The Max Rebo Band is a fictional
alien
Alien primarily refers to:
* Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country
** Enemy alien, the above in times of war
* Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth
** Specifically, intelligent extrater ...
pop music
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former describe ...
band in the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' franchise, first appearing in the 1983 film ''
Return of the Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' as in-house performers for crime lord
Jabba the Hutt
Jabba Desilijic Tiure, more commonly known as Jabba the Hutt, is a Character (arts), fictional character and minor antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Jabba is voiced by Larry Ward with several puppeteers inside a ...
. The lineup originally seen in the film consists of the blue-skinned
Ortolan keyboardist Max Rebo, a plump
Kitonak woodwind
Woodwind instruments are a family of musical instruments within the greater category of wind instruments. Common examples include flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and saxophone. There are two main types of woodwind instruments: flutes and reed ...
player named Droopy McCool, and the spindly-legged
Pa'lowick lead singer Sy Snootles, while additional members were inserted into the later-edited
Special Edition of the film. A great deal of further information about the band and the personal histories of its members is found in various literature of the now-noncanonical
''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe.
The group are classified as Jizz-wailers, which, according to the ''
Star Wars Encyclopedia
''Star Wars Encyclopedia'' is a 1998 reference book written by science-fiction author Stephen J. Sansweet, the director of content management at Lucasfilm. The book defines, explains, and illustrates the characters, creatures, settings, objects ...
'', refers to a "musician who plays a fast, contemporary, and upbeat style of music."
Max and Droopy were portrayed by actors in bodysuits, while Sy was operated by two puppeteers who were stationed above and beneath the set. The new members seen in the 1997 Special Edition re-release of ''Return of the Jedi'' were computer-generated, as was Sy Snootles in said version.
Appearances
Film
The Max Rebo Band made their debut in ''
Return of the Jedi
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' during the scenes set in
Jabba's palace
Jabba Desilijic Tiure, more commonly known as Jabba the Hutt, is a Character (arts), fictional character and minor antagonist in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Created by George Lucas, Jabba is voiced by Larry Ward with several puppeteers inside a ...
on
Tatooine
Tatooine () is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first ...
. In the original version, the trio performs a
Huttese-language pop song titled "Lapti Nek" (Huttese for "Work It Out"); the English lyrics (by composer
John Williams
John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)Nylund, Rob (15 November 2022)Classic Connection review ''WBOI'' ("For the second time this year, the Fort Wayne Philharmonic honored American composer, conductor, and arranger John Williams, who wa ...
's son
Joseph Williams) are about dancing; ''
Hardware Wars
''Hardware Wars'' is a 1978 American short science fiction parody film in the form of a teaser trailer for a fictitious science fiction film that parodies ''Star Wars''. The 13-minute film, which was released almost 18 months after ''Star Wars' ...
'' creator
Ernie Fosselius
Carl Ernst Fosselius (born October 23, 1945), better known as Ernie Fosselius, is an American filmmaker. He is best known for his satirical spoofs of popular films, including the ''Star Wars'' parody ''Hardware Wars''.
Film career
Fosselius' fil ...
helped arrange the song.
["Jabbapalooza: Who's Who in the Max Rebo Band," ''Star Wars Insider'' 67, May 2003] The track was
replaced in the Special Edition with "Jedi Rocks", written by
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
musician
Jerry Hey
Jerry Hey (born 1950) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Michael Jackson's '' Thriller'', ''Rock with You'', ...
and described in the
''Star Wars'' Databank as a "less-dated piece of music".
[Max Rebo Band a]
The Star Wars Databank
In both versions of the film, the song is performed shortly after
C-3PO
C-3PO () or See-Threepio is a humanoid robot character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise who appears in the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Built by Anakin Skywalker, was designed as a protocol droid intended to as ...
and
R2-D2
R2-D2 () or Artoo-Detoo is a fictional robot character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. He has appeared in ten of the eleven theatrical ''Star Wars'' films to date. At various points throughout the course of the films, R2, ...
are given to Jabba. The group thereafter plays festive instrumental tunes, during which Max was the only band member who appears onscreen. The fate of the trio is unclear following the explosion of Jabba's sail barge after the unsuccessful execution attempt of
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the protagonist of the original film trilogy of the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Portrayed by Mark Hamill, Luke first appeared in ''Star Wars'' (1977), and he returned in ''The ...
