This is a list of the different line-ups of the Mothers, The Mothers Of Invention and other Zappa touring bands.

 

    guitar and/or vocals bass drums, percussion strings keyboards, wind instruments
1964 / 1966 the mothers # 1 f.zappa r.collins     r.estrada   j.c. black                                
1966 the m.o.i. # 2 f.zappa r.collins e.ingber   r.estrada   j.c. black                                
  the m.o.i. # 3-1st                                              
early 1967 the m.o.i. # 3-2nd f.zappa r.collins     r.estrada   j.c. black billy mundi       d.preston bunk   motorhead                
1967/09 -> 1968 the m.o.i. # 3-3rd f.zappa r.collins     r.estrada   j.c. black billy mundi     i.underwood d.preston bunk   motorhead                
1968/01 -> 1968/10 the m.o.i. # 3-4th f.zappa       r.estrada   j.c. black art tripp     i.underwood d.preston bunk   motorhead                
1968/11 -> 1969/05 the m.o.i. # 3-5th f.zappa   l.george   r.estrada   j.c. black art tripp     i.underwood d.preston bunk buzz motorhead                
1969/06 -> 1970 the m.o.i. # 3-6th f.zappa       r.estrada   j.c. black art tripp     i.underwood d.preston bunk buzz motorhead                
1970/02 hot rats f.zappa m.bennett     ed greene     i.underwood
1970/03 hot rats f.zappa       m.bennett     a.dunbar     i.underwood sugarcane                      
1970/05 the m.o.i. # 4 f.zappa r.collins     j.simmons   b.mundi a.dunbar     i.underwood d.preston   g.duke motorhead                
1970/06 -> 1970/12 the m.o.i. # 5 f.zappa flo & eddie     j.simmons     a.dunbar     i.underwood     g.duke                  
1971/05 -> 1971/08 the m.o.i. # 6-1st f.zappa flo & eddie     j.pons     a.dunbar     i.underwood d.preston b.harris(#1)                    
1971/10 > 1971/12 the m.o.i. # 6-2nd f.zappa flo & eddie     j.pons     a.dunbar     i.underwood d.preston                      
1972/09 the grand wazoo orch. f.zappa   t.duran   d.parlato   j.gordon r.underwood t.raney j.kessler i.underwood s.marquez b.fowler e.dumler m.mcnabb t.malone g.ferris j.mcnabb k.shroyer m.altschul j.migliori r.reed c.owens
1972/10 -> 1972/12 the petit wazoo orchstra f.zappa   t.duran   d.parlato   j.gordon           b.fowler e.dumler m.mcnabb t.malone g.ferris g.barone          
  the m.o.i. # 7-1st                                              
1973/02 -> 1973/07 the m.o.i. # 7-2nd f.zappa       t.fowler   r.humphrey r.underwood   j.-l.ponty i.underwood s.marquez   g.duke                  
1973/08 -> 1973/09 the m.o.i. # 7-3nd f.zappa       t.fowler   r.humphrey r.underwood   j.-l.ponty i.underwood     g.duke                  
1973/10 -> 1973/12 the m.o.i. # 8 f.zappa       t.fowler   r.humphrey r.underwood c.thompson   n.m.brock   b.fowler g.duke                  
1974/02 -> 1974/03 the m.o.i. # 9-1st f.zappa   j.simmons   t.fowler   r.humphrey r.underwood     n.m.brock   b.fowler g.duke                  
1974/04 -> 1974/05 the m.o.i. # 9-2nd f.zappa   j.simmons   t.fowler   r.humphrey       n.m.brock d.preston b.fowler g.duke w.fowler                
