Ike Willis - Revision history

Spider of Destiny: /* Zappa and Willis */

2026-08-11T21:07:16Z

Zappa and Willis

Spider of Destiny at 20:59, 11 August 2026

2026-08-11T20:59:25Z

Spider of Destiny: /* Zappa and Willis */

2026-08-08T11:53:29Z

Zappa and Willis

Spider of Destiny at 22:09, 29 June 2026

2026-06-29T22:09:18Z

Spider of Destiny at 21:25, 17 May 2026

2026-05-17T21:25:47Z

Spider of Destiny: /* Sources */

2026-05-17T21:24:11Z

Sources

Spider of Destiny at 21:22, 17 May 2026

2026-05-17T21:22:09Z

Spider of Destiny at 21:57, 19 April 2026

2026-04-19T21:57:04Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 02:20, 16 November 2025

2025-11-16T02:20:46Z

Jason.Kreitzer at 23:19, 30 November 2021

2021-11-30T23:19:11Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:07, 11 August 2026
Line 15:		Line 15:

	On ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' (1984), Willis voiced the character Thing-Fish (imitating King-Fish from ''[[Amos & Andy]]''). He also posed as the character on the album cover.		On ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' (1984), Willis voiced the character Thing-Fish (imitating King-Fish from ''[[Amos & Andy]]''). He also posed as the character on the album cover.
		+
		+	During ''[[Diseases Of The Band]]'', Zappa mentions Willis: ''"This is Ike Willis, Ike has a ... now Ike ... Ike is our ... ah ... lead vocalist, our dynamic male vocalist, he's got a sore throat and all sorts of other things wrong and – he'll never be able to get through the show. The only thing he's got to take care of him is his knitted hat."''

	In 1993, a month before Zappa died, Willis and Zappa met and was asked to keep his music alive.		In 1993, a month before Zappa died, Willis and Zappa met and was asked to keep his music alive.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Ikewillis.jpg|thumb|right]]
-'''Isaac Willis''' (November 12, 1955 - May 17, 2026) is an American vocalist and guitarist who was a regular member of Zappa's studio and touring bands from 1978 until the last tour in 1988, making him one of his longest-running, uninterrupted band members. <ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref>
+'''Isaac Willis''' (November 12, 1955 - May 17, 2026) was an American vocalist and guitarist who was a regular member of Zappa's studio and touring bands from 1978 until the last tour in 1988, making him one of his longest-running, uninterrupted band members. <ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref>
 ==Zappa and Willis==
 [[File:Frank Zappa, Ike Willis in Thing-Fish costume.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Frank Zappa and Ike Willis during the ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' photoshoot.]]
 Willis became a Zappa fan through his college friend, [[Jeff Hollie]]. When Zappa played a concert at Washington University in St. Louis in 1978, Willis was helping out with the equipment. When Zappa passed by with a plate full of lasagna, they started talking and later he was invited to their table, where they had a long conversation. Zappa then learned that Willis was a professional guitarist and knew some of Zappa's music. He played, was invited to an audition and in 1979 Willis became part of Zappa's group. <ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref> According to Willis, Zappa was particularly thrilled with Willis' silly sense of humor.<ref>https://www.clevescene.com/music/ugly-radio-rebellion-featuring-ike-willis-1503739/</ref>

