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Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and author. He is best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Primus since its formation in 1984. Frequently considered one of the best bassists of all time, his playing style is well known for mixing
tapping Tapping is a playing technique that can be used on any stringed instrument, but which is most commonly used on guitar. The technique involves a string being fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion. This is in contrast to stand ...
,
flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura a ...
-like strumming, whammy bar bends, and slapping. Outside of Primus, Claypool has also been involved in a number of side projects, including supergroups such as
Oysterhead Oysterhead is an American rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool of Primus, guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police, with both Claypool and Anastasio providing vocals. The band's eclectic sound ha ...
(with
Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 Phish o ...
and
Stewart Copeland Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is a Scottish-American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with th ...
) and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains (with
Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative electric guitar playing. His music spans severa ...
, Bryan Mantia, and
Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Rol ...
). He also fronted the experimental rock projects Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and
Les Claypool's Fancy Band Les Claypool's Fancy Band was a lineup of musicians on tour with Les Claypool from 2005 to 2007. The band consisted of Claypool on bass, Skerik on tenor and baritone saxophone, Mike Dillon on vibraphone, marimba, tabla, cuíca and percussion, ...
. He has self-produced and engineered several solo releases from his own studio, Rancho Relaxo, in California. In 2006, he wrote and directed the mockumentary '' Electric Apricot'' and released his debut novel '' South of the Pumphouse''. More recently, he has formed musical duos such as Duo de Twang (with
Brian Kehoe Brian Patrick Kehoe (; born January 23, 1982) is an American male fashion model and former reality television show participant on Oxygen's program ''The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency''. Personal life Kehoe was born in Reno, Nevada in 1982 a ...
) and
The Claypool Lennon Delirium The Claypool Lennon Delirium is an American psychedelic rock band, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, known for his work in Primus, guitarist/vocalist Sean Lennon from The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, keyboardist/vocalist Jo� ...
(with
Sean Lennon is an American–British musician, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and half-brother to Julian Lennon. Over the course of his career, he has been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, The ...
).


Early life

Leslie Edward Claypool was born into a working-class family of car mechanics in
Richmond, California Richmond is a city in western Contra Costa County, California, United States. The city was incorporated on August 7, 1905, and has a city council.
, on September 29, 1963. He was raised in El Sobrante, California. He learned to play the bass guitar at the age of 14, but did not begin a music career until much later, and worked as a carpenter after graduating from high school.


Career


Early career

After the death of
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
bassist
Cliff Burton Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), ''Ride the Lightning'' (1984) ...
in 1986, Metallica guitarist
Kirk Hammett Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...
encouraged Claypoolhis friend and former schoolmateto audition as Burton's successor. In the Metallica episode of the documentary series ''
Behind the Music ''Behind the Music'' is a documentary television series on VH1. Each episode profiles and interviews a popular musical artist or group. The program examines the beginning of their career, their road to success, and the hardships they may have ...
'', Claypool said that he jokingly asked the members of Metallica if they wanted to "jam on some
Isley Brothers Isley is an English surname. The name can also be used as an anglicized variant for the German surnames Eisele and Eisler. Notable people with the surname include: *The Isley Brothers, American musical group **Ernie Isley (born 1952), American mus ...
tunes" during the audition, a reference to his lack of experience with Metallica's
thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...
style. He later recalled that Hammett had given him a copy of Metallica's 1984 album ''
Ride the Lightning ''Ride the Lightning'' is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica, released on July 27, 1984, by the independent record label Megaforce Records. The album was recorded in three weeks with producer Flemming Rasmussen at S ...
'', which he enjoyed, but overall "wasn't a big metal guy" and did not realize how popular Metallica had become until he arrived at the audition.Les Claypool on his Metallica audition
accessed March 7, 2018
Metallica frontman
James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...
said that Claypool was not offered the job because "he was too good" and "should do his own thing". Claypool responded by admitting that he "wasn't the right guy" for the band due to being a self-proclaimed "weirdo", and stated his belief that Hetfield was just "being nice" with his comments.