1974/07 -> 1974/11 the m.o.i. # 10-1st f.zappa       t.fowler   c.thompson r.underwood     n.m.brock     g.duke                  
1974/11 the m.o.i. # 10-2nd f.zappa       r.rogers   c.thompson r.underwood     n.m.brock     g.duke                  
1974/11/19 -> 1974/11/23 the m.o.i. # 10-3rd f.zappa       m.urso   c.thompson r.underwood     n.m.brock     g.duke                  
1974/11/24 -> 1974/12/01 the m.o.i. # 10-4th f.zappa       j.youmans   c.thompson r.underwood     n.m.brock     g.duke
1975/04 -> 1975/05 the m.o.i. # 11 f.zappa beefheart   d.walley t.fowler   t.bozzio       n.m.brock   b.fowler g.duke                  
  the m.o.i. # 12-1st                                              
1975/09 -> 1975/11 the m.o.i. # 12-2nd f.zappa       r.estrada   t.bozzio       n.m.brock a.lewis n.j.bell                    
1975/11 -> 1976/03 the m.o.i. # 12-3rd f.zappa       r.estrada   t.bozzio       n.m.brock a.lewis                      
1976/10 -> 1976/11 zappa # 1-1st f.zappa r.white     p.o'hearn   t.bozzio       e.jobson b.odin                      
1976/11 zappa # 1-2nd f.zappa r.white     p.o'hearn   t.bozzio       e.jobson                        
1976/12 - SNL zappa # 1-3rd f.zappa r.white d.pardo   p.o'hearn  b.cranshaw t.bozzio r.underwood     e.jobson d.samuels r.brecker m.brecker l.marini t.malone r.cuber  ch.hardwick          
1977/01 -> 1977/02 zappa # 1-2nd f.zappa r.white     p.o'hearn   t.bozzio       e.jobson                        
1977/09 -> 1978/02 zappa # 2 f.zappa a.belew     p.o'hearn   t.bozzio e.mann     t.mars p.wolf                      
1978/08 -> 1978/10 zappa # 3-1st f.zappa   i.willis     a.barrow v.colaiuta e.mann     t.mars p.wolf                      
1978/10 zappa # 3-2nd f.zappa       p.o'hearn a.barrow v.colaiuta e.mann   l.shankar t.mars p.wolf                      
1979/02 -> 1979/04 zappa # 3-3rd f.zappa w.cuccurullo i.willis d.walley   a.barrow v.colaiuta e.mann     t.mars p.wolf                      
1980/01 zappa # 4-1st f.zappa r.white i.willis     a.barrow s.lott       t.mars                        
1980/01 -> 1980/07 zappa # 4-2nd f.zappa r.white i.willis     a.barrow d.logeman       t.mars                        
  zappa # 5-1st                                              
1980/09 -> 1980/12 zappa # 5-2nd f.zappa r.white i.willis s.vai   a.barrow v.colaiuta       t.mars b.harris(#2)                      
1981/08 -> 1982/07 zappa # 6 f.zappa r.white   s.vai   s.thunes c.wackerman e.mann     t.mars r.martin                      
1984/07 -> 1984/08 zappa # 7-1st f.zappa r.white i.willis     s.thunes c.wackerman       n.m.brock r.martin a.zavod                    
1984/08 -> 1984/12 zappa # 7-2nd f.zappa r.white i.willis     s.thunes c.wackerman         r.martin a.zavod                    
1987/12 zappa # 8-1st f.zappa flo & eddie i.willis     s.thunes c.wackerman e.mann     t.mars                        
1988/02 -> 1988/06 zappa # 8-2nd f.zappa i.willis m.keneally s.thunes c.wackerman e.mann r.martin b.fowler a.wing w.fowler p.carman k.mcgettrick

