Astra Kid is a rock group founded in 1996 by André Raschke, Stefan Götzer and Daniel Hoffmeister in Datteln As one of few German-speaking rock bands from the Ruhr area, the musicians managed to get a record deal with a major label to sign and to gain national recognition. Musically, they differed at the beginning (album "Planet the Monkey") from other representatives of the NNDW, as the music and the lyrics had a melancholy to depressive root and the, partly American-influenced, rock music elements (compared to the pop music elements of most of the NNDW) stood in the foreground.
Starting with the album "Tired, Awkward, Uncombed" and finally with the album "Stereo" both the sound and the lyrics got a more positive impact. In late 2005, the band announced their dissolution. Singer and guitarist Stefan "Pele" Götzer is since 2006 bassist of the Cologne band Kleewho recorded the Astra Kid song "Unsinkbar" on their 2006/2007 tour. Stefan "Pele" Götzer is also part of the project Pele Caster, which also plays Astra Kid songs in his live performances. Christian Götzer was drummer of the band Samba from Münster since the end of 2006, but left the band in 2009 due to private obligations and now plays with the band Fettpfanne.