Primus

Primus began as "Primate" in the mid-1980s, with Claypool on bass, Todd Huth on guitar, and various drummers, most notably Jay Lane, though Huth and Lane left shortly thereafter to pursue other projects. Claypool replaced them with guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander. Claypool is considered to be the leader of the band, as well as the driving force behind its blending of
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the mi ...
with other genres. Claypool frequently utilizes the slap-bass technique, prominent in funk music, and is the only member of Primus who comes from a funk background. Because of Claypool's strong funk influence, Primus is often described as "
thrash Thrash may refer to: *Thrashing (computer science), where increasing resources are used to do a decreasing amount of work *Thrash (surname) * Thrash, mascot of the Atlanta Thrashers *'' Thrash Rally'', a top-down perspective rally racing video gam ...
-funk" or
funk metal Funk metal (also known as thrash-funk or punk-funk) is a subgenre of funk rock and alternative metal that infuses heavy metal music (often thrash metal) with elements of funk and punk rock. Funk metal was part of the alternative metal movement, ...
, though Claypool dislikes these labels, stating: "We've been lumped in with the funk metal thing just about everywhere. I guess people just have to categorize you. From 1989 to 2000, Primus was one of the most unusual bands to gain significant mainstream airplay, headlining
Lollapalooza Lollapalooza (Lolla) is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991 but several years later made Chicago the permanent location for the annual music festival. Musi ...
in 1993, appearing on ''
Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...
'' and ''
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
'' in 1995, and even appearing at
Woodstock '94 Woodstock '94 was an American music festival held in 1994 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock festival of 1969. It was promoted as "2 More Days of Peace and Music". The poster used to promote the first concert was r ...
, where they performed their ''
Pork Soda ''Pork Soda'' is the third studio album by the American funk metal band Primus, released April 20, 1993, certified Gold in September 1993 and certified Platinum in May 1997. The 2005 re-issue comes in a digipak and contains a booklet with lyrics ...
'' hit "
My Name Is Mud "My Name Is Mud" is a song by the American rock band Primus, released in 1993 as the first single from their third album ''Pork Soda''. In 2010, Primus released a new version of the track sung entirely in Spanish under the title "Me Llamo Mud". ...
" and were consequently pelted with mud by the audience, much to the band's displeasure, even driving Claypool to stop playing, and telling the audience "the song's called My Name is Mud, but keep the mud to yourself you son of a bitch". In 1991, the band was featured in the movie ''
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey ''Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey'' is a 1991 American science fiction comedy film, and the feature directorial debut of Pete Hewitt. It is the second film in the ''Bill & Ted'' franchise, and a sequel to '' Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'' (1989 ...
'', performing "
Tommy the Cat "Tommy the Cat" is a song by the American funk metal band Primus, released on their second album, ''Sailing the Seas of Cheese''. Recording The song contains spoken word portions (as the voice of Tommy the Cat) interspersed with the singing of ...
" live. Claypool and
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
first recorded on each other's records in 1991 and have continued to do so since. In 1997, Primus was asked to play and record the theme song for the animated television show ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
''. In 1999, he allowed Activision's use of the song " Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" in the popular video game '' Tony Hawk's Pro Skater''. Primus went on hiatus in 2000. In mid-2003, Claypool reunited with former Primus drummer Tim Alexander and guitarist Larry LaLonde to record a DVD/EP called ''
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People ''Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People'' is a career-spanning retrospective DVD plus bonus EP by American band Primus, released on October 7, 2003. The title was inspired by a crayon-made story book written by guitarist Larry LaLonde's son ...
''. In October of the same year, the band embarked on a two-month tour in which two sets were performed per show, the second set consisting of their 1991 release '' Sailing the Seas of Cheese'' being performed in its entirety. Primus continued touring into 2004, performing their 1990 release '' Frizzle Fry'' as their second set, as documented on the DVD ''
Hallucino-Genetics ''Hallucino-Genetics: Live 2004'' is the first concert DVD from Primus, released in October 2004. The show was filmed on June 26, 2004 at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois, the band's last show of their 2004 tour. The performance features ...
: Live 2004''. On October 17, 2006, Primus released both their first greatest hits album, '' They Can't All Be Zingers'', and their third DVD, '' Blame It on the Fish'', subtitled ''An Abstract Look at the 2003 Primus Tour De Fromage.'' The band toured in 2006 on their Primus: The Beat a Dead Horse Tour 2006, and played at a small number of festivals in 2008. In 2010, Alexander, who had left the band for the second time due to lack of interest, was replaced by Jay Lane, who had not played with the band since 1988. The band subsequently resumed touring after the free '' June 2010 Rehearsal'' was released later that year, and a studio album, ''
Green Naugahyde ''Green Naugahyde'' is the seventh studio album by rock group Primus, released by ATO Records and Prawn Song on September 12, 2011 in Europe, and on September 13, 2011 in the United States. It is the band's first album since 1999's ''Antipop'', ...
'', was released in 2011. In 2013, Lane left Primus for the second time to focus on his other band
RatDog RatDog is an American rock band. The group began in 1995 as a side project for Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. After the Dead disbanded later that year, RatDog became Weir's primary band. They performed some Grateful Dead songs, a mix ...
, who were coming off hiatus at the time, and was replaced again by Alexander. Primus' eighth studio album, '' Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble'', a re-imagining of the
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
from the 1971 film ''
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'' is a 1971 American musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. It is an adaptation of the 1964 novel '' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' by Roald Dahl. The fi ...
'', was released in October 2014. In 2017, Primus released '' The Desaturating Seven'', an album that is based on a bedtime story published by Italian author Ul de Rico, which is about a group of rainbow eating goblins. They then began a tour with ''
Mastodon A mastodon ( 'breast' + 'tooth') is any proboscidean belonging to the extinct genus ''Mammut'' (family Mammutidae). Mastodons inhabited North and Central America during the late Miocene or late Pliocene up to their extinction at the end of the ...
'' through most of 2018.


Solo work


Sausage

In 1988 Claypool started a short-lived alternative/funk rock band featuring Todd Huth on guitar and Jay Lane on drums. The group released their first album in April 1994 "Riddles Are Abound Tonight" by Prawn Song Records, and did a few short tours and opened for groups such as
Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...
,
Rollins Band Rollins Band was an American rock band formed in Van Nuys, California. The band was active from 1987 to 2006 and was led by former Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins. They are best known for the songs "Low Self Opinion" and " Liar", which both ...
, and
Slayer Slayer was an American thrash metal band from Huntington Park, California. The band was formed in 1981 by guitarists Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, drummer Dave Lombardo and bassist/vocalist Tom Araya. Slayer's fast and aggressive musical styl ...
. The band reunited for a show on December 31, 2019, opening for
The Claypool Lennon Delirium The Claypool Lennon Delirium is an American psychedelic rock band, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, known for his work in Primus, guitarist/vocalist Sean Lennon from The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, keyboardist/vocalist Jo� ...
and have not returned since.


Holy Mackerel

In 1996, Claypool produced, engineered and released a solo album, "Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel presents" '' Highball with the Devil''. Claypool is credited with bass, drums and vocals on several tracks as well as guitar. Also on the album are Mark "Mirv" Haggard, Adam Gates, Jay Lane, Joe Gore,
Charlie Hunter Charlie Hunter (born May 23, 1967) is an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. First coming to prominence in the early 1990s, Hunter plays custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars on which he simultaneously plays bass lines, chords, a ...
and
Henry Rollins Henry Lawrence Garfield (born February 13, 1961), known professionally as Henry Rollins, is an American singer, writer, spoken word artist, actor, and presenter. After performing in the short-lived hardcore punk band State of Alert in 1980, Rol ...
. The accompanying tour included Haggard and Gates on guitars with Bryan Mantia on drums. It was announced during the Holy Mackerel tour that Mantia had been chosen to become the next Primus drummer.


Oysterhead

In April 2000, Claypool collaborated with
Trey Anastasio Ernest Joseph "Trey" Anastasio III (born September 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Phish, which he co-founded in 1983. He is credited by name as composer of 152 Phish o ...
(of
Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike G ...
) and
Stewart Copeland Stewart Armstrong Copeland (born July 16, 1952) is a Scottish-American musician and composer. He is best known for his work as the drummer of the English rock band the Police from 1977 to 1986, and again from 2007 to 2008. Before playing with th ...
(of
the Police The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For most of their history the line-up consisted of primary songwriter Sting (lead vocals, bass guitar), Andy Summers (guitar) and Stewart Copeland (drums, percussion). The Polic ...
) to form a supergroup called
Oysterhead Oysterhead is an American rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool of Primus, guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police, with both Claypool and Anastasio providing vocals. The band's eclectic sound ha ...
. Claypool and Anastasio had been looking for an opportunity to collaborate. Each had a mutual interest in playing with Copeland who had been a rock idol of their teen years. Plus, Claypool and Copeland already had an established friendship. Oysterhead were originally intended as a one time performance during Jazz Fest in
New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
. Though timid of the band's sudden and surprising popularity they eventually decided to record and tour. They released one studio album, ''
The Grand Pecking Order ''The Grand Pecking Order'' is the only album by American rock band Oysterhead, released on October 2, 2001. The album was recorded in guitarist Trey Anastasio's Barn recording studio. Oysterhead was intended to be a single performance, but the p ...
'', and toured before disbanding in 2001. They re-united in 2006, at the
Bonnaroo Music Festival The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. Since its first year in 2002, it has been held at what is now Great Stage Park on a farm in ...
. In 2016 Les tried to reunite the group, but ended up releasing an album with
The Claypool Lennon Delirium The Claypool Lennon Delirium is an American psychedelic rock band, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, known for his work in Primus, guitarist/vocalist Sean Lennon from The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, keyboardist/vocalist Jo� ...
. Fortunately, they re-united once again in 2020 for two shows at the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado, with the rest of their tour cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.