 

"the mothers of invention" (1964 / 1966)
frank zappa, ray collins, roy estrada, jimmy carl black,  but also henry vestine, alice stuart, ...

"the mothers of invention" (1966)
frank zappa, ray collins, elliot ingber, roy estrada, jimmy carl black

"the mothers of invention" (early 1967)
frank zappa, ray collins, roy estrada, jimmy carl black, billy mundi, don preston, bunk gardner, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"the mothers of invention" (1967/09 -> 1968)
frank zappa, ray collins, roy estrada, jimmy carl black, billy mundi, ian underwood, don preston, bunk gardner, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"the mothers of invention" (1968/01 -> 1968/10)
frank zappa, roy estrada, jimmy carl black, art tripp, ian underwood, don preston, bunk gardner, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"the mothers of invention" (1968/11 -> 1969/05)
frank zappa, lowell george, roy estrada, jimmy carl black, art tripp, ian underwood, don preston, bunk gardner, buzz gardner, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"the mothers of invention" (1969/06 -> 1970)
frank zappa, roy estrada, jimmy carl black, art tripp, ian underwood, don preston, bunk gardner, buzz gardner, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"hot rats" (1970/02)
f.zappa, m.bennett, ed greene, ian underwood  

"hot rats" (1970/03)
f.zappa, m.bennett, aysnley dunbar, ian underwood, sugarcane harris

"the mothers of invention" - the spring 1970 band (1970/05)
f.zappa, ray collins, jeff simmons, billy mundi, aysnley dunbar, ian underwood, don preston, george duke, jim 'motorhead' sherwood

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1970 band (1970/06 -> 1970/12)
frank zappa, flo & eddie (mark volman & howard kaylan), jeff simmons, aysnley dunbar, ian underwood, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the summer 1971 band (1971/05 -> 1971/08)
frank zappa, flo & eddie (mark volman & howard kaylan), jim pons, aynsley dunbar, ian underwood, don preston, bob harris

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1971 band (1971/10 > 1971/12)
frank zappa, flo & eddie (mark volman & howard kaylan), jim pons, aynsley dunbar, ian underwood, don preston

"the grand wazoo orchestra" (1972/09)
f.zappa, t.duran, d.parlato, j.gordon, r.underwood, t.raney, j.kessler , i.underwood, s.marquez, b.fowler, e.dumler, m.mcnabb, t.malone, g.ferris, j.mcnabb, k.shroyer, m.altschul, j.migliori, r.reed, c.owens

"the petit wazoo orchstra" (1972/10 -> 1972/12)
f.zappa, t.duran, d.parlato, j.gordon, b.fowler, e.dumler, m.mcnab, t.malone, g.ferris, g.barone

"the mothers of invention" - the spring / summer 1973 band (1) (1973/02 -> 1973/07)
frank zappa, tom fowler, ralph humphrey, ruth underwood, jean-luc ponty, ian underwood, sal marquez, george duke, bruce fowler

"the mothers of invention" - the spring / summer 1973 band (2) (1973/08 -> 1973/09)
frank zappa, tom fowler, ralph humphrey, ruth underwood, jean-luc ponty, ian underwood, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1973 band (1973/10 -> 1973/12)
frank zappa, tom fowler, ralph humphrey, ruth underwood, chester thompson, napoleon murphy brock, bruce fowler, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the winter 1974 band (1974/02 -> 1974/03)
frank zappa, jeff simmons, tom fowler, ralph humphrey, ruth underwood, napoleon murphy brock, bruce fowler, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the spring 1974 band (1974/04 -> 1974/05)
frank zappa, jeff simmons , tom fowler, ralph humphrey, napoleon murphy brock, don preston, bruce fowler, george duke, walt fowler

"the mothers of invention" - the summer/fall 1974 band (1) (1974/07 -> 1974/11)
frank zappa, tom fowler, chester thompson, ruth underwood, napoleon murphy brock, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the summer/fall 1974 band (2) (1974/11)
f.zappa, r.rogers, chester thompson, ruth underwood, napoleon murphy brock, george duke  

"the mothers of invention" - the summer/fall 1974 band (3) (1974/11/19 -> 1974/11/23)
f.zappa, m.urso, c.thompson, r.underwood, napoleon murphy brock, g.duke

"the mothers of invention" - the summer/fall 1974 band (4) (1974/11/24 -> 1974/12/01)
frank zappa, james youmans, chester thompson, ruth underwood, napoleon murphy brock, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the summer/fall 1974 band (1) (1974/12)
f.zappa, tom fowler, chester thompson, ruth underwood, napoleon murphy brock, george.duke  

"the mothers of invention" - the spring 1975 band (1975/04 -> 1975/05)
frank zappa, captain beefheart, denny walley, tom fowler, terry bozzio, napoleon murphy brock, bruce fowler, george duke