,
Han Solo
Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
, and
Chewbacca
Chewbacca ( ), nicknamed "Chewie", is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a Wookiee, a tall, hirsute, bipedal, intelligent species originating from the fictional planet of Kashyyyk. Chewbacca is the loyal friend and firs ...
.
Other versions of the song "Lapti Nek" exist, including a 12-inch club mix, a
dub mix, and a cover by
Meco
Domenico Monardo (born November 29, 1939), known as Meco, is an American record producer and musician, as well as the name of his band or production team. Meco is best known for his 1977 space disco version of the ''Star Wars'' theme from his ...
—as well as a later recording by vocalist/lyric writer Joseph Williams as Urth, which incorporates lyrics he wrote for ''Return of the Jedi''s "
Ewok Celebration
"Ewok Celebration", known commonly as "Yub Nub", is a 1983 song that appears in the end of the ''Star Wars'' film ''Return of the Jedi'', during the celebration of the Ewoks on Endor with members of the Rebel Alliance after the destruction of the ...
".
Literature
The original members of the Max Rebo Band make several appearances in ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe literature. Max, Droopy, and Sy are featured in
John Gregory Betancourt
John Gregory Betancourt (born October 25, 1963) is an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and mystery novels, as well as short stories. He is also known as the founder and publisher, with his wife Kim Betancourt, of Wildside Press in 1989 ...
's short story ''And the Band Played On: The Band's Tale,'' from the 1995 anthology ''
Tales from Jabba's Palace
''Tales from Jabba's Palace'' is an anthology of short stories set in the fictional '' Star Wars'' universe. The book was edited by Kevin J. Anderson and published on December 1, 1995 by Bantam Spectra.
Contents
* Introduction
# "A Boy and ...
''. According to the story, the band begins as a quartet called "
Evar Orbus
The Max Rebo Band is a fictional Extraterrestrials in fiction, alien pop music band in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, first appearing in the 1983 film ''Return of the Jedi'' as in-house performers for crime lord Jabba the Hutt. The lineup original ...
and His Galactic Jizz-wailers." They arrive on Tatooine in three years after the Battle of
Yavin
Yavin (also known as "Yavin Prime", to distinguish it from its moons) is a fictional planet in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. It first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'' and is depicted as a large red gas giant with an extensive satellite syste ...
depicted in ''
A New Hope
''Star Wars'' (retroactively titled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'') is a 1977 American Epic film, epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the first ...
'', one year before the events of ''Return of the Jedi'', for a gig at the
Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley is a spaceport town in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Located on the planet Tatooine, it first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'', described by the character Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) as a "wretched hive of s ...
cantina, but regular in-house band,
the Modal Nodes, objects to the presence of a second group, and Orbus is killed by Nodes leader Figrin D'an following a scuffle aboard an airbus.
Droopy and Sy elect Max as their new bandleader, and the trio secures an audition with Jabba the Hutt, who is pleased with their performance of "Lapti Nek". He offers the band a lifetime contract paid in food instead of money, much to Max's delight and Sy's disdain. However, the execution of Han, Luke, and Chewbacca at the Great Pit of Carkoon descends into chaos as Jabba is fatally strangled by
Princess Leia
Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
, and the band escapes from Jabba's barge sans instruments just before it explodes. Droopy quits the group on the spot after wandering off into the desert to join fellow Kitonaks he hears playing in the distance, and Sy and Max join forces as the Max Rebo Duo. The book's epilogue describes the pair splitting up; Sy flops as a solo act while Max joins up with the Rebellion and uses his musical talents to entertain the troops.
[John Gregory Betancourt, "And the Band Played On: The Band's Tale," in Kevin J. Anderson, ed., ''Tales from Jabba's Palace'' (paperback; New York: Bantam Spectra, 1995), p. 209, .]