The Frog Brigade

In May 2000, Claypool formed
Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (also known as The Les Claypool Frog Brigade) is a musical project with rotating personnel, led by American singer/bassist Les Claypool. The Frog Brigade was formed during a hiatus from Claypoo ...
, an experimental rock group. Claypool was asked to put together a band for the Mountain Aire Festival in Angels Camp, California. The band "of the most incredible guys (he) could possibly find" debuted that Memorial Day weekend and played a number of other festivals including moe.down. Originally he was going to call the band "Les Claypool's Thunder Brigade". Claypool states:
I originally was going to do the two drummer thing with
Herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...
and
Jack Irons Jack Steven Irons (born July 18, 1962) is an American drummer. He is the founding drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and is a former member of Pearl Jam and Eleven. Alongside his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, Irons ...
, so I was gonna call it the Les Claypool Thunder Brigade. Michael Bailey from
Bill Graham Presents Bill Graham (born Wulf Wolodia Grajonca; January 8, 1931 – October 25, 1991) was a German-American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death in 1991 in a helicopter crash. On July 4, 1939, he was sent from German ...
said to me that it may sound a bit too heavy for the Mountain Aire crowd and to perhaps try something a little different that had to do with the event itself. Since it was home of the Calaveras County Frog Jump... hence the Frog Brigade and then it evolved into Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade.
The Primus hiatus allowed him to return to his musical roots, playing songs by bands such as
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
,
King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
, and
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
. Claypool has called the Frog Brigade his " mid-life crisis band". From a set of October shows recorded at
Great American Music Hall The Great American Music Hall is a concert hall in San Francisco, California. It is located on O'Farrell Street in the Tenderloin neighborhood on the same block as the Mitchell Brothers O'Farrell Theatre. It is known for its decorative balconie ...
in San Francisco, Claypool released two Frog Brigade live albums, one being a cover of
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
's ''
Animals Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...
''. The line-up included Todd Huth, Eenor, Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane,
Skerik Skerik is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. He is a founding member of Critter ...
and Claypool. The Frog Brigade is also noted for Claypool's being accepted into the
jam band A jam band is a musical group whose concerts (and live albums) are characterized by lengthy improvisational " jams." These include extended musical improvisation over rhythmic grooves and chord patterns, and long sets of music which often ...
scene. ''
Live Frogs Set 1 ''Live Frogs Set 1'' is a live album by Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, released by Prawn Song Records on 10 April 2001. It is composed of songs recorded during the 8–9 October 2000 shows the Frog Brigade played at the Gre ...
'' won "Best Live Album" at the second annual
Jammys The Jammy Award (also known as the Jammys) is an awards show for bands typically referred to as jam bands and other artists associated with live, improvisational music, created by Dean Budnick and Peter Shapiro. The Jammys are sponsored by Rel ...
. Jay Lane and Jeff Chimenti are both members of
Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead ...
's band
Ratdog RatDog is an American rock band. The group began in 1995 as a side project for Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. After the Dead disbanded later that year, RatDog became Weir's primary band. They performed some Grateful Dead songs, a mix ...
. Claypool performed with the Rat Brigade when opening for Ratdog once in 2000 and again in 2007. The Rat Brigade includes Claypool, drummer Lane and keyboardist Chimenti, with guest appearances by saxophonist Kenny Brooks and Bob Weir. Claypool also guested on the Ratdog sets in 2000, 2006 and 2009. In 2002, Claypool released a studio album of the Frog Brigade, '' Purple Onion''. Musicians on multiple tracks for ''Purple Onion'' include Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule) Eenor, Mike Dillon,
Skerik Skerik is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. He is a founding member of Critter ...
, Jay Lane, Ben Barnes and Sam Bass (Dillon and Skerik were both from
Critters Buggin Critters Buggin is a Seattle, Washington-based instrumental group which performs in a jazz, rock and African-influenced, eclectic style. The band is composed of Matt Chamberlain (drums, percussion, piano, programming, synths, loops, samples an ...
while Barnes and Sam Bass were from Deadweight). This album includes "Whamola" which later appeared as a remix for the theme of
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
Season 10.


C2B3

Also in 2002, Claypool collaborated with guitarist
Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative electric guitar playing. His music spans severa ...
,
Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...
/
Talking Heads Talking Heads were an American rock band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991.Talki ...
keyboardist
Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Rol ...
, and former Primus drummer Bryan Mantia under the name Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains (stylized "C2B3," which is to be pronounced as "C Squared, B Cubed"). Their concerts pushed the improvisational envelope by preparing no material and not rehearsing beforehand. At one of their shows they prepared sandwiches onstage for the audience to eat. C2B3 re-united in 2004 to record ''
The Big Eyeball in the Sky ''The Big Eyeball in the Sky'' is the 2004 album by Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, known by fans as "C2B3," released on Les Claypool's own Prawn Song label. Reception AllMusic gave the album an above average review, writing: ...
'', an album with equal parts instrumental and vocal songs. The band began an 18-stat
tour
of the US on September 24, 2004. Aux TV was dismissive of Claypool's effort, but when the tour landed back in Northern California where Claypool lives, the local press gave a very positive review. The album features only one guest, the childlike multi-instrumentalist
Gabby La La Gabby La La (born Gabriel Lang on May 23, 1979) is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (including sitar, ukulele, accordion, theremin and toy piano), signed to Prawn Song Records. Her music is self described as "fun, unique, crazy (and) kooky". ...
(noted as Gabby Lang on Les Claypool's Frog Brigade's Purple Onion) on vocals and sitar. She also opened on every show (sometimes to scathingly negative reviews) during the 2004 tour as a solo act, and sometimes with members of C2B3. Claypool also produced and performed on Gabby La La's first album, '' Be Careful What You Wish For...''. Gabby La La is the first artist Les has signed to his label since
Charlie Hunter Charlie Hunter (born May 23, 1967) is an American guitarist, composer, and bandleader. First coming to prominence in the early 1990s, Hunter plays custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars on which he simultaneously plays bass lines, chords, a ...
in 1993. He has performed select shows with her (including the 2005
Bonnaroo Music Festival The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an American annual four-day music festival developed and founded by Superfly Presents and AC Entertainment. Since its first year in 2002, it has been held at what is now Great Stage Park on a farm in ...
) and added her to his then new touring band, Les Claypool & His Fancy Band. The 2005 Fancy Band line-up also included
Skerik Skerik is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics. He is a founding member of Critter ...
,
Dillon Dillon may refer to: People *Dillon (surname) * Dillon (given name) * Dillon (singer) (born 1988), Brazilian singer * Viscount Dillon, a title in the Peerage of Ireland Places Canada *Dillon, Saskatchewan United States *Dillon Beach, Californ ...
and
Lane In road transport, a lane is part of a roadway that is designated to be used by a single line of vehicles to control and guide drivers and reduce traffic conflicts. Most public roads (highways) have at least two lanes, one for traffic in each ...
. At the end of 2005, Claypool released '' 5 Gallons of Diesel'', a video retrospective of all of his work away from Primus.