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1975 / winter 1976 band (1)  (1975/09 -> 1975/10)
f.zappa, roy estrada, terry bozzio, napoleon murphy brock, andre lewis

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1975 / winter 1976 band (2)  (1975/11 -> 1975/12)
frank zappa, roy estrada, terry bozzio, napoleon murphy brock, andre lewis, norma jean bell

"the mothers of invention" - the fall 1975 / winter 1976 band (1) (1976/01 -> 1976/03)
frank zappa, roy estrada, terry bozzio, napoleon murphy brock, andre lewis

"zappa" - the winter 1976 band (1) (1976/10 -> 1976/11)
frank zappa, bianca odin, ray white, patrick o'hearn, terry bozzio, eddie jobson

"zappa" - the winter 1976 band (2) (1976/11)
frank zappa, ray white, patrick o'hearn, terry bozzio, eddie jobson  

"zappa" on 'Saturday Night Live'
 frank zappa, ray white, don pardo, patrick o'hearn, b.cranshaw, terry bozzio, ruth underwood, eddie jobson, david samuels, randy brecker, michael brecker, lou marini, tom malone, ronnie cuber, ch.hardwick

"zappa" - the winter 1976 band (3) (1976/12) 
frank zappa, r.white, d.pardo, p.o'hearn, t.bozzio, r.underwood, e.jobson, d.samuels, r.brecker, m.brecker, l.marini, t.malone, r.cuber

"zappa" - the winter 1976 band (2) (1977/01 -> 1977/02)
frank zappa, ray white, patrick o'hearn, terry bozzio, eddie jobson  

"zappa" - the fall 1977 / winter 1978 band (1977/09 -> 1978/02)
frank zappa, adrian belew, patrick o'hearn, terry bozzio, ed mann, tommy mars, peter wolf

"zappa" - the fall 1978 band (1) (1978/08 -> 1978/10)
frank zappa, denny walley, ike willis, arthur barrow, vinnie colaiuta, ed mann, tommy mars, peter wolf

"zappa" - the fall 1978 band (2) (1978/10) 
frank zappa, denny walley, patrick o'hearn, arthur barrow, vinnie colaiuta, ed mann, l.shankar, tommy mars, peter wolf

"zappa" - the 1979 band (1979/02 -> 1979/04)
frank zappa, warren cuccurullo, ike willis, denny walley, arthur barrow, vinnie colaiuta, ed mann, tommy mars, peter wolf

"zappa" - the spring/summer 1980 band (1) (1980/01)
f.zappa, ray white, ike willis, arthur barrow, s.lott, tommy mars

"zappa" - the spring/summer 1980 band (2) (1980/01 -> 1980/07)
frank zappa, ray white, ike willis, arthur barrow, david logeman, tommy mars

"zappa" - the fall 1980 band - (1980/09 -> 1980/12)
frank zappa, ray white, ike willis, steve vai, arthur barrow, vinnie colaiuta, tommy mars, bob harris(#2)

"zappa" - the 1981 band (1981/08 -> 1981/12)
frank zappa, ray white, steve vai, scott thunes, chad wackerman, ed mann, tommy mars, robert martin

"zappa" - the 1982 band (1982/05 ->1982/07)
frank zappa, ray white, steve vai, scott thunes, chad wackerman, ed mann, tommy mars, robert martin

"zappa" - the 1984 band (1) (1984/07 -> 1984/08)
frank zappa, ray white, ike willis, scott thunes, chad wackerman, n.m.brock, bobby martin, allan zavod

"zappa" - the 1984 band (2) (1984/08 -> 1984/12)
frank zappa, ray white, ike willis, scott thunes, chad wackerman, robert martin, allan zavod

"zappa" - the 1987 band (1987/12)
frank zappa, flo & eddie (m.volman & h.kaylan), ike willis, scott thunes, chad wackerman, ed mann, t.mars

"zappa" - the 1988 band (1988/02 -> 1988/06)
frank zappa, ike willis, mike keneally, scott thunes, chad wackerman, ed mann, robert martin, bruce fowler, albert wing, walt fowler, paul carman, kurt mcgettrick