Comics
In the 2000 Dark Horse release ''A Hot Time in the Cold Town Tonite!,'' Jabba sends the puzzled trio to the frozen planet
Hoth
Hoth is an ice planet in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe. It first appeared in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and has also been a setting in ''Star Wars'' books and video games.
Description
Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote s ...
to play for a rival crime lord, Bingo Mehndra, who threatens to feed the band to his pet
Wampa
This is a list of creatures in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars'', a space opera media franchise. The types of creatures in this list are listed by category and then in alphabetical order.
Humans and humanoid sentient species
Humans
Human ...
if he suspected any kind of trickery. The group soon discovers that Jabba is actually using them as pawns in an assassination attempt against Bingo after they discover explosives hidden inside their speakers. They make their getaway by superimposing holograms of themselves from a past performance onto the stage, which Bingo realizes just as the explosives detonate. Though Jabba had blatantly endangered their lives, the band nonetheless chooses to avoid his wrath by returning to Tatooine.
In
Dave Cooper
Dave Cooper (b. 1967 in Nova Scotia, Canada) is a Canadian cartoonist, oil painter, and animator.
Cooper was born in Nova Scotia in 1967 and moved to Ottawa, Ontario at the age of nine.
Cooper began his career in the 90s, making underground c ...
's ''Stop That Jawa!'' (part of ''
Star Wars Tales 2'' published by
Dark Horse Comics
Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
in 2000), the trio has their instruments "salvaged" by
Jawa scavengers outside the Mos Eisley cantina. They are then pursued by a droid bounty hunter who earlier overheard Sy badmouthing Jabba in the cantina. The bounty hunter is revealed at the conclusion to be a Derfian musician named Tik Tali Talosh, who pressures the Jawas into returning the instruments before proclaiming his adoration of the group and requesting an audition.
[Dave Cooper, "Stop That Jawa!", in ''Star Wars Tales'' 2 (Dark Horse Comics, January 2000).]
Television
Max Rebo appears in the first, second, and fourth episodes of the television series ''
The Book of Boba Fett
''The Book of Boba Fett'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is part of the ''Star Wars'' franchise and a spin-off from the series ''The Mandalorian'', taking place in the ...
'', which takes place at least five years after ''Return of the Jedi''.
Other
The original band has made minor appearances in other ''Star Wars'' media. The unfinished 1982
David Tomblin
David Tomblin, OBE (18 October 1930 – 20 July 2005) was a film and television producer, assistant director, and director.
As a producer, he was best known for ''The Prisoner'' TV series. As a first assistant director, he worked on a number of ...
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary.
These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
''
Return of the Ewok
''Return of the Ewok'' is an unreleased 1982 mockumentary short, written, produced and directed by David Tomblin, starring Warwick Davis as himself in a fictionalized account of how he got the role of Wicket W. Warrick in ''Return of the Jedi''.' ...
'' showed them in Jabba's palace, and they briefly appeared in an October 1985 episode of the animated series ''
Star Wars: Droids'' titled "The Lost Prince", in which they performed in Doodnik's Café on the mining planet of Tyne's Horky. The trio also featured in the video games ''
Star Wars: Demolition'' (2000) and ''
Star Wars: Battlefront II'' (2005).
In May 2003, nearly six years after the rerelease of ''Return of the Jedi'', ''
Star Wars Insider
''Star Wars Insider'' is the official ''Star Wars'' magazine. It began in 1987 as the official magazine of ''The Lucasfilm Fan Club'', and was renamed in 1994 to coincide with the release of '' Star Wars: TIE Fighter''.
Its contents include st ...
'' published brief biographies of the band's new members for an article called "Jabbapalooza: Who's Who in the Max Rebo Band."
Concept and creation
''Star Wars'' creator
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker. Lucas is best known for creating the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairm ...
stated that the scene featuring the band was intended to be an elaborate production, but the crew "never really had the time" to film it. Lucas commented, "I thought
twould be funny
o have a musical numberin the middle of a Star Wars film."
[George Lucas, commentary to ''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'', Special Edition (VHS, 20th Century Fox, 1997).]