2006


= ''Of Whales and Woe'' and the Fancy Band

= On May 30, 2006, Claypool released a solo album, ''
Of Whales and Woe ''Of Whales And Woe'' is the first solo album by Les Claypool, the bassist and vocalist of Primus. The album was released on May 30, 2006. The album features Skerik (saxophonist of the Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade), Mike Dillon ...
'', with guest appearances by Skerik, Mike Dillon and Gabby La La. This album includes the song "Robot Chicken", which is the theme song of the popular
Adult Swim Adult Swim (AS; stylized as dult swim'' and often abbreviated as s'') is an American adult-oriented night-time cable television channel that shares channel space with the basic cable network Cartoon Network and is programmed by its in-house ...
show of the same name. His son Cage and his daughter Lena even make a special appearance on the song "Back Off Turkey". The release was followed by a tour of the U.S. with the following lineup: *Les Claypool – Bass Guitar, Upright Bass, Bassjo, vocals *Skerik – Tenor Saxophone *Mike Dillon – Vibraphone, Percussion *Gabby La La – Sitar, Theremin * Paulo Baldi – Drums This lineup is called
Les Claypool's Fancy Band Les Claypool's Fancy Band was a lineup of musicians on tour with Les Claypool from 2005 to 2007. The band consisted of Claypool on bass, Skerik on tenor and baritone saxophone, Mike Dillon on vibraphone, marimba, tabla, cuíca and percussion, ...
and did national tours in both 2006 and 2007. A live DVD, ''
Fancy Fancy may refer to: Places * Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement * Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video ...
'', recorded from the 2006 tour was released in 2007. The audio track includes a mix of both soundboard and taper recordings. A song from the album, "One Better", was used in National Lampoon's TV: The Movie in a fight scene between Preston Lacy and
Lee Majors Lee Majors (born Harvey Lee Yeary; April 23, 1939) is an American actor. Majors portrayed the characters of Heath Barkley in the American television Western series ''The Big Valley'' (1965–1969), Colonel Steve Austin in the American televisio ...
.


