Collaborations

Their career was storied, working with classic artists like Paul Simon, Joan Baez, Elton John, Dizzy Gillespie, and Diana Ross. Their first performance, Fats Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'," is a song covered by numerous legends, like Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Johnnie Ray, Ray Charles, and Bill Haley & His Comets. And their version holds up to the test of time. But the signature tune for The Mayhem is "Can you Picture That?" from The Muppet Movie (1979). (Below)

Likenesses

The band members are mixed-up caricatures: Dr. Teeth is Dr. John and a little Elton John and Leon Russell who had an eerie resemblance to George Clinton. Sgt. Floyd Pepper is a send-up to both Pink Floyd and The Beatles, specifically "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band." Janis is a hippie, Janis Joplin in name, Mick Jagger in form, according to Jim Henson. Zoot is Zoot Sims meets Gato Barbieri. Animal is a complete likeness of The Who's Kieth Moon.

Check out the Billy Joel tune "New York State of Mind," Rita Moreno's "Fever," "Love Ya to Death," and Animal's drum battle with Buddy Rich.

Don't miss Robot Chicken's Behind the Music reunion edition.

The band was a defining moment in my young musical life. And my interests were no doubt formed from the band's bluesy-funk-jazzish-rock-style. In the words of Dr. Teeth, himself: "Absotively and possolutely!"