"And the Band Played On: The Band's Tale," a concise narrative penned by John Gregory Betancourt, centers around the misfortune of the Max Rebo Band in selecting an inopportune moment, location, and boss for their musical services. This story is featured within the collection Tales from Jabba's Palace, which was released by Bantam Spectra in December of 1995. Given its debut prior to the Special Edition's arrival in 1997, certain musicians of the Max Rebo Band who were initially showcased in the Special Edition are absent from this particular tale.
Evar Orbus and His Galactic Jizz-Wailers journeyed to Tatooine with the anticipation of entertaining patrons at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina. Nevertheless, en route to the cantina, they faced an assault orchestrated by Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes. The conflict resulted in the demise of Orbus, paving the way for Max Rebo to assume leadership of the ensemble. With their engagement at the cantina having fallen through, the freshly formed Max Rebo Band found themselves urgently seeking employment. Rebo swiftly agreed to an enduring agreement to perform within Jabba's Palace. Much to the dissatisfaction of Sy Snootles, a fellow band member, the sole compensation offered for their services consisted solely of unrestricted access to food.