2007–2016

Besides touring in the summer of 2007 nationally with the Fancy Band, Claypool performed that October with a version of the band, dubbed the Fancy Trio. The trio consisted of Claypool, Skerik on saxophone, and Mike Dillon on drums, vibraphone and percussion. They played at The Echo Project, an inaugural ecologically minded 3-day festival in Fairburn, Georgia on the Boukeart family farm. The set was similar to that of the Fancy Band's tours, culling from Claypool' solo and Frog Brigade albums, as well containing a cover of "
One Step Beyond One Step Beyond may refer to: Music * ''One Step Beyond'' (Dungeon album) or the title song, 2004 * ''One Step Beyond'' (Jackie McLean album), 1963 * '' One Step Beyond...'', an album by Madness, or the title song (see below), 1979 * ''One Step ...
" by
Madness Madness or The Madness may refer to: Emotion and mental health * Anger, an intense emotional response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat * Insanity, a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns * ...
and teases of other songs, including several Primus tunes, throughout their improvisational jams. For many years Claypool has done a New Year's Eve show at
The Fillmore The Fillmore is a historic music venue in San Francisco, California. Built in 1912 and originally named the Majestic Hall, it became the Fillmore Auditorium in 1954. It is in Western Addition, on the edge of the Fillmore District and Upper Fil ...
in San Francisco. More recently the New Year's Eve show has been an Annual New Year's Eve Hatter's Ball featuring a hat contest. December 31, 2007, was the 3rd such annual event. In 2008, a United States tour spanned from February 29 to April 5. It kicked off at the Neighborhood Theatre in
Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...
and ended at
The Warfield The Warfield Theatre, colloquially referred to as The Warfield, is a 2,300-seat music venue located in San Francisco, California. It was built as a vaudeville theater and opened as the '' Loews Warfield'' on May 13, 1922. History In the 1920s, T ...
in San Francisco. The 2008 tour was a quartet featuring Claypool, Dillon, Skerik and Baldi. During the year Claypool also performed several shows with Primus at festivals across America and Canada. ''
Pig Hunt The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
'' is a film directed by James Isaac released in 2008. Claypool contributes previously unreleased material and plays the role of "The Preacher". Claypool composed several songs for the
Wii The Wii ( ) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. It was released on November 19, 2006, in North America and in December 2006 for most other regions of the world. It is Nintendo's fifth major home game console, ...
game '' Mushroom Men'', released in December 2008. On December 31, 2008, Claypool rang in the New Year with his annual New Year's Eve show. It was at the San Francisco Opera House with Zappa Plays Zappa sharing the bill and playing first. Claypool was also a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards. His contributions helped assist upcoming independent artists' careers. Claypool's second solo album, '' Of Fungi and Foe'', was released on March 17, 2009. The album consists of expanded material of the music from the ''Mushroom Men'' game, as well as the ''Pig Hunt'' motion picture, and features a guest appearance by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz. In 2009, Claypool toured with
Matisyahu Matthew Paul Miller (born June 30, 1979), known by his stage name Matisyahu (; ), is an American reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician. Known for blending spiritual themes with reggae, rock and hip hop beatboxing so ...
, performing as a 'double-feature' set, as well as appearing together on stage. On March 28, 2010, Claypool performed a rendition of Rush's " The Spirit of Radio" for their induction into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame. From May 2010 to July 2013, Claypool toured extensively with Primus, alongside Larry LaLonde, and the return of former Primus drummer, Jay Lane. On September 6, 2012, a new side project was revealed as an acoustic band called Duo de Twang. Featuring Claypool and originally Marc Haggard. After two shows, Haggard was replaced with Bryan Kehoe. Both guitarists play together in the associated band ''
M.I.R.V. M.I.R.V. was a band based in the San Francisco, California, Bay Area. The band was founded in 1993. Its musical style includes elements of hard rock, heavy metal, funk, country, opera, experimental, electronica, and polka. History Founded in ...
'' On September 25, 2013, it was announced Jay Lane had left Primus to rejoin the
Bob Weir Robert Hall Weir ( ; né Parber, born October 16, 1947) is an American musician and songwriter best known as a founding member of the Grateful Dead. After the group disbanded in 1995, Weir performed with The Other Ones, later known as The Dead ...
group
RatDog RatDog is an American rock band. The group began in 1995 as a side project for Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Bob Weir. After the Dead disbanded later that year, RatDog became Weir's primary band. They performed some Grateful Dead songs, a mix ...
. His replacement was declared to be Tim Alexander. Claypool and ''
Dean Ween Michael Melchiondo Jr. (born September 25, 1970), better known by his stage name Dean Ween, is an American guitarist, singer and a founding member of the alternative rock group Ween. He is currently active in the groups Ween, Moistboyz and The ...
'' are currently working together for a reality TV show called Musishermen, and Duo de Twang is preparing for the release of their debut album, Four Foot Shack. On February 4, 2014, Duo de Twang released their debut album '' Four Foot Shack'' and began touring in late February. In the last part of the 2014 Spring Tour, Primus's drummer, Tim Alexander, had a small heart attack which rendered him unable to play. Luckily instead of canceling the September shows, they were able to use their close friend
Danny Carey Daniel Edwin Carey (born May 10, 1961) is an American musician and songwriter. He is the drummer for the American rock band Tool. He has also contributed to albums by artists such as Zaum, Green Jellö, Pigface, Skinny Puppy, Adrian Belew, Ca ...
for the late shows. On January 19, 2016, it was announced that
The Claypool Lennon Delirium The Claypool Lennon Delirium is an American psychedelic rock band, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, known for his work in Primus, guitarist/vocalist Sean Lennon from The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger, keyboardist/vocalist Jo� ...
, a collaboration between Claypool and
Sean Lennon is an American–British musician, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and half-brother to Julian Lennon. Over the course of his career, he has been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, The ...
, would debut at Bonnaroo 2016. Claypool has spoken fondly of the collaboration, stating, "Sean is a musical mutant after my own heart. He definitely reflects his genetics – not just the sensibilities of his dad, but also the abstract perspective and unique approach of his mother. It makes for a glorious freak stew." On March 21, 2016, it was announced that the duo would release their debut album, entitled '' Monolith of Phobos'', on June 3, 2016. Their second album, '' South of Reality'', was released February 22, 2019. On May 31, 2016, he was featured on the
Death Grips Death Grips is an American experimental hip hop group formed in 2010 in Sacramento, California. The group consists of Stefan Burnett, also known as MC Ride (vocals, lyrics), Zach Hill (drums, production, lyrics), and Andy Morin (keyboards, pr ...
song "More Than The Fairy".


The Claypool Lennon Delirium

In 2016, Claypool formed a group with
Sean Lennon is an American–British musician, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and half-brother to Julian Lennon. Over the course of his career, he has been a member of the bands Cibo Matto, The ...
of
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is an American band formed in 2008 by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The couple have stated that they started the band as a way to spend more time together, and while they released a number of recordings an ...
, Paulo Baldi of
Cake Cake is a flour confection made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate ...
, and João Nogueira of Stone Giant. Les met Sean in 2015 when he was on tour with Primus,
The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is an American band formed in 2008 by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The couple have stated that they started the band as a way to spend more time together, and while they released a number of recordings an ...
, and
Dinosaur Jr. Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984, originally simply called Dinosaur until legal issues forced a change in name. The band was founded by J Mascis (guitar, vocals, primary songwriter), Lou Barlow ( ...
Les stayed in touch with Sean and the group released their first album ''The Monolith Of Phobos'' in 2016. On their first tour they switched out their keyboardist
Money Mark Mark Ramos Nishita (born February 10, 1960), known professionally as Money Mark, is an American producer and musician, best known for his collaborations with the Beastie Boys from 1992 until 2011. Early life Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawai ...
of
Beastie Boys Beastie Boys were an American rap rock group from New York City, formed in 1978. The group was composed of Michael "Mike D" Diamond (vocals, drums), Adam "MCA" Yauch (vocals, bass), and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz (vocals, guitar, programming) ...
for Pete Drungle. In 2017, The Delirium returned with their EP ''Lime And Limpid Green'' and released their second album ''South Of Reality'' in 2019, this time with João on Keys.


Other work

Claypool was a special guest star in a ''
Space Ghost Coast to Coast ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' is an American adult animated comedy talk show created by Mike Lazzo for Cartoon Network and hosted by a re-imagined version of the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon character Space Ghost. In contrast to the original ...
'' episode with the most celebrities on
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
in 1996. Claypool's first book, '' South of the Pumphouse'', was released on July 1, 2006, by
Akashic Books Akashic Books is a Brooklyn-based independent publisher. Akashic Books' collection began with Arthur Nersesian's ''The Fuck Up'' in 1997, and has since expanded to include Dennis Cooper's "Little House on the Bowery" series, Chris Abani's Blac ...
. Copies of the book were sold during Claypool's 2006 tour of the U.S. following the release of ''
Of Whales and Woe ''Of Whales And Woe'' is the first solo album by Les Claypool, the bassist and vocalist of Primus. The album was released on May 30, 2006. The album features Skerik (saxophonist of the Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade), Mike Dillon ...
''. The book is a dark tale of brothers, murder, drugs, and fishing, and has been likened to the work of Hunter S. Thompson. Claypool gave his first interview about the book on May 11, 2006. Also in 2006, Claypool write and directed the mockumentary film '' Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo''. It was shown at various film festivals and is a spoof of the jam band scene centered on the fake band Electric Apricot, with Claypool also playing the band's drummer and backing vocalist."Les Claypool: The Art of Falling"
''JamBase''. 2006. Retrieved February 2, 2008.
The band performed real shows in the California area (such as
High Sierra Music Festival High Sierra Music Festival is a multi-day music festival held in Quincy, California, United States, a mountainous area about 80 miles northwest of Reno, Nevada. History The first High Sierra Music Festival was in 1991, and was the genesis o ...
) for the filming of the movie. During a question and answer session at the Tiburon Film Festival, where the film debuted, Claypool said that the DVD would have an accompanying soundtrack CD. The film has won awards including Best Feature (audience choice) at the Malibu Film Festival. Claypool also said that the band would possibly perform a few select shows, but a tour never transpired as the film's star Adam Gates worked for
Pixar Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californ ...
, which made touring difficult. In 2007, Claypool created Claypool Cellars, a wine-making project that turned into a boutique business. It makes wine from grapes grown in California's
Russian River Valley The Russian River (Southern Pomo: ''Ashokawna'', es, Río Ruso) is a southward-flowing river that drains of Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Northern California. With an annual average discharge of approximately 1,600,000 acre feet (2.0&nbs ...
. The wines are named based on his music, such as "Purple Pachyderm" and "Pink Platypus".


