Originally named Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz Wailers, after the lead singer Evar Orbus, the Max Rebo Band is an unusual band that can draw in tremendous crowds without even trying.
When there named after Evar Orbus, there were four band members: Evar Orbus, an eight-tentacled Letaki; Max Rebo, an Ortolan from the planet Orto in the Orto system; Droopy McCool, born Snit of the Kitonak species from Kirdo III; and Sy Snootles, from a unknown planet.
The quartet became a trio when they were mugged by a group of Bith, who were surprised when Orbus brandished a flame-thrower he had hidden in a fake tentacle. Unfortunately all he did was damage the repulsorlift airbus carrying all of them. The craft crashed and in the confusion Max, Sy and Droopy escaped, while Orbus was killed in the laser fire.
Since Max appeared to be the most musical, he took over the band. Rebo is a squat Ortolan, with large floppy ears and a long snout. His whole body is covered in a bright blue, velvety fur. Like the rest of his species Max had acute senses, and due to their high level of hearing they adore music. Max plays the Red Bail Organ keyboard.
Sy is an extremely strange creature. She is the singer, with a seductive reedy voice that has melted many hearts. Her appearance always attracts attention; her skin is a yellowish-green hue with blue blotches and her bulbous body is supported in two spindly legs, while her lips are attached to the end of a proboscis.
The toughest of the group is Droopy. Being a Kitonak he has a leathery, almost impermeable skin. He comes from a planet that is virtually completely covered in a barren, white desert, often hit by massive windstorms. Like his race Droopy is a very patient being, and has a great talent for playing his flutelike instrument which was fashioned from a hollow chidinka plant. He can play many different types of music, but the Kitonak specialty are love songs.
All though they were famous, they desperately wanted a long-term contract. So it was that the Max Rebo Band came into contact with one Jabba the Hutt. The slimy worm offered them a lifetime contract, with all the food they could possibly eat. Unfortunately for the band Max has a great penchant for food, one of the shortcomings of his species, and snapped up the contract; to his floppy ears it was a dream come true. Sy or Droopy could not believe it, but they had to follow their leader. Droopy had a huge amount of Chooba slugs, his species’ favourite delicacy, locked in a stasis field, and like Sy wanted money instead of food.
In the search for extra money, Sy was approached by the droid M3-D2. Lady Valarian had sent the droid to ask Snootles to spy for her. Once one had asked, the floodgates opened and the singer received a further sixteen offers to spy. To top it off, Jabba himself sent his Twi’lek lieutenant to tell Sy to take the offers, and then report the information to Jabba himself. Naturally the worm would pay Snootles handsomely.
In true Ortolan style Max became friends with the Palace cook, making sure all the best delicacies came his way first. Droopy also made an amazing discovery: while talking with one of the slow and stupid Gamorrean guards, he learned that apparently there was a group of Kitnoaks roaming the deserts of Tatooine. This was very exciting, as many Kitonaks were in the hands of slavers who would capture them to play music in the dank bars and saloons.
As the time passed the band saw the denizens of the Hutt’s palace come and go, playing their music to keep their master happy. And then Leia arrived. Max recognised her as being from the Royal family of Alderaan, and knew that something was up when Jabba took her prisoner. His beliefs were confirmed when Skywalker entered the palace.
The Max Rebo Band were playing on Jabba’s sail barge when the Rebels were to be executed, and only just escaped with their lives when the young Jedi leapt into action. Jumping into the sand as the barge exploded, they were forced to leave their instruments behind. Before their very eyes their contract and belongings were destroyed.
But they did not give up, and even now they are probably playing in a cantina somewhere in the vast galaxy.