Crazy Backwards Alphabet is an album conceived by Matt Groening

Matt Groening

Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....

 and recorded by Henry Kaiser

Henry Kaiser (musician)

Henry Kaiser is an American guitarist and composer.Recording and performing prolifically in many styles of music, Kaiser is a fixture on the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. He is considered a member of the "first generation" of American free improvisers.-Biography:His grandfather was the...

. It was released in 1987 (see 1987 in music

1987 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1987.See also:Record labels established in 1987-January-February:*January 3 – Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

).

Side one

1. "The Blood and the Ink" (Bob Adams & John French) – 5:02
2. "Det Enda Raka?" (Michael Maksymenko) – 1:58
3. "Get To You" (John French) – 4:30
4. "The Welfare Elite" (John French & Henry Kaiser) – 3:52
5. "Ghosts" (Eddie Ayler) – 4:18
6. "Lobster on the Rocks #2" (John French, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko, Andy West & Stuart Wold) – 3:15

Side two

1. Sarayushka (La Grange)
   La Grange (song)
   "La Grange" is a song by the rock group ZZ Top from their album Tres Hombres, released in 1973. One of their most successful songs, it was released in 1973 and received extensive radio play, rising to #41 in the Billboard Pop Singles list in 1974. The song refers to a bordello on the outskirts of...
   
    (Original Composition:
   ZZ Top
   ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
   
    Billy Gibbons
   Billy Gibbons
   William Frederick "Billy" Gibbons is an American musician, actor and car customizer, best known as the guitarist of the Texas blues-rock band ZZ Top. He is also the lead singer and composer for many of the band's songs. Gibbons is known for playing his Gretsch Billy Bo guitar and his famous 1959...
   
   , Dusty Hill
   Dusty Hill
   Joseph Michael "Dusty" Hill is the bassist and vocalist with the American rock group ZZ Top.-History:Hill was in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lakewood neighborhood of East Dallas...
   
    & Frank Beard
   Frank Beard (musician)
   Frank Lee Beard is the drummer in the rock band ZZ Top. Beard was formerly with the bands The Cellar Dwellars, who originally were a three-piece band, The Hustlers, The Warlocks, and American Blues before starting to play and record with Billy Gibbons and Dusty Hill as ZZ Top.Beard was born in...
   
   •Russian Translation: Michael Maksymenko) – 2:26
2. Dropped D (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Andy West) – 7:53
3. The Book of Joel (Bob Adams, Everett Shock) – 2:04
4. Bottoms Up! (Michael Maksymenko) – 3:40
5. We Are In Control? (John French) – 5:25
6. Maran II (Michael Maksymenko) – 0:24

CD Version

1. The Blood and the Ink (Bob Adams & John French) – 5:02
2. Det Enda Raka? (Michael Maksymenko) – 1:58
3. Get To You (John French) – 4:30
4. The Welfare Elite (John French & Henry Kaiser) – 3:52
5. Ghosts (Eddie Ayler) – 4:18
6. Lobster on the Rocks (John French, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko, Andy West & Stuart Wold) – 3:15
7. Sarayushka (La Grange) (Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill & Frank Beard•Russian Translation: Michael Maksymenko) – 2:26
8. Dropped D (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Andy West) – 7:53
9. The Book of Joel (Bob Adams, Everett Shock) – 2:04
10. Bottoms Up! (Michael Maksymenko) – 3:40
11. We Are In Control? (John French) – 5:25
12. Maran II (Michael Maksymenko) – 0:24
13. No Doubt About It, I Gotta Get a New Hat (Henry Kaiser) – 4:32*
14. Secret of the Telegian (Greg Goodman, Henry Kaiser & Michael Maksymenko) – 6:17*
15. "Lite" Blue Mousse (Bob Adams, Henry Kaiser, Michael Maksymenko & Ralf Nygard) – 7:11*
16. The Same Thing (Willie Dixon) – 5:59*
17. Herr Magazine (Bob Adams, Everett Shock, Henry Kaiser & Michael Maksymenko) – 3:04*

* 25+ minutes, bonus tracks on CD only!

Crazy Backwards Alphabet are

• John French
  John French
  John French may refer to:* John French , English doctor and chemist* John French , Canadian ice hockey player* John French , American drummer and musician...
  
   - drums, vocals, guitar, keyboard, harp
• Henry Kaiser
  Henry Kaiser
  Henry Kaiser may refer to:People*Henry Felix Kaiser , American academic known for the varimax rotation*Henry J. Kaiser , American industrialist and shipbuilder who founded Kaiser Permanente...
  
   - guitar, banjo, slide guitar, vocals
• Michael Maksymenko - drums, vocals
• Andy West
  Andy West
  Andy West is an American bass guitarist and composer who is an original founding member of the Dixie Dregs along with Steve Morse. Since the breakup of the original band in 1983, Andy West has been on albums with Mike Keneally, Henry Kaiser, Paul Barrere, Vinnie Moore, and many others...
  
   - bass

Special guests

Bob Adams - guitar, bass

Darol Anger

Darol Anger

-Career:Darol Anger entered popular music at the age of 21 as a founding member of The David Grisman Quintet. Anger played fiddle to David Grisman's mandolin in The David Grisman Quintet's 1977 debut. He co-founded the Turtle Island String Quartet with David Balakrishnan in 1985 and performed,...

 - violin

Scott Colby - slide guitar, vocal

Harry Duncan

Harry Duncan

Harry F. Duncan was an American businessman known for founding Little Tavern shops. Duncan opened his first store in 1928 in Washington, DC. By 1939, the chain had grown to almost 50 stores. Their motto was "Buy 'em by the bag."Duncan donated to numerous organizations and charity through the...

 - harp

Bill Frisell

Bill Frisell

William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...

 - guitar

Ralph Nygard - midi wind controller bass

Production Crew

Henry Kaiser

Henry Kaiser

Henry Kaiser may refer to:People*Henry Felix Kaiser , American academic known for the varimax rotation*Henry J. Kaiser , American industrialist and shipbuilder who founded Kaiser Permanente...

 - producer/engineer

Phil Brown - engineer

Oliver DiCiccco - engineer

Mark Bryan Johnson - engineer

Matt Groening

Matt Groening

Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....

- artwork and album concept

Hugh Brown - photography

Recorded in 1986. Except 13 & 14 in 1987 and 15 in 1991.