Artistry

Claypool is well known for his distinctive bass-playing, which aside from being quite dominant in the majority of his music also includes the use of several unusual techniques, such as
Flamenco Flamenco (), in its strictest sense, is an art form based on the various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain, developed within the gitano subculture of the region of Andalusia, and also having historical presence in Extremadura a ...
-style strumming,
tapping Tapping is a playing technique that can be used on any stringed instrument, but which is most commonly used on guitar. The technique involves a string being fretted and set into vibration as part of a single motion. This is in contrast to stand ...
, slapping and guitar-like chording. Claypool has also made prominent use of a Kahler "bass tremolo" vibrato system, as well as effects such as fuzz boxes and
envelope filter Auto-wah (also known as a "Q-wah", "T-wah", "envelope following filter", "envelope follower" or "envelope filter") is a type of wah-wah effects pedal typically used with electric guitar, bass guitar, clavinet, and electric piano etc. The dis ...
s. For most of his career, Claypool has played four-stringed basses, but has experimented with
extended-range bass An extended-range bass is an electric bass guitar with a wider frequency range than a standard-tuned four-string bass guitar. Terminology One way that a bass can be considered 'extended-range' is to use a tuning machine mechanism that allows f ...
es, most notably six-stringed models, as heard on songs like " Jerry Was a Race Car Driver", which features Claypool tapping the main melody on a fretless six-string bass. Claypool has cited
Larry Graham Larry Graham Jr. (born August 14, 1946) is an American bassist and baritone singer, both with the psychedelic soul/funk band Sly and the Family Stone and as the founder and frontman of Graham Central Station. In 1980, he released the single ...
,
Chris Squire Christopher Russell Edward Squire (4March 1948 – 27June 2015) was an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Yes. He was the longest-serving original member, having r ...
,
Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (since 1 ...
,
Roger Waters George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. In 1965, he co-founded the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. Waters initially served as the bassist, but following the departure of singer-s ...
,
Geddy Lee Geddy Lee (born Gary Lee Weinrib; July 29, 1953) is a Canadian musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, and keyboardist for the Canadian rock group Rush. Lee joined the band in September 1968, at the re ...
,
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
,
Geezer Butler Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is a English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell ...
,
Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...
,
Stanley Clarke Stanley Clarke (born June 30, 1951) is an American bassist, film composer and founding member of Return to Forever, one of the first jazz fusion bands. Clarke gave the bass guitar a prominence it lacked in jazz-related music. He is the first ja ...
,
John Paul Jones John Paul Jones (born John Paul; July 6, 1747 July 18, 1792) was a Scottish-American naval captain who was the United States' first well-known naval commander in the American Revolutionary War. He made many friends among U.S political elites ( ...
, and
the Residents The Residents are an American art collective and art rock band best known for their avant-garde music and multimedia works. Since their first official release, ''Meet the Residents'' (1974), they have released over 60 albums, numerous music vi ...
as his musical influences.Prato, Greg. (September 29, 1963
Les Claypool
AllMusic. Retrieved on 2012-04-07.


Personal life

Claypool has been noted for his
eccentric Eccentricity or eccentric may refer to: * Eccentricity (behavior), odd behavior on the part of a person, as opposed to being "normal" Mathematics, science and technology Mathematics * Off-center, in geometry * Eccentricity (graph theory) of a v ...
personality, surreal sense of humor, and
cannabis ''Cannabis'' () is a genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae. The number of species within the genus is disputed. Three species may be recognized: '' Cannabis sativa'', '' C. indica'', and '' C. ruderalis''. Alternative ...
use. He once told an audience, "Please don't throw your shit at me... unless that shit resembles a bag of marijuana." Although his cannabis use was public knowledge, it is alleged he grew tired of it and stopped for a period between 2003 and 2004. He was quoted as saying he preferred "wine over weed" during an unaired taping of ''Fly Fishing the World'' in 2004. "Les Claypool Day" was declared in
Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...
by mayor John Cranley on June 12, 2018. The declaration was presented to Claypool during Primus' show that night at the
Riverbend Music Center Riverbend Music Center is an outdoor amphitheater located in Cincinnati, Ohio, along the banks of the Ohio River. It has a capacity of 20,500 (6,000 reserved pavilion seats and 14,500 general admission lawn) and was built for the Cincinnati Symph ...
by members of the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation alongside Claypool's friend, influence, and Cincinnati native
Bootsy Collins William Earl "Bootsy" Collins (born October 26, 1951) is an American bass guitarist and singer. Rising to prominence with James Brown in the early 1970s, and later with Parliament-Funkadelic, Collins established himself as one of the leading ...
.


