Born December 20 1961 on Long Island, New York, Mike Keneally moved to San Diego, California, at an early age. He started playing music at the age of 7 when he had received an electric organ for his birthday. He had also received a guitar on his eleventh birthday, and also plays bass and drums. His early childhood musical influences included The Beatles, and theme music from cartoon and television shows such as, “The Wallace and Ladmo Show” and “2001: A Space Odyssey”.
Up until 1987 MK plays in various bands, the best known of these being Drop Control. In 1987 MK joins Frank Zappa‘s band as guitarist/keyboardplayer/singer, and as such tours the world in 1988. Keneally had called Zappa and said that he was “extremely familiar with all of his material and that he would be ready to play any of it for him given a short amount of preparation time”, as he had already “been listening to Zappa’s music for 16 years”. “On the phone the day before the audition Frank had told me to have “What’s New In Baltimore?” and “Sinister Footwear” ready for the next day’s audition”. On the way to the audition Keneally practiced the aforementioned songs, as well as “Little House I Used To Live In”, and “every single Zappa melody I could think of, kind of as an exercise for my memory” as his brother Marty was driving the car.
After Zappa breaks up the band, more or less mid-tour, MK goes back to gigging with Drop Control, as well as doing all sorts of sessionwork, including three albums with Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
In 1991 MK joins the Dweezil Zappa band, later Z, and tours the world with that band a couple of times in the years to come. MK and Marc Ziegenhagen work together for the first time for the Zappa’s Universe project.
In 1992 MK releases hat.
There is not that much info available about gigs in this era of MK’s career, so if you can help me, get in touch. Please.
The Tour Chronology: 1962-1993
August 27, 1988 KGB Homegrown Hour (w/Scott Chatfield)
FM radio
personnel: Mike Keneally & Scott Chatfield
setlist: Interview Part 1, What Happened To The Dogs, There Have Been Bad Moments, Interview Part 2, Situation Very Bad (Drop Control)
tape: audio exists
January 8 1989 The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control (Mike Keneally – guitar & vocals, Marty Keneally – guitar, Alan Silverstein – drums & vocals, Doug Booth – bass & vocals)
setlist: Waiting on Williams / Rosemary Girl / This Grievous Mistake / Economy / Be Yourself Brian / Car Song (mark I) / The Most Paranoid / Something Else To Do / Destiny Boy / Our Little Secret / Bright Stuff Crawl / Snowcow / Killer Fish / Tug / Performing Miracles / Taxman / Cinnamon Girl / Situation’s Very Bad [setlist provided by Ron Spiegelhalter]
tape: audio exists
April 27 1989 The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control (Mike Keneally – guitar & vocals, Marty Keneally – guitar, Alan Silverstein – drums & vocals, Doug Booth – bass & vocals, Andy Vereen – vocals on Rosemary Girl)
setlist: Snowcow / This Grievous Mistake / Another Way / Bonnie Can’t Face It / Waiting on Williams / Band Intros / Our Little Secret / The Story of “Mup” / My Dilemma / Mystery Eyes / Strange Impulse / The Most Paranoid / Something Else To Do / My Train Is Coming / Rosemary Girl [setlist provided by Ron Spiegelhalter]
tape: audio exists
June 7 1989 The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control
setlist:
tape:
June 15 1989 City Rock Cafe, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control
setlist:
tape:
August 27 1989 The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control
setlist: [RS: I don’t know the complete setlist for this show, but I know it contains…]
Don’t Give Me The Runaround / This Grievous Mistake / Car Song (mark II) / The Wreckage Was Large [setlist provided by Ron Spiegelhalter]
tape: audio exists (Note: these four songs are on the same tape that has the 4/27/89 show)
May 1989 – John Anson Ford Theatre, Hollywood CA
personnel: Mike Keneally
setlist: Live And Let Die
tape: audio exists
December 16 1989 – Tom Jeter’s living room, Vista, CA
private party
The official name for the party was “Cuatro Caras De Éxtasis” or “The Four Faces Of Ecstasy.”
