5 Bands who appeared as themselves on The Simpsons.
By Grant Butler
While The Simpsons has had numerous musicians and bands appear on the show, here are 5 of the biggest bands who’ve at one time or another been part of an episode.
1. Red Hot Chili Peppers
On The Simpsons episode “Krusty Gets Kancelled,” the band members appear as themselves in the star-studded segment that is Krusty’s attempt at a comeback. While the band is performing onstage, Krusty is offstage critiquing their performance as degrading, all the while being dressed as an overgrown child and demanding a bigger lollypop.
2. The Ramones
The Ramones appear as themselves on The Simpsons episode “Rosebud,” which is dedicated to Mr. Burns and his melancholy over the state of his life. The band is hired to sing Happy Birthday to Mr. Burns as part of his birthday celebration, but their act doesn’t exactly entertain him. While the band thinks he enjoyed it, Mr. Burns demands Smithers have the Rolling Stones killed. When Smithers tries reminding him that’s a different band, Mr. Burns demands that he obey him.
3. Aerosmith
Aerosmith appears in the “Flaming Moe’s,” episode where Moe takes Homer’s drink concoction, markets it as his own, and makes a ton of money off it. Aerosmith is initially reluctant to perform at the bar, but Moe convinces them by offering pickled eggs. When the band performs a second time Joey Kramer misses it because Mrs. Krabappel has taken his drumsticks and is acting like a hardcore groupie, much to his dismay.
4. The Smashing Pumpkins
The Smashing Pumpkins appear as themselves in The Simpsons episode “Homerpalooza.” At a music festival called Hullabalooza, the band encounters Homer after seeing his ability to take the blow of something fired out of a cannon.
5. Spinal Tap
Appearing on the episode called “The Otto Show,” Bart and Milhouse attend one of their concerts and it impresses Bart enough to want to play guitar. Later in the episode, Otto ends up running Spinal Tap’s bus off the road while driving the school bus.