Laika & The Cosmonauts

Laika & the Cosmonauts were a Finnish rock band. They had the same lineup from the time they formed in 1987 until they stopped recording in 2008. Their sound is usually described as surf rock, but a Boston Globe review noted that the band's sound is "far beyond the limitations of any specific genre." They have toured the United States and Europe several times. They rely heavily on the Finnish rautalanka tradition. Although relatively unknown in the United States, their music is admired by many musicians, including Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench (of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers), Mike Palm of Agent Orange, and Surf Rock legend Dick Dale. Al Jourgensen of Ministry has called them "the best f**king band in the world."

In addition to their touring, the band has also appeared several times on European television.

The band was named after the Russian cosmonaut/dog Laika.

As announced in an email to the band's mailing list on April 23, 2008, Laika and the Cosmonauts drew their twenty year career to a close with an American tour, ending with shows at the Continental Club in Austin, Texas that fall. A compilation album, Cosmopolis, was released contemporaneously with the tour.

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