Ian Underwood

Ian Underwood, born 5/22/1939 in New York, NY was the 'multi-instrumentalist' Zappa had been seeking in the late 60's to more fully present his musical ideas. Ian's "story" of meeting and joining Zappa is chronicled in the track Ian Underwood Whips It Out on the Uncle Meat release.

He graduated from Yale with a BA in composition in 1961 and completed a Masters degree in compostion at UC Berkeley in 1966. He was a concert pianist specializing in Mozart.

Married Ruth Komanoff in 1970.

Apart from his work with Zappa he has contributed to many recordings by artists ranging from Gabor Szabo to Barbra Streisand.

Since the 1980's he has worked on many film soundtracks including Blade Runner, Aliens, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Titanic.

Ian Underwood provided piano, organ, keyboards, woodwinds, guitar, and/or vocal for:
Original Albums

• We're Only In It For The Money
• Cruising With Ruben & The Jets
• Uncle Meat
• Hot Rats
• Burnt Weeny Sandwich
• Weasels Ripped My Flesh
• Chunga's Revenge
• Fillmore East, June 1971
• Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
• Just Another Band From L.A.
• Over-Nite Sensation
• Apostrophe (')
• Zoot Allures
• 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
• Playground Psychotics
• Ahead Of Their Time
• The Lost Episodes
• Mystery Disc
• QuAUDIOPHILIAc
• Joe's Domage
• Zappa Wazoo

Beat The Boots

• The Ark (BTB)
• Freaks & Motherfuckers (BTB)
• 'Tis The Season To Be Jelly
• Piquantique (BTB)
• Disconnected Synapses (BTB)
• Tengo Na Minchia Tanta (BTB)
• Electric Aunt Jemima (BTB)
• At The Circus (BTB)
• Swiss Cheese/Fire! (BTB)
• Our Man In Nirvana (BTB)

Ian can be seen in the Zappa movies

• 200 Motels (The Film)
• Uncle Meat (The Film)
• Video From Hell
• The True Story Of 200 Motels

Ian Underwood currently (?) lives in Portland, OR suburb of Lake Oswego.