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 ==Zappa and Willis==
+[[File:Frank Zappa, Ike Willis in Thing-Fish costume.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Frank Zappa and Ike Willis during the ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' photoshoot.]]
 Willis became a Zappa fan through his college friend, [[Jeff Hollie]]. When Zappa played a concert at Washington University in St. Louis in 1978, Willis was helping out with the equipment. When Zappa passed by with a plate full of lasagna, they started talking and later he was invited to their table, where they had a long conversation. Zappa then learned that Willis was a professional guitarist and knew some of Zappa's music. He played, was invited to an audition and in 1979 Willis became part of Zappa's group. <ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref> According to Willis, Zappa was particularly thrilled with Willis' silly sense of humor.<ref>https://www.clevescene.com/music/ugly-radio-rebellion-featuring-ike-willis-1503739/</ref>
@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 On the album ''[[Joe's Garage Act I]]'' and ''[[Joe's Garage Acts II & III]]'' (1979-1980), Willis played the title character Joe. To pay thanks to Hollie for introducing him to Zappa's work, he asked Zappa if Hollie could also appear on the album. Hollie is the saxophonist during the line ''"even if you play it on the saxophone"'' during the song ''[[Joe's Garage (Track)|Joe's Garage]]''. <ref>https://www.zappanews.co.uk/interviews/ike-willis</ref>
-On ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' (1984), Willis voiced the character Thing-Fish (imitating King-Fish from ''[[Amos & Andy]]'').
+He additionally appeared in the music video of ''[[You Are What You Is]]'' (1981) and was the instigator of the ''[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]'' running gag.
-He also appeared in the music video of ''[[You Are What You Is]]'' (1981) and was the instigator of the ''[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]'' running gag.
+On ''[[Thing-Fish]]'' (1984), Willis voiced the character Thing-Fish (imitating King-Fish from ''[[Amos & Andy]]''). He also posed as the character on the album cover.
 In 1993, a month before Zappa died, Willis and Zappa met and was asked to keep his music alive.

@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 :*[[At The Circus (BTB)]]
 :*[[Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show]]
 ==Notes==
@@ Line 62: / Line 65: @@
 * [https://ikewillis.com Ike Willis site]
 * [[wikipedia:Ike Willis|Wikipedia]]
 [[Category:Bandmembers|Willis]]

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Later career==
-Willis played with the Zappa tribute bands [[The Muffin Men]], [[Project/Object (The Band)|Project/Object]]<ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref>, [[Ossi Duri]], [[The Central Scrutinizer Band]] and [[ZAPPATiKA]]. He also performed with the [[Band From Utopia]] and in [[Dweezil Zappa]]'s group. <ref>https://www.zappanews.co.uk/interviews/ike-willis</ref>
+Willis played with the Zappa tribute bands [[The Muffin Men]], [[Project/Object (The Band)|Project/Object]]<ref>https://eu.milforddailynews.com/story/entertainment/music/2005/04/10/object-affection-ike-willis/41393779007/</ref>, [[Ossi Duri]], [[The Central Scrutinizer Band]] and [[ZAPPATiKA]]. He also performed with the [[The Band From Utopia]] and in [[Dweezil Zappa]]'s group. <ref>https://www.zappanews.co.uk/interviews/ike-willis</ref>
 He also has his own band, The Ike Willis project. Willis was a good friend of [[Arthur Barrow]].
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 :*[[At The Circus (BTB)]]
 :*[[Zappa '88: The Last U.S. Show]]
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 114: / Line 114: @@
-==Sources==
+==Notes==
-{{Reflist}}
+<references/>
 ==External links==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[File:Ikewillis.jpg|thumb|right]]
-Isaac Willis (born November 12, 1955) is an American vocalist and guitarist who was a regular member of Zappa's studio and touring bands from 1978 until the last tour in 1988.
+'''Isaac Willis''' (born November 12, 1955) is an American vocalist and guitarist who was a regular member of Zappa's studio and touring bands from 1978 until the last tour in 1988. He co-appeared in the music video of ''[[You Are What You Is]]'' (1981) and was the instigator of the ''[[Hi-ho, Silver! Away!]]'' running gag.
 He can be heard on:

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 *[[Halloween]]
 *[[Trance-Fusion]]
-*[[Beat The Boots]] series disks
+*[[:Category:Beat The Boots|Beat The Boots]] series disks
 :*[[Anyway The Wind Blows (BTB)]]
 :*[[Saarbrücken 1978 (BTB)]]