by RUPERT BOTTENBERG

“It’s crass commercialism, I’m sorry to say,” chuckles guitarist Eddie Angel of Nashville, TN’s Los Straitjackets—they of the Mexican wrestling masks and 3D album covers. “We just needed a record to sell, and a Christmas record was the perfect kind of thing.”

That’s the motivation behind ’Tis the Season For…, Los Straitjackets’ 2002 collection of a lucky 13 holiday tunes. If it seems a cynical grab at your Yuletide funds, keep in mind that Los Straitjackets’ bag is vintage instrumental rock ’n’ roll (what’s often called “surf”). Corny theme albums are the lifeblood of the genre.

“It’s a time-honoured tradition. We were totally modelling our thing on the Ventures.” In fact, Los Straitjackets’ professional relationship with Christmas began in ’96 with a seven-inch of “Sleigh Ride,” a Ventures seasonal standard. That led to ’Tis the Season For…, which in turn led to the band’s annual Christmas Pageant tour, now in its third year.

Joining Los Straitjackets as they dish out the Christmas fare, and tunes of their own devising to boot, is their Scottish master of ceremonies, Kaiser George, and a trio of saucy siblings called the Pontani Sisters. Angel doesn’t hesitate in assigning them a standing in the currently booming burlesque movement. “I guess I’m biased, but I’d put them at the top of the pecking order. They’re way ahead of the curve, man. They take it seriously, they bring a real show biz tradition to it, more than burlesque. They’re fans of show biz, glamour, ’30s and ’40s musicals. They’re number one in New York, so I don’t know who could top that.”

Appropriately, Los Straitjackets first hooked up with the Pontanis at the very top. “We actually met them—this is a cosmic-connection story—in October of 2000 at the World Trade Center. There was a restaurant on the top called Windows on the World and the Pontani Sisters were there every Friday night, their ’60s go-go night. They’d have bands play, and it was one of the most memorable gigs we ever had. Even if 9/11 had never occurred, it would have been memorable, because it was like a scene out of The Jetsons. We’ve been soulmates ever since.”

With the Hi Risers at Café Campus on Friday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m., $15

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