See Max Rebo Band, John Williams and George Lucas The Max Rebo Band is a fictional alien pop music band that appeared in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi as in-house performers for crime Lord Jabba the Hutt. The original lineup consisted of the blue-skinned Ortolan keyboardist Max Rebo, a plump Kitonak woodwind player named Droopy McCool, and the spindly-legged Pa'lowick lead singer Sy Snootles. Their role in the Star Wars canon is elaborated upon in several Expanded Universe short stories and comics. The group are classified as jizz-wailers, which, according to the Star Wars Encyclopedia, 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. For the 1997 Special Edition re-release of Return of the Jedi, the band was quadrupled in size while Sy was computer-generated. Band members Original members Droopy McCool 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. 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. 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. Droopy was played by Deep Roy in a full bodysuit for both versions of Return of the Jedi. Max Rebo 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. Max was a founding member of Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-wailers, but after Orbus's death, he is 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, the pair splits. Max joins the Rebel Alliance to entertain the troops, one reason being that "the Rebellion has the best food." After the Galactic Civil War, 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. In a nod to his physical appearance, Max's real name, Siiruulian Phantele, is a play on the words "cerulean 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. During filming, Williamson was flanked by two puppeteers who assisted in the movement of Max's arms due to the immense overall weight of the costume. Sy Snootles A computer-generated Sy Snootles in the 1997 Special Edition version of the film Sy Snootles is a robust female Pa'lowick who is the lead vocalist and original member of the band. 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. 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. During production, Sy Snootles' nickname was "Ms. Snooty." In the original version of the film, the character was a marionette-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 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), and was even the recipient of a 1983 Apex Award. For close-up shots, Sy's mouth was articulated using a nearly-invisible wire connected to a microphone stand. The puppet was replaced with a computer-generated image for the Special Edition rerelease. Special Edition members: The following characters were added to the 1997 Special Edition version of the film. Ak-rev 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 and Ak-rev is beaten to death. According to the Star Wars Databank, his musical style is derived from the Japanese art of Taiko. His Special Edition actor was uncredited. Doda Bodonawieedo Doda Bodonawieedo is a green-skinned Rodian musician who plays a sliterhorn, a fictional wind instrument similar to a heckelphone. 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. Nelson Hall played Doda in the Special Edition, but was not included in the credits. Barquin D'an 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. 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's gruesome death. 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 Greeata Jendowanian is a female Rodian singer 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 Banthas, which they ride to Mos Eisley. Greeata was played by Smuin Ballet creative director Celia Fushille in a Rodian bodysuit and mask for the Special Edition. Lyn Me Lyn Me is a white-skinned female Twi'lek dancer and backup vocalist in the Max Rebo Band. She becomes infatuated with Boba Fett and follows him to Tatooine, 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 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, but then drops her vendetta after learning that he had actually escaped from the Sarlacc. Lyn Me was portrayed in the Special Edition by ballet dancer Dalyn Chew. Rappertunie Rappertunie is the stage name of Rapotwanalantonee Tivtotolon, a frog-like, potbellied Shawda Ubb musician who plays a harmonica-like instrument called a growdi, which is described in the Star Wars Databank as a cross between a water organ and a flute.[29] He comes from the swamp planet of Manpha, 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.[29] 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 feet)-tall puppet digitally composited into new and existing footage of the film, and was nicknamed "Jedi Rapper" by the filmmakers during production. Rystáll Rystáll is a colorful female near-human singer and dancer from Coruscant; her father was human and her mother 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 wins them from the criminal in a sabacc game and frees them from slavery. After relocating to Tatooine, she joins the Max Rebo Band as a backup vocalist and dancer. Boba Fett is briefly seen flirting with her prior to the arrival of Boushh. Rystáll was portrayed by Canadian dancer Mercedes Ngoh in full-body makeup, which took four hours to apply for her lone day of shooting. Umpass-stay 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. Like Ak-rev, Umpass-stay's drumming was inspired by Taiko. His Special Edition actor was uncredited. Joh Yowza Joh Yowza is the stage name of J'ywz'gnk Kchhllbrxcstk Et'nrmdndlcvtbrx, a short, furry Endorian 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. 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 included in the background of Jabba's palace.