The original band members—Max, Sy, and Droopy—were puppets designed by
Phil Tippett
Phil Tippett (born September 27, 1951) is an American movie director and Oscar and Emmy Award-winning visual effects supervisor and producer, who specializes in creature design, stop-motion and computerized character animation. Over his career, ...
of
Industrial Light and Magic
Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American motion picture visual effects company that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when he began pro ...
's Creature Shop.
Timothy D. Rose
Timothy D. Rose (born July 17, 1956) is an American actor and puppeteer, best known for playing Admiral Ackbar in the ''Star Wars'' series. In addition, he puppeteered for Salacious B. Crumb, the court jester of Jabba the Hutt, in '' Star Wars: ...
was the puppeteer for Sy. Lucas was not entirely pleased with the scene, saying that the puppets were too static and motionless.
Special Edition producer
Rick McCallum
Richard McCallum (born August 22, 1954) is an American film producer. He is mostly known for his work on ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles'' as well as the '' Star Wars'' Special Editions and prequel trilogy. He is best known for his frequent ...
concurred that the requirements of the scene were too complex, even for
animatronic
Animatronics refers to mechatronic puppets. They are a modern variant of the automaton and are often used for the portrayal of characters in films and in theme park attractions.
It is a multidisciplinary field integrating puppetry, anatomy a ...
s.
For the 1997 rerelease of ''Return of the Jedi'', Sy Snootles was recreated entirely in
CGI and nine new musicians and dancers were added, while Max and Droopy's screen time during the segment was reduced in comparison to the original film. Visual effects supervisor Dave Carson described the process of creating Sy and new character
Joh Yowza
Joh or Joh. may refer to:
People
* Juan Orlando Hernández (born 1968), former president of Honduras
Given name
* Joh Bailey, Australian hair stylist
* Joh Bjelke-Petersen (1911–2005), Australian politician
* Joh Mizuki (1938–1991), Japa ...
as similar to sculpting clay models, adding that CGI characters were more like puppets than cartoons and that animators "constantly find limitations:
hecharacters don't bend right, or their mass isn't right," problems he claimed that confronted puppeteers.
In addition to the new characters, "Lapti Nek" was replaced with "Jedi Rocks."
Lucas insisted that the revised sequence added more atmosphere and quality to the film.
Original band members
Max Rebo is the stage name of Siiruulian Phantele, a stocky
Ortolan keyboardist and eponymous leader of the Max Rebo Band. He plays a Red Ball Jett keyboard, which is similar to a circular
reed organ
The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. T ...
with
clavinet
The Clavinet is an electrically amplified clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds by a rubber pad striking a point on a tension ...
characteristics. Max was a founding member of Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-wailers, but after Orbus's death, he was elected the group's new leader.
Like other Ortolans, Max is a
glutton; he ecstatically accepts a lifetime contract from Jabba that is paid in endless meals instead of money, which angers the rest of the group. With their contract terminated following Jabba's demise, Max and Sy team up as the Max Rebo Duo in the wake of Droopy's departure. After performing for
Lady Valarian
''Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina'' (1995) is an anthology of short stories set in the fictional '' Star Wars'' universe. The book is edited by Kevin J. Anderson. It is based on characters seen in the Mos Eisley cantina, a shady bar filled wi ...
, the pair splits. Max joins the
Rebel Alliance
The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
to entertain the troops, one reason being that "the Rebellion has the best food."
After the
Galactic Civil War
The Galactic Empire is a fictional autocracy featured in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. It was first introduced in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' and appears in its two sequels: ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983). ...
, he quits the music business and opens a chain of successful restaurants throughout the galaxy. He retires to a life of wealth and luxury on
Coruscant
Coruscant () is an ecumenopolis planet in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Its first appearance was onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of ''Return of the Jedi'', but was first depicted and mentioned by name in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel '' ...
.
[Max Rebo at th]
Star Wars Databank
/ref>
In a nod to his physical appearance, Max's real name, Siiruulian Phantele, is a play on the words "cerulean
Cerulean (), also spelled caerulean, is a shade of blue ranging between azure and a darker sky blue.