Discography


Guest appearances

(Claypool on bass unless otherwise noted) *1992 –
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
– ''
Bone Machine ''Bone Machine'' is the eleventh studio album by American singer and musician Tom Waits, released by Island Records on September 8, 1992. It won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album and features guest appearances by David Hidalgo, Le ...
'' (on the track "Earth Died Screaming") *1994 – Firehose – '' Big Bottom Pow Wow'' (in discussion on the various "spiel" tracks) *1994 – Rob Wasserman – ''Trios'' (on the tracks "Home is Where You Get Across" and "3 Guys Named Schmo") *1996 –
Alex Lifeson Aleksandar Živojinović, (born 27 August 1953), known professionally as Alex Lifeson (), is a Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist and backing vocalist of the progressive rock band Rush. In 1968, Lifeson co-founded the band that wo ...
– '' Victor'' (on the track "The Big Dance") *1998 –
Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internation ...
– ''
Boggy Depot ''Boggy Depot'' is the debut solo album by Alice in Chains guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell. The vinyl edition was released on March 31, 1998, and the CD was released on April 7, 1998 through Columbia Records. The album was named after the ...
'' (on the tracks "Between" and "Cold Piece") *1998 –
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
– '' Garage Inc.'' (banjo on the
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom ...
cover "Tuesday's Gone") *1998 – Bloem de Ligny – ''Zink'' (vocals on the track "Capsule") *1999 –
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
– ''
Mule Variations ''Mule Variations'' is the thirteenth studio album by American musician Tom Waits, released on April 16, 1999, on the ANTI- label. It was Waits' first studio album in six years, following ''The Black Rider'' (1993). The album was backed by an exte ...
'' (on the track "Big in Japan") *1999 – Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band – ''
Live On Live On may refer to: * ''Live On'' (The Seekers album), 1989 * ''Live On'' (Kenny Wayne Shepherd album), 1999 * ''Live On'' (TV series), 2020 {{disambiguation ...
'' (on the track "Oh Well") *1999 –
Limp Bizkit Limp Bizkit is an American rap rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Its lineup consists of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, turntablist DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers. The band's music is marked by D ...
– ''
Significant Other The term significant other (SO) has different uses in psychology and in colloquial language. Colloquially, "significant other" is used as a gender-neutral term for a person's partner in an intimate relationship without disclosing or presuming ...
'' (vocals on the hidden track "The Mind of Les", bass and vocals on the outtake "Hell of a Band") *1999 – Phonopsycograph Disk – ''
Live @ Slim's / Turbulence Chest ''Live @ Slim's / Turbulence Chest'' is a live album by a musical supergroup headed by DJ Disk under the name Phonopsychograph Disk. Track listing #"Sycograph Intro" - 4:17 #"Coffee Sack" - 4:48 #"Duck's Decay" - 5:13 #"Clear" - 5:18 #"Blow?" - 5: ...
'' (additional bass on 8 of the 12 tracks) *2002 –
Fishbone Fishbone is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1979, that plays a fusion of ska, punk, funk, metal, reggae, and soul. AllMusic has described the group as "one of the most distinctive and eclectic alternative rock bands of the lat ...
– '' Fishbone and the Familyhood Nextperience Present: The Friendliest Psychosis of All'' (bass on track 1) *2002 – Gov't Mule – ''
The Deep End, Volume 2 ''The Deep End, Volume 2'' is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Gov't Mule. The album was released on October 8, 2002, by ATO Records. After the death of founding member and bass guitarist Allen Woody, the band began recording tr ...
'' (bass and vocals on the tracks "Greasy Granny's Gopher Gravy" and "Drivin' Rain") *2003 – Gov't Mule – '' The Deepest End, Live In Concert'' (bass and vocals on the tracks "Greasy Granny's Gopher Gravy" and "Drivin' Rain") *2004 –
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
– '' Real Gone'' (on the tracks "Hoist That Rag", "Shake It" and "Baby Gonna Leave Me") *2004 –
Jack Irons Jack Steven Irons (born July 18, 1962) is an American drummer. He is the founding drummer of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers and is a former member of Pearl Jam and Eleven. Alongside his work with Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam, Irons ...
– '' Attention Dimension'' (on the
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics an ...
cover "
Shine On You Crazy Diamond "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is a nine-part Pink Floyd composition written by David Gilmour, Roger Waters, and Richard Wright. It appeared on Pink Floyd's 1975 concept album ''Wish You Were Here''. The song is written about and dedicated to Syd B ...
") *2005 –
Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
– '' Side One'' (on the tracks "Ampersand", "Writing on the Wall" and "Matchless Man") *2005 –
Gabby La La Gabby La La (born Gabriel Lang on May 23, 1979) is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (including sitar, ukulele, accordion, theremin and toy piano), signed to Prawn Song Records. Her music is self described as "fun, unique, crazy (and) kooky". ...
– '' Be Careful What You Wish For...'' (bass and percussion throughout) *2005 – Mat Callahan – ''A Wild Bouquet'' (on the track "I See the Light") *2006 –
Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
– ''
Side Three ''Side Three'' is the fifteenth solo album by Adrian Belew, released in 2006. The album features contributions from various other musicians including Tool's Danny Carey on drums, Primus' Les Claypool on bass guitar and a single guest appearance ...
'' (on the tracks "Whatever" and "Men in Helicopters v4.0") *2006 –
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
– '' Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Bastards'' (on the track "On The Road") *2008 –
Zach Hill Zachary Charles Hill (born December 28, 1979) is an American multi-instrumentalist and visual artist. He is best known as the drummer and co-producer of the groups Death Grips and the I.L.Y's, and as the drummer of math rock band Hella. Art In ...
– ''
Astrological Straits ''Astrological Straits'' is the debut full-length studio album by American recording artist Zach Hill. It was released on August 12, 2008 by Anticon and Ipecac Records. Critical reception ''Astrological Straits'' has received generally favorabl ...
'' (on the track "Astrological Straits") *2009 – Vinyl – ''Fogshack Music Volume Two'' (on the tracks "Jelly James Jam", "Le Colonel", "Benthos" and "Le Colonel Part Deux") *2011 –
Hank Williams III Shelton Hank Williams (born December 12, 1972), known as Hank Williams III, is an American musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique fusion of traditional country music, rockabilly, heavy metal and punk rock. He was the ...
– '' Ghost to a Ghost/Gutter Town'' (on the tracks "Ghost to a Ghost" and "With the Ship") *2011 –
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
– ''
Bad as Me ''Bad as Me'' is the seventeenth and most recent studio album by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits, released on October 21, 2011 by Anti- Records. The album is known to have been recorded as early as February 2011 and was officially announced ...
'' (on the track "Satisfied") *2013 –
Beats Antique Beats Antique is a U.S.-based experimental world fusion and electronic music group. Formed in 2007 in conjunction with producer Miles Copeland, the group has become noted for their mix of different genres as well as their live shows, which mix s ...
– ''A Thousand Faces: Act 1'' (bass and vocals on the track "Beezlebub") *2016 –
Death Grips Death Grips is an American experimental hip hop group formed in 2010 in Sacramento, California. The group consists of Stefan Burnett, also known as MC Ride (vocals, lyrics), Zach Hill (drums, production, lyrics), and Andy Morin (keyboards, pr ...
– "More Than The Fairy" *2019 –
The Desert Sessions The Desert Sessions are a musical collective series, founded by Josh Homme in 1997. Artists such as Brant Bjork, PJ Harvey, Twiggy Ramirez, Dave Catching, Nick Oliveri, Mark Lanegan, John McBain, Ben Shepherd, Josh Freese, Chris Goss, Alain ...
– "''Volume 11 – Arrivederci Despair''"