personnel: Drop Control, Jon Kanis
setlist:
tape: video exists
December 17 1989 – San Diego, CA
birthday party
personnel: Drop Control, Jon Kanis
setlist:
tape:
December 21 1989 – The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
personnel: Drop Control
setlist:
tape: audio exists
February 9 1990 – CBS Television Studios, Hollywood CA
Normal Life taping
personnel: Dweezil Zappa, Moon Zappa, MK, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese
setlist:
tape:
March 22 1990 – The Bacchanal, San Diego CA
Drop Control, Burning Bridges, Fish & The Seaweeds
personnel: Drop Control
setlist:
tape: audio exists
September 13 1990 – The Belly-Up Tavern, Solana Beach CA
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
personnel: SJH, MK
setlist:
tape:
[info: Jon Kanis]
January 18 1991 Anaheim CA
Opening for Spinal Tap
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist:
tape:
April 5 1991 Solana Beach CA
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist:
tape: audio exists
May 1 1991 Marquee, London UK
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist: ?, ?, Confessions Of A Deprived Youth, Bang Your Groove Thang, ?, The Medley Pt. 1, City Of Tiny Lites, Rain, Earth, Eat That Question, Bad Girl, Your Money Or Your Life, I’m So Cute, ?, G-Spot Tornado, ?, Obviously Influenced By The Devil, The Medley Pt. 2, I’m The Slime, Dirty Love, The Medley Pt. 3, Purple Haze, Vanity, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama, ?, ?, I Think, I Love You [setlist provided by Ulrich Mrosek]
tape: audio exists
May 3 1991 Espace Ornano, Paris, France
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist: Confessions Of A Deprived Youth, Bang Your Groove Thang, ?, ?, The Medley Pt. 1, City Of Tiny Lites, Rain, Eat That Question, Bad Girl, Your Money Or Your Life, I’m So Cute, ? Is An Asshole, ?, G-Spot Tornado, ?, ?, Dweezil Impro, ?, Purple Haze, I’m The Slime, Dirty Love, Vanity, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama, Dragonmaster, ?, The Medley Pt. 2, The Medley Pt. 3 [setlist provided by Ulrich Mrosek]
tape: audio exists
May 5 1991 Paradiso, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist: Confessions Of A Deprived Youth, Bang Your Groove Thang, ?, Can’t Fuck Everybody, Kiss My Ass (aka Ring My Bell), Earth, Eat That Question, Bad Girl, Your Money Or Your Life, I’m So Cute, George Bush Is An Asshole, ?, G-Spot Tornado, ?, Obviously Influenced By The Devil, Purple Haze, You Can’t Judge A Girl By The Panties She Wear > Dweezil Impro > The Medley Pt. I > City Of Tiny Lites > Rain > ?, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Mama, The Medley Pt. II, The Medley Pt. III, ?, I’m The Slime, Dirty Love [setlist provided by Ulrich Mrosek]
tape: audio and video exist
May 15 1991 Cat’s Club, New York City, NY
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist:
tape: audio exists
May 16 1991 Boston MA
personnel: The Dweezil Zappa Band (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Josh Freese)
setlist:
tape: audio exists
January 25 1992 Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim CA
Zoom booth
personnel: Z
setlist:
tape: guerilla video
January 1993 Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim CA
Peavey booth
personnel: Z
setlist:
tape: guerilla audio/video
May 12 1993 – Club Lingerie, Hollywood CA (???)
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist: Jesus Clone, Belly Button, Mommy, Purple Guitar
tape: pro shot video
May 29 1993 Dynamo Open Air Festival, Vliegbasis Welschap, Eindhoven Netherlands
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist:
tape: snippet broadcasted on MTV Europe [info by Rob Elbers]
May 31 1993 Batschkapp, Frankfurt, Germany
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist:
tape: exists
June 1993 Tivoli, Utrecht, The Netherlands
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist:
tape:
note: the webmaster was there
June 7 1993 Nighttown, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist: the Shampoo Horn album, Medley [info by Rob Elbers]
tape:
June 19 1993 Pacific, Antwerpen, Belgium
personnel: Z (Ahmet Zappa, Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally, Scott Thunes, Joe Travers)
setlist: Sunday Afternoon In The Park > Lucky Jones, Eat That Question > Did I Mention It Was Huge? > Doomed To Be Together, Belly Button > Singer In The Woods, Kidz Cereal > Mommy > Rubberband, I’m Lou Reed > Fuck Lou Reed > Choke, chatter, Loser (Lou Reed Is A…) > Leviathan, Medley, My Beef Mailbox, Purple Guitar [setlist provided by Ron Spiegelhalter]
tape: exists
September 18 1993 Chillers, Belmont Park – San Diego CA
personnel: Mike Keneally, Toss Panos & Doug Lunn
with special guest appearances by Bob Tedde, Doug Booth, Alan Sliverstein and Darryl Monroe
set list: Spearmint Pup, Rosemary Girl, Open Up, I Can’t Stop, Spoon Guy, Ugly Town, Performing Miracles, We’re Rockin’ All Night With The Tangy Flavor Of Cheddar, The Car Song, Dhen Tin, Killer Fish [setlist provided by Kris Jeter]
tape: video exists
December 1993 – The Catamaran, San Diego CA
personnel: MK, Bryan Beller, Toss Panos
setlist:
tape:
December 31 1993 – Bing Crosby Hall, Del Mar CA
personnel: MK, Bryan Beller, Toss Panos
setlist:
tape: audio exists, possibly video as well [info by Kristopher Jeter]