The first recorded use of ''cerulean'' as a colour name in English was in 1590. The word is derived from the Latin word '' caeruleus'', "da ...
elephant." He was portrayed by Simon Williamson in both versions of ''Return of the Jedi,'' and the character was a puppet constructed from the waist up by ILM.[''From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga'', narrated by Mark Hamill (1985; VHS, CBS Fox Video, 1992).]
Sy Snootles is a robust female Pa'lowick who is the lead vocalist and original member of the band. She had an affair with her Yuzzum groupie, Clayton. She is angered at Max's acceptance of Jabba's contract, and after attempts to rework the deal prove futile, Sy resorts to secretly spying for over a dozen of Jabba's enemies to earn credits, but then works as a double agent by giving them false information provided by Bib Fortuna
Bib Fortuna is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Twi'lek majordomo and chief aide of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt, Bib is Jabba's closest associate, succeeding him as daimyo after his death before ultimately being k ...
. She was also not above getting her hands dirty when she killed Ziro the Hutt
The Hutts are an alien species in the '' Star Wars'' franchise. They are rotund, voracious and grotesque-looking slug-like creatures with a predisposition to being leaders in organized crime. The most famous Hutt and the first to be depicted wa ...
to obtain for Jabba a book containing dirt on the other Hutt leaders.
She teams up with Max as the Max Rebo Duo following Jabba's death and Droopy's departure from the band. Following a brief gig for Lady Valarian, Sy dissolves her relationship with Max and begins her solo career, but her subsequent recordings sell poorly and she is relegated to touring Outer Rim dives under different stage names.[Sy Snootles at th]
Star Wars Databank
/ref>
During production, Sy Snootles' nickname was "Ms. Snooty." In the original version of the film, the character was a marionette
A marionette (; french: marionnette, ) is a puppet controlled from above using wires or strings depending on regional variations. A marionette's puppeteer is called a marionettist. Marionettes are operated with the puppeteer hidden or reveale ...
-like puppet operated by puppeteers Mike Quinn and Tim Rose; Quinn was stationed on scaffolding and controlled her upper body, while Rose moved her legs from beneath the set. The character's oversized ruby lips were suggested by George Lucas, who referred to them as "Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English singer and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the lead vocalist and one of the founder members of the rock band the Rolling Stones. His ongoing songwriting partnershi ...
lips."
Sy was voiced in the original version of ''Jedi'' by Lucasfilm sound engineer Annie Arbogast, who also wrote the Huttese-language lyrics to "Lapti Nek." The track was recorded at Lucasfilm's Sprocket Systems (currently Skywalker Sound
Skywalker Sound is the sound effects, sound editing, sound design, sound mixing and music recording division of Lucasfilm. Founded in 1975, the company's main facilities are located at George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in Lucas Valley, near Nicasio, ...
), and was even the recipient of a 1983 Apex Award.[''Lapti Nek'' lyrics (Huttese)](_blank)
- nerf-herders-anonymous.net For close-up shots, Sy's mouth was articulated using a nearly-invisible wire connected to a microphone stand.[The Tatooine Sail Barge Set](_blank)
- BlueHarvest.net The puppet was replaced with a computer-generated image for the Special Edition re-release. The CGI was spliced in with shots of the original puppet and created a continuity error with the puppet Sy's headdress feather appearing and disappearing during the film's first act.
In the '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' series, she is voiced by Nika Futterman
Nika Futterman (born October 25, 1969) is an American voice and television actress. She is known for her voices in various animated series, including Asajj Ventress in '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' and Adam Lyon in ''My Gym Partner's a Mo ...
.
Droopy McCool is the stage name of a slow-minded Kitonak musician and original member of the Max Rebo Band. He plays a chidinkalu horn, an instrument that resembles a clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitches ...
. Droopy's actual birth name is a series of unpronounceable flute-like whistles, but he was renamed Snit by Orbus, who purchased him as a slave and forced him to join his band due to Snit's musical talents.[Droopy McCool at th]
Star Wars Databank
Following Orbus's death, he is freed and given his familiar stage name by bandmate Sy Snootles. After the band flees Jabba's barge following his death, Droopy quits the group and wanders off alone into the desert to search for other members of his race. He is never seen again, but rumors among Tatooine's moisture farmers claim that the sound of Kitonak pipes have been heard from the far reaches of the desert.[Kevin J. Anderson, "Epilogue: Whatever Became Of...?," ''Tales from Jabba's Palace'', p. 417.]
