# The Muppet Band - based on real musicians? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834 "2002-09-03T17:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LithiumPage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@LithiumPage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LithiumPage)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/1 "2002-09-03T17:47:16Z")
I’ve seen a lot of Muppet 25th anniversary Kleenex boxes lately, and combined with the latest Weezer music video it has reminded me of something that I’ve often wondered about: are the Muppets in the Muppet band based on real musicians? Brief Google and SDMB searches haven’t provided any insight. Here are my ideas: Dr. Teeth = Dr. John the bass player = Duane Allman Animal = Keith Moon I think the Dr. Teeth one is the most obvious: both playing the same instrument, and it seems to me that they speak somewhat the same. Again, for the Animal and Keith Moon connection, it’d be the instrument, and reputation. As for the Duane Allman facsimile, I’m quite unsure. Duane Allman played guitar, but I think they kind of look the same. But that’s based on my very limited knowledge of the Allman brothers in general: for all I know, Greg was the guitar player. I’m not even sure how to spell Allman. As for the guitar player and saxaphone player, I’m stumped. Any thoughts on who they are? Different opinions on the other three more than welcome. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/2 "2002-09-03T18:28:08Z")
On “Inside the Actor’s Studio”, Billy Joel said that Animal the drummer was based on his own band’s drummer, **Liberty de Vito**. I’m pretty sure he was joking, though Lipton was dumb enough to believe him… ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/3 "2002-09-03T18:31:00Z")
According to Billy Joel, Animal was based on his drummer, Liberty De Vito. The bass player in the Muppet Band was named Janet, BTW, and was obviously female. Add to that the fact that Duane Allman didn’t play bass and had a beard and it seems unlikely there’s a connection. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/4 "2002-09-03T19:08:31Z")
You have two members’ instruments switched, **RealityChuck**. In the Muppet band (Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem), Floyd Pepper played the bass, and Janice was on guitar. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/5 "2002-09-03T19:30:38Z")
Floyd Peppers uniform was clearly based on the beatles, but he doesn’t look like any of them, Janice was based on Janice Joplin. The drummer was most definitely Keith Moon, there is even a physical resemblance, and the eyebrows are indentical. Billy was being, well, Billy and he was ummm embellishing things… Zoot (the sax player) was based on Zoot Sims. (These guesses are based on my memory and aren’t officially sanctioned by anyone connected with the Muppets…YMMV) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/6 "2002-09-03T21:27:01Z")
Damn, it still cranks me that I managed to lose my Dr. Teeth poster! I’m not terribly familiar with Keith Moon; Animal always reminds me of Mick Fleetwood, and vice versa. :: Scarlett trots off to find a pic of Keith Moon :: ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/7 "2002-09-03T22:15:36Z")
I was watching The Muppet Movie the other day and I realized that Floyd is wearing a Sgt. Pepper uniform. The sax player seems to me to be kind of an amalgam of various Jazz Sax players. I dont’ know of one that wore a hat but be-bop and later sax players could pretty much all claim to be him. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-muppet-band-based-on-real-musicians/126834/8 "2002-09-04T00:05:46Z")
It’s also worth pointing out that Floyd is pink.