Difference between revisions of "Tommy Mars"
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[[File:Tommymars.jpg|right]] | [[File:Tommymars.jpg|right]] | ||
| − | Tommy Mars (Mariano) was | + | '''Tommy Mars''' (Mariano) was (Waterbury, [[Connecticut]], October 26, 1951) was an American keyboardist and a member of Frank Zappa's band between 1977 and 1988. |
| + | |||
| + | ==Early life and career== | ||
| + | |||
| + | He started playing piano in his youth, and graduated from the Hartt School of Music in 1974. By the mid-1970s, Mars was ''"striking out everywhere in the bars; getting fired was my middle name."'' | ||
==Frank Zappa== | ==Frank Zappa== | ||
| + | [[File:Frank Zappa, with Tommy Mars behind keyboards.jpg|500px|thumb|right|Frank Zappa and Tommy Mars.]] | ||
| − | Mars became a member of [[The Mothers]] in 1977 on a recommendation from [[Ed Mann]], who had played with | + | Mars became a member of [[The Mothers]] in 1977 on a recommendation from [[Ed Mann]], who had played with Mars back in [[Connecticut]]. For his audition, Frank put Mars through ''"the most stringent musical maze that I had ever confronted in my life. Frank had a toothache that day and I could sense that I was sinking lower and lower. My reading was only adequate for what he wanted, but my improvization saved me."'' Tommy had developed a unique form of ''"scatting"'' to the notes he would play on the piano. This impressed Frank very much during the audition, so much so, that he called [[Gail Zappa|Gail]] down to ''"listen to this guy's pipes."'' Finally Frank said, ''"I guess you won't have to work many [[Holiday Inn]]s any more."'' |
| + | |||
| + | During ''[[Seal Call Fusion Music]]'', Mars plays accordion and sings a love duet with [[Vinnie Colaiuta]]. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Mars's high-pitched vocals can be heard on ''[[Baby Snakes (The Track)]]'' and ''[[Easy Meat]]'' (''[[Tinseltown Rebellion]]''). He also sings: ''"Why can't you feel it? I'm feelin' it"'' during ''[[A Pound For A Brown On The Bus|Pound For A Brown (Solos 1978)]]''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In ''[[Panty Rap]]'', Zappa says that the ''"very famous Voodoo Butter Underpants we received in [[Chicago]] nearly broke Tommy Mars' back. As soon as he took a whiff of those, his head went back this far, and he was heard to mutter 'Jeezus'"''. | ||
During ''[[Diseases Of The Band]]'', Zappa mentions Mars: ''"And of course, Tommy Mars, who also has stomic flu, on keyboards, eh, you have any other diseases, Tommy? No? He's available. Ok."'' | During ''[[Diseases Of The Band]]'', Zappa mentions Mars: ''"And of course, Tommy Mars, who also has stomic flu, on keyboards, eh, you have any other diseases, Tommy? No? He's available. Ok."'' | ||
| + | |||
| + | Mars and Zappa wrote the music for ''[[Yo Cats]]'' together and Zappa even insisted on crediting him in the liner notes of ''[[Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention]]''. <ref>https://www.donlope.net/fz/notes/FZ_Meets_The_Mothers_Of_Prevention.html</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Tommy Mars was also responsible for talking [[Lisa Popeil]] into auditioning for Zappa. | ||
==Tommy Mars played keyboards and/or vocals on== | ==Tommy Mars played keyboards and/or vocals on== | ||
| − | *[[Sheik Yerbouti]] | + | * ''[[Sheik Yerbouti]]'' |
| − | *[[Joe's Garage Act I]] | + | * ''[[Joe's Garage Act I]]'' |
| − | *[[Joe's Garage Acts II & III]] | + | * ''[[Joe's Garage Acts II & III]]'' |
| − | *[[Tinseltown Rebellion]] | + | * ''[[Tinseltown Rebellion]]'' |
| − | *[[Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (The Series)]] | + | * ''[[Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (The Series)]]'' |
| − | *[[You Are What You Is]] | + | * ''[[You Are What You Is]]'' |
| − | *[[Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch]] | + | * ''[[Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch]]'' |
| − | *[[The Man From Utopia]] | + | * ''[[The Man From Utopia]]'' |
| − | *[[Baby Snakes]] | + | *''[[Baby Snakes]]'' |
| − | *[[Them Or Us]] | + | *''[[Them Or Us]]'' |
| − | *[[Thing-Fish]] | + | *''[[Thing-Fish]]'' |
| − | *[[Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention]] | + | *''[[Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention]]'' |
| − | *[[Uncle Meat]] '87 re-release | + | *''[[Uncle Meat]]'' '87 re-release |
| − | *[[Jazz From Hell]] | + | *''[[Jazz From Hell]]'' |
| − | *[[Frank Zappa: Guitar]] | + | *''[[Frank Zappa: Guitar]]'' |
| − | *[[As An Am (BTB)]] | + | *''[[As An Am (BTB)]]'' |
| − | *[[Anyway The Wind Blows (BTB)]] | + | *''[[Anyway The Wind Blows (BTB)]]'' |
| − | *[[Saarbrücken 1978 (BTB)]] | + | *''[[Saarbrücken 1978 (BTB)]]'' |
| − | *[[At The Circus (BTB)]] | + | *''[[At The Circus (BTB)]]'' |
| − | *[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1]] | + | *''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1]]'' |
| − | *[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]] | + | *''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3]]'' |
| − | *[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4]] | + | *''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4]]'' |
| − | *[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5]] | + | *''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5]]'' |
