The two formed The Straitjackets in 1988 with Jimmy Lester, a Nashville session player who played and toured with Webb Wilder as well as Robert Gordon.

Their first album, The Utterly Fantastic and Totally Unbelievable Sound of Los Straitjackets, was released the following year on Upstart Records.

In its live performances, band members dress in identical black suits, gold Aztec medallions, and personalized Mexican wrestling masks.

[4] Frontman Amis (aka "Daddy-O Grande")[5] was the sole spokesperson of the band, and would introduce the songs in fast, heavily accented Spanish.

In 1998 Esbeck left the band during the recording of The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets and was replaced by Pete Curry, formerly of the Halibuts, a 1980s surf-revival group.

Los Straitjackets recruited guitarist Greg "Gregorio El Grande" Townson to fill Amis' role during his absence.

While he was recovering, his replacements consisted of Eddie's son, Max, Todd Bradley of the Hi-Risers, and Juan Ugalde of The Outta Sites.

[9] Their February 2019 single with Lowe, "Love Starvation," was described by Rolling Stone magazine as "a peppy-sounding old-school rock song that paints a bleak lyrical picture of romantic fallout."