Crazy Backwards Alphabet is an album conceived by cartoonist Matt Groening and recorded by Henry Kaiser. The core group features Kaiser on guitar along with drummer John "Drumbo" French (ex Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band), bassist Andy West (of Dixie Dregs), and Swedish avant-rock drummer Michael Maksymenko. American rock critic Robert Christgau said of the album: "Concept is Beefheart as Dixie Dregs, kind of, with intermittent lyrics, not always in English." It was released in 1987. Further recordings were made for a follow-up album; however, it was not released until 2007 as Crazy Backwards Alphabet II.

Track listing

LP version

Side one

Side two

CD version

• bonus tracks on CD only

Personnel

Crazy Backwards Alphabet are

Special guests

Bob Adams – guitar (track 1), bass (track 1) Scott Colby – slide guitar (track 3), lead vocals (track 9) Darol Anger – violin (track 4) Harry Duncan – harp (track 10) Bill Frisell – guitar Ralph Nygard – midi wind controller bass

Production crew

Henry Kaiser – producer/engineer Phil Brown – engineer Oliver DiCiccco – engineer Mark Bryan Johnson – engineer Matt Groening – artwork and album concept Hugh Brown – photography Recorded in 1986, except 13 & 14 in 1987 and 15 in 1991.