Max Rebo may in fact be the most famous musician in all of Star Wars.
I mean, it's not everyday you secure a lifelong contract...
...as one of Jabba the Hutt's personal entertainers.
But how did this Ortolan go from a modest restaurant worker to an incredibly skilled instrumentalist?
And how exactly was the Max Rebo Band formed?
Well, let's find out...
Welcome to TheCancrizans' Star Wars Lore Episode 181 – The Life of Max Rebo
Born on Orto as the smallest of five younglings,
Siiruulian Phantele spent his younger years scavenging for food.
He even began working at a small restaurant establishment as a means of getting by.
His life soon changed for the better, however,
when he was approached by Letaki musician Evar Orbus,
who was on the hunt for a young, talented and possibly exploitable entertainer.
So, on the promise of never going hungry again,
Phantele eagerly accepted the invitation to become a Jizz-Wailer.
As part of Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-Wailers,
the newly-named Max Rebo dazzled audiences with his skills on the red ball organ,
all while his band mates -
Droopy McCool, Sy Snootles and Orbus himself -
added their fair share of percussion and vocal arrangements.
With such hits as “Lapti Nek”, “Jedi Rocks” and “(That Joyous Night) I Ate My Mate”,
the quartet soon began touring small clubs around the Outer Rim.
Despite their rise to fame, however,
Orbus was the only member to receive any real cash.
When approached to play at the Mos Eisley Cantina in 3 ABY,
Orbus and company jumped at the opportunity.
Unfortunately, they were not the first band to accept such an invitation.
The Modal Nodes and their leader, Figrin D'an,
were completely disgusted by the hiring of another band,
to the point where attempted to kill them.
And so, the resulting brawl culminated with the death of Orbus.
Without the guidance of Orbus, and desperate for another gig,
the band decided to take a new direction.
Firstly, Snootles elected Rebo to be their new leader,
thus making him a public target for any future assassination attempts –
all while she managed the band behind the scenes.
And secondly, Snootles hired a trio of backup dancers,
as well as two more musicians.
The addition of Rappertunie and Barquin D'an...
allowed the group to reclaim their footing as some of the galaxy's greatest entertainers.
In fact, so impressive was their display of musical talent,
that Jabba the Hutt offered them a lifetime contract in exchange for all the food they could ever want.
Without much thought, Rebo eagerly accepted the offer.
Unsurprisingly, Snootles came to resent her decision to make Rebo the face of the band.
After all, the Ortolan essentially led them to eternal servitude in Jabba's Palace.
Her beliefs were only cemented when they were ordered to kill fellow crime lord Bingo Mehndra.
Their payment for which, however,
afforded them new instruments and three more band mates.
What's more, their lives were as good as they had ever been -
something Snootles could not ignore.
Despite their lifelong agreement with Jabba the Hutt,
the Max Rebo Band were left unemployed following the crime lord's death in 4 ABY.
And so, after barely surviving the failed execution of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca,
the musicians decided to part ways.
Some of whom simply joined other bands,
whilst others built their own businesses, became spice addicts, or simply vanished.
As for Rebo himself,
well he found work in the Rebel Alliance as an entertainer,
before relocating to Coruscant to open a chain of restaurants.
And while he did miss aspects of his former life,
Max enjoyed the ever-present food and – for the first time in years –
abundance of credits...
Now it's time for this week's question:
who is your favourite member of the Max Rebo Band?
Let us know in the comments below!
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