elwood jr. madeo

Elwood "Junior" Madeo was the bandleader of The Ramblers, and is credited with firing Zappa from his first band.

Elwood 'Junior" Madeo is mentioned in the liner-notes of Zappa's "The Lost Episodes" as a member of The Blackouts, but this probably is Zappa's mistake.

64

frank zappa: the lost episodes    (1996, cd, usa, ryko)

random notes

     From: The Real Frank Zappa Book

The bandleader, Elwood "Junior" Madeo, had gotten us a job at a place called the Uptown Hall, at 40th and Mead in the Hillcrest district of San Diego.  Our fee: seven dollars-- for the whole band. On the way to the gig, I realized that I had forgotten my drumsticks (my only pair), and we had to drive back across town to get them. Eventually I was fired because they said I played the cymbals too much.

     From: The Lost Episodes liner notes
It should be noted that Elwood Jr. Madeo was mentioned in The Real Frank Zappa Book as the leader of The Ramblers -not The Blackouts- and was, in fact, according to a 1981 FZ interview, the guy that fired Frank for his cymbal  work.  It can only be assumed that Madeo's inclusion (in the Lost Episodes credits) is either an error by FZ, or that this is yet another version of The Blackouts.

     From: VanRen@aol.com
I remember when my bother, Elwood Madeo, Jr. fired Frank Zappa. Frank was great but he did often play too loud then.  The band's name was The Ramblers (not the Black Outs). It was the best teen band in town (San Diego), and won all the battles of the bands except one.  I think they lost to the Velvetones at the Palladium when that band featured two female singers that night.
It took a while before Frank persuaded El to let him join the band. It was during our teens and it was the first band Frank ever played in.  Most of the time, they practiced in our garage.
El plays lead guitar, formed and was the leader of the Ramblers. I think the battle they lost was in 1959 at the Shrine Auditorium instead of the Palladium, I was there but I cant remember which. I'll find out. Those were memorable days, we were all so young in many ways.  Frank had a lot of respect for Junior as a guitarist. Years later Frank flew him from San Francisco to Los Angeles several times for album recording session.