Soundtracks and compilations

*1991 – ''Guitars that Rule the World'' (promo for
Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...
magazine, featuring the original track "Filet of Soul" by Alex Skolnick with Claypool and Bryan Mantia) *1993 – ''Radio 501'' (promo for
Levi's Levi Strauss & Co. () is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's () brand of denim jeans. It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim, Bavaria, to San Francisco, California, t ...
jeans, featuring the original track "Can't Live Without" by Claypool, Jay Lane & Rob Wasserman) *2002 – ''NASCAR: Crank It Up'' (promo for
NASCAR on Fox ''NASCAR on Fox'', also known as ''Fox NASCAR'', is the branding used for broadcasts of NASCAR races produced by Fox Sports and have aired on the Fox television network in the United States since 2001. Speed, a motorsports-focused cable channel ...
, featuring a cover of the Commander Cody track "
Hot Rod Lincoln "Hot Rod Lincoln" is a song by American singer-songwriter Charlie Ryan, first released in 1955. It was written as an answer song to Arkie Shibley's 1950 hit " Hot Rod Race" (US #29). It describes a drive north on US Route 99 (predecessor t ...
" recorded by Claypool) *2002 – ''Bonnaroo Music Festival 2002'' (live album, featuring the Les Claypool's Frog Brigade track "Locomotive Breath") *2002 – ''Bonnaroo Vol. 2'' (live album, featuring the Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains track "Number Two") *2004 – ''Concrete Corner: October Sampler 2004'' (featuring the Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains track "Junior") *2004 – ''Never Been Done'' (soundtrack, featuring the Les Claypool's Frog Brigade track "David Makalaster") *2004 – ''
Not In Our Name Not in Our Name (NION) was a United States organization founded on March 23, 2002 to protest the U.S. government's course in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks; it disbanded on March 31, 2008. Two key documents Early in their existence ...
'' (benefit compilation album, featuring the Les Claypool's Frog Brigade track "David Makalaster II") *2004 – ''Under the Influence: Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd'' (compilation album, track " Call Me the Breeze") *2006 – ''
Barnyard A barnyard or farmyard is an enclosed or open yard adjoining a barn,Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) © Oxford University Press 2009. Barn. n. and, typically, related farm buildings, including a farmhouse. Enclosed ...
'' (soundtrack, featuring the original track "Hittin' the Hay" by
North Mississippi Allstars North Mississippi Allstars is an American blues and southern rock band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is currently composed of brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar, lowebow, vocals) and Cody Dickinson (drums, keyboards, elec ...
with Claypool) *2008 – ''
Pig Hunt The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus s ...
'' (soundtrack, featuring the original tracks "Goblins in the Forest", "What You Lookin' At Boy?", "Boonville Stomp" and "Male Organ-Grinder") ;Television show theme songs *2005–present – ''
Robot Chicken ''Robot Chicken'' is an American adult animated stop motion sketch comedy television series, created and executive produced for Adult Swim by Seth Green and Matthew Senreich along with co-head writers Douglas Goldstein and Tom Root. The write ...
'': seasons 1–4 ("Robot Chicken", released on ''
Of Whales and Woe ''Of Whales And Woe'' is the first solo album by Les Claypool, the bassist and vocalist of Primus. The album was released on May 30, 2006. The album features Skerik (saxophonist of the Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade), Mike Dillon ...
'', 2006) *2006–present – ''
South Park ''South Park'' is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone and developed by Brian Graden for Comedy Central. The series revolves around four boysStan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormickand ...
'': seasons 10–16 (
mashup Mashup may refer to: * Mashup (culture), the rearrangement of spliced parts of musical pieces as part of a subculture * Mashup (education), combining various forms of data and media by a teacher or student in an instructional setting * Mashup (m ...
of "Whamola" by Les Claypool's Frog Brigade and "South Park Theme" by Primus) ;Video game soundtracks *2008 – '' Mushroom Men: The Spore Wars'' (original tracks)


Videography

:1991 – ''
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey ''Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey'' is a 1991 American science fiction comedy film, and the feature directorial debut of Pete Hewitt. It is the second film in the ''Bill & Ted'' franchise, and a sequel to '' Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'' (1989 ...
'', features Les Claypool performing with Primus. :2002 – '' Rising Low'' (Documentary on Allen Woody, directed by
Mike Gordon Michael Eliot Gordon (born June 3, 1965) is an American bass guitarist and vocalist most recognized as a founding member of the band Phish. In addition to bass, Gordon is an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano and guitar. He ...
) :2002 – Various Artists – ''Live from Bonnaroo Music Festival 2002'' (featuring Les Claypool's Frog Brigade and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains) :2003 – Gov't Mule – '' The Deepest End, Live In Concert'' :2005 – Les Claypool – '' 5 Gallons of Diesel'' :2007 – Les Claypool – ''
Fancy Fancy may refer to: Places * Fancy, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a settlement * Fancy River, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Music Albums * ''Fancy'' (Bobbie Gentry album), 1970 * ''Fancy'' (Idiot Flesh album), 1997 * ''Fancy'' (video ...
'' :2008 – '' Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo'' ( Rock-
mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...
feature film) :2011 – ''A Cure for Pain: The Mark Sandman Story'' (documentary on Mark Sandman)


See also

*
Avant-garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretica ...
*
Buckethead Brian Patrick Carroll (born May 13, 1969), known professionally as Buckethead, is an American guitarist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has received critical acclaim for his innovative electric guitar playing. His music spans severa ...
* Charlie Hunter Trio (1993) * Duo de Twang *
Oysterhead Oysterhead is an American rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool of Primus, guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police, with both Claypool and Anastasio providing vocals. The band's eclectic sound ha ...
*
Tom Waits Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
*
Warren Haynes Warren Haynes (born April 6, 1960) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his work as longtime guitarist with the Allman Brothers Band and as founding member of the jam band Gov't Mule. Early in his career he was ...
* List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards


References


External links

* *
Primus and Side Project Live Performances
{{DEFAULTSORT:Claypool, Les 1963 births American male singers American heavy metal bass guitarists American male bass guitarists American heavy metal singers American rock double-bassists Male double-bassists American rock bass guitarists Songwriters from California Living people Musicians from Richmond, California Primus (band) members People from El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California Steampunk Alternative metal bass guitarists People from Occidental, California Guitarists from California Blind Illusion members Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade members Les Claypool's Fancy Band members 20th-century American guitarists 21st-century double-bassists Oysterhead members Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains members Alternative metal singers American carpenters