The Road to Episode Infinity: The Aliens of Max Rebo's Band

The Max Rebo Band is one of the more famous bands in the Star Wars galaxy. Most fans can probably name the three original members including Droopy McCool, Sy Snootles, and the leader of the band himself…. Max Rebo. Though the band traditionally consisted of just three band members- in 1997, for the Special Edition release, the band quadrupled in size- adding nine new members and a new song. Newcomers included three back-up singers, a Bith and Rodian on wind instruments, and a Weequay and Klatooinian on drums. Another notable addition was a new lead singer: a Yuzzum named Joh Yowza. Though most fans were unfamiliar with Yuzzums at the time, Joh Yowza is not the only Yuzzum to be featured in “Return of the Jedi”.

Yuzzum

Yuzzums were a primitive species from the Forest Moon of Endor. Yuzzums and Ewoks sometimes lived side-by-side and spoke a similar language. In fact it was the Yuzzum language that C-3PO used to communicate to the Ewoks in “Return of the Jedi”.

Originally Yuzzums would have played a large role in “Return of the Jedi” and would have been featured side-by-side with the Ewoks. However, the Yuzzum puppets proved too costly to create in bulk, so only one Yuzzum was created.

Eagle-eyed fans will be able to see this Yuzzum in brief background shots of Jabba’s Palace. This Yuzzum is Wam Lufba, one of Jabba’s henchmen who holds a very large blaster rifle.

A second Yuzzum (Joh Yowza) was added to the 20th anniversary Special Edition version of “Return of the Jedi”. Joh serves as one of lead singers of the Max Rebo band. Unlike Wam Lufba, Joh Yowza is a CGI creation.

Ortolan

Ortolans are a foraging race native to the frozen world of Orto. They were adept at searching for subsistence and could smell food up to two kilometers away.

In the old Expanded Universe Ortolans were frequently depicted having two arms and two legs, but it has been suggested in the new Expanded Universe that Ortolans only have two legs and lack arms.

Max Rebo, the head of the Max Rebo band, is the galaxy’s most famous Ortolan. Rebo plays the Red Ball Jett Organ and it has been suggested that his real name is Siiruulian Phantele.

Kitonak

The Kitonak species hails from the desolate planet of Kirdo III which was covered with sandy deserts and oceans of red, cracked mud. The Kitonak lived in nomadic tribes of about 100 individuals. Every decade rain would come to Kirdo III, and it was during these rains that the Kitonak would procreate and give birth. Kitonaks, therefore, had a gestation period of ten years being conceived during one rain season and being born during the next rainy season.

Odd Fact: Non-Kitonaks will notice that Kitonaks produce a body odor similar to the smell of vanilla.

Droopy McCool was a Kitonak who played the chindinkalu flute in the Max Rebo band. It is notable that Droopy McCool was portrayed by the actor Deep Roy.

Pa’lowick

The Pa’lowick are an amphibious species native to Lowick. The yellowish skin of the Pa’lowick was spotted in blue and yellow to help them blend in to their homeworld swamps. Their large chest cavities allowed them to hold their breath underwater for long periods of time and their eyes were situated atop stalks to help watch for predators.

Sy Snootles is the Pa’lowick singer featured in Max Reebo’s band. Snootles’ name comes from the fact that she was called “Mrs. Snooty” during production of “Return of the Jedi”. The original puppet featured two mouths- One with red lips on the end of a long snout and a lower mouth flanked by two tusks. In the 20th anniversary Special Edition of “Return of the Jedi” Sy Snootles is mostly rendered in CGI and the lower mouth and tusks have been removed, though official sources attempt to explain this continuity error by noting that the tusks are retractable.

Shawda Ubb

Shawda Ubb are amphibious beings native to the swampy planet of Manpha. Though the small green creatures look harmless they were capable of spitting a venomous substance which could paralyze a human-sized mammal for up to 15-minutes.

Rappertunie was the Shawda Ubb who played the Growdi Harmonique in the Max Rebo Band. Rappertunie does not appear in the original “Return of the Jedi” film but was created for the 1997 Special Edition. Where most Shawda Ubb did not choose to leave their home-planet swamps, Rappertunie travelled the galaxy with the Max Rebo Band. (Though dry desert planets, such as Tatooine would physically and emotionally weaken members of his species)