| − | *[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6]] | + | *''[[You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6]]'' |
| − | *[[The Lost Episodes]] | + | *''[[The Lost Episodes]]'' |
| − | *[[Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa]] | + | *''[[Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa]]'' |
| − | *[[Halloween]] | + | *''[[Halloween]]'' |
| − | *[[Quaudiophiliac]] | + | *''[[Quaudiophiliac]]'' |
| − | *[[Trance-Fusion]] | + | *''[[Trance-Fusion]]'' |
| − | *[[Buffalo]] | + | *''[[Buffalo]]'' |
| − | *[[The Dub Room Special! (The Album)|The Dub Room Special]] | + | *''[[The Dub Room Special! (The Album)|The Dub Room Special]]'' |
| − | == | + | ==Film and Video Performances== |
| − | *[[Baby Snakes (The Film)]] | + | * ''[[Baby Snakes (The Film)]]'' |
| − | *[[Dub Room Special]] | + | * ''[[Dub Room Special]]'' |
| − | *[[Video From Hell]] | + | * ''[[Video From Hell]]'' |
| − | == | + | ==Band contributions== |
| − | *[[The Band From Utopia]] | + | * [[The Band From Utopia]] |
==Interviews== | ==Interviews== | ||
| Line 55: | Line 70: | ||
* Tommy Mars is interviewed in ''[[The Zappa Legacy]]'' (1994). | * Tommy Mars is interviewed in ''[[The Zappa Legacy]]'' (1994). | ||
* ''[[Mars Needs Evil Princes.]]'' (1997) | * ''[[Mars Needs Evil Princes.]]'' (1997) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | <references/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==External links== | ||
| + | * [[Wikipedia:Tommy Mars]] | ||
| + | * [https://www.donlope.net/fz/musicians/M-Q.html#MarsTommy Globalia page.] | ||
| + | * [https://www.united-mutations.com/m/tommy_mars.htm United Mutations page.] | ||
[[Category:Bandmembers|Mars, Tommy]] | [[Category:Bandmembers|Mars, Tommy]] | ||
[[Category:Singers|Mars, Tommy]] | [[Category:Singers|Mars, Tommy]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Pianists|Mars, Tommy]] | ||
[[Category:Keyboardists|Mars, Tommy]] | [[Category:Keyboardists|Mars, Tommy]] | ||
Latest revision as of 14:03, 16 August 2026
Tommy Mars (Mariano) was (Waterbury, Connecticut, October 26, 1951) was an American keyboardist and a member of Frank Zappa's band between 1977 and 1988.
Contents
Early life and career
He started playing piano in his youth, and graduated from the Hartt School of Music in 1974. By the mid-1970s, Mars was "striking out everywhere in the bars; getting fired was my middle name."
Frank Zappa
Mars became a member of The Mothers in 1977 on a recommendation from Ed Mann, who had played with Mars back in Connecticut. For his audition, Frank put Mars through "the most stringent musical maze that I had ever confronted in my life. Frank had a toothache that day and I could sense that I was sinking lower and lower. My reading was only adequate for what he wanted, but my improvization saved me." Tommy had developed a unique form of "scatting" to the notes he would play on the piano. This impressed Frank very much during the audition, so much so, that he called Gail down to "listen to this guy's pipes." Finally Frank said, "I guess you won't have to work many Holiday Inns any more."
During Seal Call Fusion Music, Mars plays accordion and sings a love duet with Vinnie Colaiuta.
Mars's high-pitched vocals can be heard on Baby Snakes (The Track) and Easy Meat (Tinseltown Rebellion). He also sings: "Why can't you feel it? I'm feelin' it" during Pound For A Brown (Solos 1978).
In Panty Rap, Zappa says that the "very famous Voodoo Butter Underpants we received in Chicago nearly broke Tommy Mars' back. As soon as he took a whiff of those, his head went back this far, and he was heard to mutter 'Jeezus'".
During Diseases Of The Band, Zappa mentions Mars: "And of course, Tommy Mars, who also has stomic flu, on keyboards, eh, you have any other diseases, Tommy? No? He's available. Ok."
Mars and Zappa wrote the music for Yo Cats together and Zappa even insisted on crediting him in the liner notes of Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention. [1]
Tommy Mars was also responsible for talking Lisa Popeil into auditioning for Zappa.
Tommy Mars played keyboards and/or vocals on
- Sheik Yerbouti
- Joe's Garage Act I
- Joe's Garage Acts II & III
- Tinseltown Rebellion
- Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar (The Series)
- You Are What You Is
- Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch
- The Man From Utopia
- Baby Snakes
- Them Or Us
- Thing-Fish
- Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers Of Prevention
- Uncle Meat '87 re-release
- Jazz From Hell
- Frank Zappa: Guitar
- As An Am (BTB)
- Anyway The Wind Blows (BTB)
- Saarbrücken 1978 (BTB)
- At The Circus (BTB)
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 1
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 3
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 4
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 5
- You Can't Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 6
- The Lost Episodes
- Frank Zappa Plays The Music Of Frank Zappa
- Halloween
- Quaudiophiliac
- Trance-Fusion
- Buffalo
- The Dub Room Special
Film and Video Performances
Band contributions
Interviews
- A Mars A Day (1991)
- Urban Leader (1991)
- Tommy Mars is interviewed in The Zappa Legacy (1994).
- Mars Needs Evil Princes. (1997)