Droopy was played by Deep Roy
Gurdeep Roy (born Mohinder Purba; 1 December 1957), known professionally as Deep Roy, is a Kenyan-British actor, puppeteer, and stuntman. At tall, he has often been cast as diminutive characters, such as Teeny Weeny in ''The NeverEnding Story' ...
in a full bodysuit for both versions of ''Return of the Jedi.''
Special Edition band members
The following characters were added to the 1997 Special Edition version of the film.
Ak-rev is a leathery-faced Weequay skiff guard and drummer from the planet Sriluur. He had played the sacred drums in a monastery devoted to the Weequay god of thunder before moving to Tatooine to serve as one of Jabba's skiff guards, simply in order to mingle with other members of his race. He becomes a part-time drummer for the Max Rebo Band, and after Jabba's death, Ak-rev and fellow percussionist Umpass-stay attempt to flee to Mos Eisley, but the pair is ambushed by Tusken Raiders
Tusken Raiders (informally referred to as "Sand People") are fictional creatures in the ''Star Wars'' universe created by George Lucas. They are characterized as a nomadic race who live on the planet Tatooine. They first appeared in the 1977 film ...
and Ak-rev is beaten to death.[Ak-rev at th]
Star Wars Databank
According to the ''Star Wars Databank'', his musical style is derived from the Japanese art of Taiko
are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called and to the form of ensemble drumming m ...
. His Special Edition actor was David Gonzalez.
Doda Bodonawieedo is a green-skinned Rodian musician who plays a slitherhorn, a fictional wind instrument similar to a heckelphone
The heckelphone (german: Heckelphon) is a musical instrument invented by Wilhelm Heckel and his sons. The idea to create the instrument was initiated by Richard Wagner, who suggested it at the occasion of a visit of Wilhelm Heckel in 1879. In ...
. Orphaned at a young age after his family was killed by bounty hunters, Doda held an affinity for classical Rodian music and crime. His connections with the Tatooine underworld led him to Jabba the Hutt and the Max Rebo Band. Doda remains at Jabba's Palace during the execution at the Sarlacc; when he hears of Jabba's death, he steals several valuable statues from the palace and disappears.[Doda Bodonawieedo at th]
Star Wars Databank
Nelson Hall played Doda in the Special Edition, but was not included in the credits.[Full cast of ''Return of the Jedi''](_blank)
- Internet Movie Database
Barquin D'an is a Bith musician from the planet Clak'dor VII who plays a Kloo horn, a fictitious wind instrument that resembles a bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuo ...
. He is the estranged older brother of Figrin D'an, and resents the success of his brother's band, The Modal Nodes. He travels to Tatooine to join the Nodes, who are nowhere to be found after his arrival. Barquin stays to perform with local musicians and eventually joins the Max Rebo Band; unaccustomed to the depravity he witnesses in Jabba's Palace, he flees after Oola
Oola ( or ) is a village in County Limerick in Ireland. It is near the border with County Tipperary in the midwest of the country. The village is home to a church (Church of The Sacred Heart), a petrol station, a convenience store, two publi ...
's gruesome death.[Barquin D'an at th]
Star Wars Databank
After Jabba's demise, he quits music altogether and starts an import/export business.
Barquin was portrayed by Don Bies in an uncredited role.
Greeata Jendowanian is a female Rodian dancer and backup vocalist for the Max Rebo Band. She gets her start playing the Kloo horn on a luxury starship called the ''Kuari Princess,'' where she befriends Sy Snootles. They become a duo and eventually join up with Max Rebo. After Jabba the Hutt's death and the band's escape into the desert, Greeata and fellow singer Lyn Me come to the band's rescue by driving off a group of Tusken Raiders and stealing their Bantha
Banthas are fictional creatures in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. They are large, quadrupedal mammals with long, thick fur, and are first seen in the film ''Star Wars'' (1977), where they are used as beasts of burden by Tusken Raiders on the plane ...
s, which they ride to Mos Eisley.
