themes, audio samples, obscure electronic devices (such as theremins and tesla coils), and high-energy live performances.

It is largely believed that the group took its name from the poster of the U.S. release of the Japanese film The Human Vapor, which includes the tagline "IS HE MAN OR ASTRO-MAN?

The main members of the band are Star Crunch (aka Brian Causey) on guitar and sometimes vocals, Birdstuff (aka Brian Teasley) on drums,[4] and Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard (Robert DelBueno) on bass guitar and electronics.

The original lineup of the band (Star Crunch, Birdstuff, and Coco) have reunited for shows that started in March 2010.

Since Victor Vector's departure, Avona Nova (Samantha Erin Paulsen, former guitarist/vocalist for We Versus The Shark), the first female member of the band, has been performing as 2nd guitarist.

Also, after his departure from the band in 1998, guitarist/vocalist Star Crunch (aka Brian Causey) would go on to compose and perform the theme song for the popular Nickelodeon TV series, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron.

The complete original line-up played, and the tesla coil was brought up on stage at the end of the set.

In preparation for the Touch and Go reunion show, the band played on September 6 at the Bottletree Café in Birmingham, Alabama.

Their ninth album Defcon 5...4...3...2...1[14] came out, as digital download, on April 24, 2013, a 12 track LP with familiar sounds from 1000X[15] and EEVIAC.

Members of the Alpha clones were also in numerous other bands including Toenut, The Causey Way, Jonny and the Shamen, The Man Made Brain, Sound of Humans, Neutronic, Pilot Scott Tracy, The Plastic Plan, etc.

"cloned" themselves a second time, in 1999, this time using females, who adopted the names Coco Active (Guitarist/Vocalist Shonali Bhowmik), Chromia Staria (Guitarist/Vocalist Deb Davis), Tweety-Tone (Drummer/Vocalist Ani Cordero), and Carol (Guitarist/Vocalist Shannon Wright), and toured nationally under the name "Man or Astro-man?

The Leech Woman, It Conquered the World and Santa Claus) and the albums often make allusions to common themes and running jokes (ex.

guitarist Hayden Thais (Dexter X) and drummer Brian Teasley (Birdstuff) were also members of the "all-robot band" Servotron, which was named for MST3K robot character Tom Servo.