Scott Thunes (born 1960, Los Angeles) is an American bassist who played with Frank Zappa from 1981 to 1988, appearing on a string of albums including Them or Us, Broadway the Hard Way and Jazz from Hell - the last of which won a Grammy in 1988. Known for a style that blends jazz improvisation, classical thinking and a punkish attack, he also served as Zappa's Clonemeister (rehearsal director) from 1984. After years away from performing, he returned via The Zappa Band and now runs the Thunes Institute of Musical Excellence (TIME), a rigorous mentorship programme for teenage musicians in the Bay Area.
Thunes led his Thunes Institute of Musical Excellence (TIME) student band on a European tour backing Gibby Haynes (Butthole Surfers), with dates in Helsinki, Berlin, Amsterdam, London and other cities.
Multiple music outlets announced the Gibby Haynes / TIME European tour, describing TIME as a group of teenage musicians aged 13-19 who had trained under Thunes for two years.
Premier Guitar published a feature interview with Thunes about his bass journey from Zappa to teaching at Marin School of the Arts.
The Zappa Band, featuring Thunes alongside Mike Keneally, Ray White and Robert Martin, opened for King Crimson multiple times on their North American tour.
Thunes was part of the official Zappa band on the Frank Zappa hologram tour, playing bass and singing background vocals.