Greeata was played by Smuin Ballet
Smuin Contemporary Ballet, formerly known as Smuin Ballet, creative director Celia Fushille in a Rodian bodysuit and mask for the Special Edition.[Celia Fushille-Burke retires a star at Smuin](_blank)
- SFGate.com, 5/12/06
Lyn Me is a blue-skinned female Twi'lek dancer and backup vocalist in the Max Rebo Band. She becomes infatuated with Boba Fett
Boba Fett ( ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First appearing in the ''Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), where he was voiced by Don Francks, he is an armored bounty hunter featured in both the original and prequel fi ...
and follows him to Tatooine
Tatooine () is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first ...
, where she joins the band at Jabba's palace. She meets her hero but is later enraged at his death during the skirmish at the Sarlacc pit. Lyn and Greeata head out into the desert on a stolen landspeeder
Landspeeders are fictional anti-gravity craft used through the ''Star Wars'' movies and ''Star Wars'' expanded universe. They are depicted both in civilian and military capacities, and several versions have been merchandised as toys and models ...
and rescue Max, Droopy, and Sy from Tusken Raiders before making off with their Banthas. She initially vows to take revenge on Han, Luke and Leia for their part in Fett's death,[Lyn Me at th]
Star Wars Databank
/ref> but then drops her vendetta.
Lyn Me was portrayed by ballet dancer Dalyn Chew.
at nerf-herders-anonymous.net
Rappertunie is the stage name of Rapotwanalantonee Tivtotolon, a frog-like, potbellied Shawda Ubb musician who plays a harmonica
The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...
-like instrument called a growdi, which is described in the ''Star Wars Databank'' as a cross between a water organ
The water organ or hydraulic organ ( el, ὕδραυλις) (early types are sometimes called hydraulos, hydraulus or hydraula) is a type of pipe organ blown by air, where the power source pushing the air is derived by water from a natural source ...
and a flute
The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...
.[Rappertunie at th]
Star Wars Databank
He comes from the swamp planet of Manpha
''Star Wars'' has been expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserved the right to bot ...
, and joins the band on Tatooine, but he confines himself to Jabba's palace due to the unpleasant desert environment, even though his small size places him in constant danger of being eaten. Rappertunie leaves Tatooine to continue his career after Jabba's death, but his knowledge of computer technology leads him to employment as an engineer for a manufacturer of MSE-6 droids.
Rappertunie was an 0.3 meter (0.98 foot)-tall puppet digitally composited into new and existing footage of the film, and was nicknamed ''"Jedi Rapper"'' by the filmmakers during production.
Rystáll Sant is a colorful female "near-human" singer and dancer from Coruscant. Her mother was human, and her father a Theelin, but Rystáll is orphaned as a small child without ever knowing them and she is taken in by Ortolan musicians. She and her adoptive family are enslaved by a lieutenant in the Black Sun criminal organization, before Lando Calrissian
Landonis Balthazar "Lando" Calrissian III is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as an old friend of Han Solo and the administrator of the floating Cloud City on the gas p ...
wins them from the criminal in a sabacc
Sabacc is a primarily fictional gambling card game, with similarities to blackjack and poker (adding and subtracting numbered cards), originating from the ''Star Wars'' space opera franchise, where it is a common pastime of such characters as Han ...
game and frees them from slavery. After relocating to Tatooine, she joins the Max Rebo Band as a backup vocalist and dancer. Rystáll is briefly seen flirting with Boba Fett prior to the arrival of Boushh
Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
.[Rystáll at th]
Star Wars Databank
; last accessed July 24, 2006.
Rystáll was portrayed by Canadian dancer Mercedes Ngoh in full-body makeup, which took four hours to apply for her lone day of shooting.
