Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes Returns June 19—”Fish Heads” and the Lumania Legacy on LP, CD, and DVD for the First Time

Here’s a cult classic getting the reissue treatment it deserves: Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes, the 16-track compilation originally released by Rhino Records in 1987, returns June 19, 2026, on LP and CD, and for the first time ever on DVD. Released by Liberation Hall and distributed by MVD Entertainment Group (USA) and Wienerworld (UK), the collection celebrates the early years of the enigmatic musical duo formed by Los Angeles high school classmates Robert Haimer (1954-2023) and Bill Mumy, featuring their early MTV hit “Fish Heads,” the #1 most requested song in the history of the Dr. Demento Radio Show. The DVD, previously available only on VHS, includes seven music videos plus comic testimonials from Mark Hamill, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Dr. Demento himself, Stephen Stills, Rosemary Clooney, Devo’s Booji Boy, and other celebrities of the era. Pre-orders are available now on Amazon.

The Barnes & Barnes Origin#

Barnes & Barnes emerged from friendship, pseudonyms, and a fictional civilization.

Robert Haimer and Bill Mumy formed the duo in 1970 as high school classmates in Los Angeles. Mumy was already an established actor, known for his work in Lost in Space and The Twilight Zone among other credits. But when recording or performing as Barnes & Barnes, the pair adopted the personas of Art Barnes and Artie Barnes respectively, supposed twin brothers from the fictional civilization of Lumania.

The names derived from the “Art Films” they had created as teenagers with a Super 8 motion picture camera, connecting their musical project to earlier creative collaboration. By 1978, they had become darlings of the musical underground, their particular blend of new wave instrumentation and bizarre lyrical content finding devoted audience through channels outside mainstream radio.

The “Fish Heads” Phenomenon#

“Fish Heads” became the song that defined Barnes & Barnes to the wider world.

The novelty tune achieved the remarkable distinction of becoming the #1 most requested song in the history of the Dr. Demento Radio Show, the syndicated program that championed comedy and novelty music for decades. Dr. Demento’s audience recognized something in “Fish Heads” that demanded repeated listening, the combination of absurdist lyrics with genuinely catchy composition creating earworm that wouldn’t release its grip.

The video, directed by and starring actor Bill Paxton, aired on NBC-TV’s Saturday Night Live in December 1980. Eight months later it was in rotation on the newly launched MTV cable channel, making “Fish Heads” part of the original wave of music videos that defined the format.

The Compilation Contents#

Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes was the duo’s first full-length compilation of their music recorded between 1978 and 1987.

The collection draws from across their catalog: five tracks from debut album Voobaha (1980), two from Spazchow (1981), four from Amazing Adult Fantasy (1984), two from Sicks (1986), and three additional non-LP cuts. The span captures Barnes & Barnes during their most prolific period.

As AllMusic Guide’s Neg Raggett observed in his review, the duo had “a lovely knack for commercial but not slick new wave/modern rock of the ’80s variety, with synthesizers, hooks, and just enough guitars and drum machines, over which they then proceeded to sing all sorts of bizarre lyrics.”

The 16-track listing spans “Fish Heads,” “Blithering,” “Soak It Up,” “Ah Ā,” “Boogie Woogie Amputee,” “Life Is Safer When You’re Sleeping,” “Unfinished Business,” “Pussy Whipped,” “What’s New Pussycat?,” “Party in My Pants,” “Don’t You Wanna Go to the Moon,” “Pizza Face,” “Love Tap,” “I Don’t Remember Tomorrow,” “Cemetery Girls,” and “When You Die.”

The Guest Artist Connections#

Beyond Haimer and Mumy’s instrumental and songwriting talents, Zabagabee features an eclectic lineup of guest artists reflecting the duo’s music industry connections.

Bob Casale of Devo produced their remake of Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What’s New Pussycat?,” bringing new wave credibility to the classic songwriting. Gerry Beckley of the band America produced and sang on “Blithering.”

“Don’t You Wanna Go to the Moon” features additional vocals from Beckley and his America bandmate Dewey Bunnell, Journey’s Steve Perry, Toto’s Joseph Williams, and Jay Gruska. The guest list spans soft rock, arena rock, and session royalty, all contributing to a Barnes & Barnes track.

The DVD Debut#

The DVD release of Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes finally brings the video collection out of VHS obscurity.

The 40-minute collection features seven videos of songs from the album: “Fish Heads,” “Love Tap,” “Soak It Up,” “Ah Ā,” “Party in My Pants,” “Pizza Face,” and “When You Die.” Intercut between the videos are comic testimonials to the genius of Barnes & Barnes from an extraordinary roster.

Mark Hamill and “Weird Al” Yankovic represent the geek culture royalty that embraced Barnes & Barnes. Barret Eugene Hansen, better known as Dr. Demento, provides the endorsement that connected the duo to their core audience. Stephen Stills, Rosemary Clooney, Woody Herman, and José Ferrer add unexpected star power. Devo’s Booji Boy maintains the new wave connection.

For longtime fans who’ve held onto VHS copies or never had access to the video material, the DVD represents the missing piece of the Barnes & Barnes collection.

The Legacy#

Following Zabagabee‘s original 1987 release, Haimer and Mumy recorded an additional nine collaborative albums before Haimer’s death in 2023. The duo also produced a pair of albums for Wild Man Fischer, extending their influence into the novelty and outsider music communities.

Mumy’s continued acting career and Haimer’s behind-the-scenes work kept both active in entertainment, but Barnes & Barnes remained their most cult-beloved collaboration. The reissue arrives as tribute to Haimer and celebration of what he and Mumy created together across decades.

Who Should Pre-Order#

If “Fish Heads” has lived in your head since the ’80s: The song that defined Dr. Demento’s request list finally returns in definitive compilation form.

If you missed Barnes & Barnes the first time: The compilation provides perfect entry point to a catalog that rewards exploration.

If the DVD testimonials intrigue you: Mark Hamill, “Weird Al,” Dr. Demento, Stephen Stills, and Devo’s Booji Boy praising Barnes & Barnes is content that shouldn’t remain VHS-only.

If ’80s new wave with absurdist lyrics appeals: The synthesis of commercial hooks and bizarre content that Raggett identified remains potent.

If Bill Mumy’s work beyond Lost in Space interests you: His musical collaboration with Haimer represents an entirely different creative dimension.

June 19 Returns to Lumania#

Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes arrives June 19, 2026, on LP, CD, and DVD from Liberation Hall, distributed by MVD Entertainment Group (USA) and Wienerworld (UK). Pre-orders available now on Amazon.

Sixteen tracks spanning 1978-1987. Seven music videos debuting on DVD. Testimonials from Mark Hamill, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Dr. Demento, and more. The #1 most requested song in Dr. Demento history.

Art Barnes and Artie Barnes. The twin brothers from Lumania. The early MTV hit that never left our heads.

June 19. Fish heads, fish heads, rolly polly fish heads. The compilation returns.