thumb|right|300px|Keneally performing in 2007

Michael Joseph Keneally (born December 20, 1961) is an American guitarist, keyboardist, vocalist and composer. Keneally leads his own band, and is also known for a stint with Frank Zappa and for extensive work as a session musician with a range of performers.

Early years and musical influences

Keneally started playing music at the age of 7 when he received an electric organ for his birthday. He also received a guitar on his eleventh birthday, and plays bass and drums as well. 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.

Career

Born on Long Island, New York, he moved to San Diego, California at an early age and has been a fixture on the local music scene there since 1985 when he formed the local cult band Drop Control. Although a well established musician in his own right, Keneally is probably most well known as former Frank Zappa "stunt guitarist" and a Zappa 1988 tour band member on both guitar and keyboards. Keneally's appointment to that role was secured by his command of Zappa's vast and difficult-to-play repertoire.

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.

In August 2014, Keneally participated in the G4 Experience—a week-long guitar camp—with fellow guitarists Satriani, Paul Gilbert, and Andy Timmons.

Current Mike Keneally Band line-up

  • Mike Keneally - guitar, keys, lead vocals
  • Bryan Beller - bass, backing vocals
  • Rick Musallam - guitar, bouzouki, backing vocals
  • Griff Peters - guitars
  • Joe Travers, Marco Minnemann, or Nick D'Virgilio, as availability dictates - drums

Keneally has performed in Europe in the years 2002 - 2004 and 2016 with Jaan Wessman (bass) and Schroeder (drums) as "Mike Keneally and Friends". In July/August 2017 the trio changed its name to the "Mike Keneally Report" and performed numerous shows both as headliner as well as supporting Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Discography

  • hat. (1992)
  • Boil That Dust Speck (1994)
  • The Mistakes (1995)
  • Half Alive in Hollywood (1997)
  • Sluggo! (1997)
  • The Tar Tapes, Vol. 1 (1997)
  • The Tar Tapes, Vol. 2 (1998)
  • Nonkertompf (1999)
  • Nonkertalk (1999)
  • Dancing (2000)
  • Dancing With Myself ... and Others (2000)
  • Wooden Smoke (2002)
  • Wooden Smoke Asleep (2002)
  • Dog (2004)
  • Pup (2004)
  • The Universe Will Provide (2004)
  • Parallel Universe (2004)
  • Vai Piano Reductions Vol. 1, Performed by Mike Keneally (2004)
  • Guitar Therapy Live (2005)
  • Wine and Pickles (2008)
  • Scambot 1 (2009)
  • Stories and Songs Inspired by Scambot 1 (2009)
  • The Scambot Holiday Special (2009)
  • Evidence of Humanity (2010)
  • Elements of a Manatee (2010)
  • Bakin' @ the Potato! (2010)
  • Wing Beat Fantastic: Songs Written by Mike Keneally and Andy Partridge (2012)
  • Wing Beat Elastic: Remixes, Demos and Unheard Music (2012)
  • You Must Be This Tall (2013)
  • Live at Mama Kin (2013)
  • Free EP Volume 1 (2013)
  • Free EP Volume 2 (2013)
  • Dancing Demos (2014)
  • Scambot 2 (2016)
  • Inkling (2016)
  • The Thing That Knowledge Can't Eat (2023)

References