- blogspot.com
Umpass-stay is a Klatooinian drummer with a canine-like snout and hooded eyes. He works as a spy and a guard for Jabba while performing as a drummer with the Max Rebo Band, and stays behind at Jabba's palace during the failed execution of Luke, Han and Chewbacca. After he is free following Jabba's death, Umpass-stay elects to become a servant for another Hutt household.[Umpass-stay at th]
Star Wars Databank
Like Ak-rev, Umpass-stay's drumming was inspired by Taiko. His Special Edition actor was uncredited.
Joh Yowza is the stage name of J'ywz'gnk Kchhllbrxcstk Et'nrmdndlcvtbrx, a short, furry Endor Endor or Ein Dor may refer to:
Places
* Endor (village), from the Hebrew Bible, a Canaanite village where the Witch of Endor lived
* Indur, a Palestinian village depopulated during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war
* Ein Dor, a Kibbutz in modern Israel
Fi ...
ian creature known as a Yuzzum, as well as a lead singer in the Max Rebo Band. After he unknowingly stows away on a star freighter while searching for food, the captain keeps him aboard for cooking, cleaning, and other menial tasks. In return, Yowza is well-fed and taught Galactic Basic
The ''Star Wars'' space opera universe, created by George Lucas, features some dialogue spoken in fictional languages. The ''lingua franca'' of the franchise is known in-universe as "Galactic Basic", used to refer to the language of the film o ...
.[Joh Yowza at th]
Star Wars Databank
While watching Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-wailers perform at a cafe, he sings along. Impressed with his voice, Orbus signs Yowza, who performs for food and shelter, while Sy gives him his new stage name. After Orbus's death, Yowza joins the band on Tatooine after a successful audition for Jabba. The group disbands after Jabba's death and Yowza travels to Mos Eisley, where he finds a job on a small passenger liner and performs with its house band in exchange for free food and transportation throughout the Outer Rim.
Joh Yowza appeared as a computer-generated image, but his voice actor was uncredited. The Yuzzums were originally slated to appear as a second race on Endor in the original version of the film, but were axed due to high production costs. Only one Yuzzum puppet was constructed, and was included in the background of Jabba's palace.
Expanded Universe band members
Evar Orbus is an eight-tentacled, beak-mouthed Letaki singer and musician who made his first canon appearance in "And the Band Played On." He was the eponymous founder of Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-wailers, in addition to purchasing Kitonak musician Snit (later Droopy McCool) as a slave and adding him to the lineup. The quartet agrees to play a gig at the Mos Eisley
Mos Eisley is a spaceport town in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Located on the planet Tatooine, it first appeared in the 1977 film ''Star Wars'', described by the character Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by Alec Guinness) as a "wretched hive of s ...
cantina, which leads to a conflict with incumbent group The Modal Nodes. After Orbus is killed by Figrin D'an, the band is then renamed after new leader Max Rebo.
Brennan Tik Tali Talosh is a Derfian from the planet Derf and president of the Max Rebo Band Fan Club. The character first appeared at the end of ''Stop that Jawa!'' from ''Star Wars Tales 2''. He realizes his dream of playing with the group when he is invited to perform with them at Jabba's palace shortly before the Battle of Endor
''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was ...
. After they split up, Talosh writes a tell-all book entitled ''Blue Man's Group'' (a pun on the performance trio Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an American performance art company formed in 1987. It was purchased in July 2017 by the Canadian company Cirque du Soleil. Blue Man Group is known for its stage productions, which incorporate many kinds of music and art, bot ...
) without the band's permission, causing them to sever ties with him. He nonetheless treasures his brief stint with the band.
References
Footnotes
Citations
Further reading
* Childs, T. Mike. ''The Rocklopedia Fakebandica''. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2004. .
* Lewis, Ann Margaret. ''The Star Wars Essential Guide to Alien Species''. New York: Del Rey, 2001. .
* Mangels, Andy. ''The Essential Guide to Characters''. New York: Del Rey, 1995. .
* Reynolds, David West. ''Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary''. New York: DK Publishing, 1998. .
External links
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{{Authority control
Characters created by George Lucas
Fictional musical groups
Star Wars Skywalker Saga characters
Female characters in film
Male characters in film
Music of Star Wars
Star Wars organizations
Film characters introduced in 1983