Les Claypool anyone?

Posts: 4438
Joined: 05/26/07

Posted: January 6, 2008 - 10:41am

Okay, ol' Les opened for Phil one time and has become something of a staple on the jamfest circuit, so I think it's fair to have a topic for him...

Comments

I am so not his target demographic...

On January 6th, 2008 marye said:

... but I like him anyway. When Primus was in its heyday, the fanbase was teenage boys and I was pushing 50. I know little of that culture except that I've gleaned along the way that "Primus sucks!" means anything but.

But one time when I was working the Bammies (and, as I recall, vaguely charged earlier in the evening with hustling Primus and Buckethead, about all of whom I was and am pretty clueless, from Point A to Point B) I happened to wander out to the front of the stage when they were playing. Les was in full maniacal rant, the band was really hot, and I was like "Holy bleep!"

Not that this got me on the Primus bus, but it made me real happy when Les opened for Phil at the Greek, an occasion on which the crowd seemed equally divided between love and hate as to what he was up to. I was definitely in the love camp, even though the music is on the weird end of my tastes. Subsequently I picked up a couple live albums (they're around here someplace, having to do with the Frog Brigade or some such), which have cryptic song titles and some incredible jams.

So anyway, I figure if I post this topic someone with a clue might come along and explain it all.

Luv Les

On January 6th, 2008 GRTUD said:

The Primus DVD "Hallucino-Genetics Live 2004" is excellent. If anyone not familiar with Les wants to get a good vibe about what's up with him, I'd suggest this as a good starting point. Personally I didn't care for The Frog Brigade but Les' incarnations are like the weather here on the east coast - if you don't like it, wait ten minutes and something different will emerge.

"If the forms of this world die, which is more real, the me that dies or the me that's infinite? Can I trust my habitual mind, or do I need to learn to look beneath those things?"

les -v- lesh

On January 7th, 2008 dreadful gate said:

i remember (vaguely, of course) les opening for phil at the greek ... i'd heard some of the claypool/primus stuff before and was really excited to see two of my fave bassists on the same stage ... sadly most of the tie-dyed crowd paid little if any attnetion to les (with guest appearance form buckethead) ... too bad because these guys can really lay it down ...

Les Claypool does Animals

On May 9th, 2008 Superdave said:

Les has some pretty out there stuff. I will mention , having seen him numerous times, that he is an awesome bass player- Awesome. The second thing I'll mention is the performance he did of Pink Floyd's Animals. I'm a huge, Floyd fan, and totally am a bit snobby to anyone trying to play their stuff. However, my favroite Floyd album was done so well by Les, so powerful, so dark, just blew me away. He stays respectfully true to what Animals is all about, but also adds a bit of his flavor to most of the musical work (listen to the bass freakout in Sheep). This is a cd to get, or some music to beg borrow or steal.

Phil & Friends

On May 21st, 2008 LiveNationChicago1 said:

Awesome show coming up in chicago... thought i'd let everyone know

Phil & Friends w/ The Levon Helm Band
Friday June 13th @ Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY APRIL 4th at www.livenation.com

im there.

Sunglasses and beards!

On May 30th, 2008 rockitmarty said:

ZZ Top is still rockin after all these years! It’s good to see that they’re still coming out with new material. Is anyone going to get their new dvd Live From Texas? It comes out June 23rd. http://www.amazon.com/Live-Texas-ZZ-Top/dp/B0018M6J72/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1211997122&sr=8-2 I hear it should be pretty good with their old stuff like Cheap Sunglasses and even some new stuff too.

Marty
Fontana

Jhana

On May 31st, 2008 rollout said:

If you are looking for some local unsigned talent while you are waiting for the boys to play, check these guys out! You will not be disappointed. They play at Presidio Yacht Club in Sausalito, Friday, June 6 and Saturday June 24. Get a preview at: www.myspace.com/acommonvision

um, guys...

On May 31st, 2008 marye said:

let's give this topic back to Les, and put the recommendations for Other Bands in the topic I have now, somewhat belatedly, created for the purpose:

http://www.dead.net/forum/recommendations-other-bands-local-and-otherwise

Thanks!

Let me first say this...........

On June 9th, 2008 GrayFolded said:

Next to Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead, Primus is THE band in my Top 3 All-Time........

I have seen Primus and the various incarnation's of Les around 30 times or so.......Me and my friend got to meet Les, Buckethead and Bernie Worrell in Detroit after the show several years ago and scored some kick ass autographs.......

Les is on a different planet.......His playing style, songwriting (brilliant) and stage persona is right up there with the greats......

It's funny, cause the crowds back in the day (Mid 90's) would MOSH insanely, run around in circles and just plain go nuts.......Now it seems some of the Hippe scence has made its way to Les and the shows are a little more tame.....At least here in the Mid-West......

Go here for all your Live Primus needs..........http://www.primuslive.com

Or just pick up "Suck on This".....It was there first "album" and is all Live from Berkely, Ca....
They GO FUCKING NUTS FOR THE ENTIRE ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm not joking....Pick it up.........

The DVD filmed here in Chicago from 2004 is also TOP-NOTCH.....It was one of 2 ALBUM shows they did when Primus reformed as the original line-up earlier this decade.....The DVD is 2 sets and the second set is the ENTIRE "Frizzle Fry" record.......I misssed this show since Phish was playing their final Alpine Valley show that same night (My final Phish show).
But I had caught their first Album show years back when they played the entire "Sailing the Seas of Cheese" record during the second set........

To say the least Primus will go down as one of the most original bands I have ever seen or heard.....

PRIMUS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dead to the Core

www.myspace.com/bongwizard

thanks GrayFolded!

On June 10th, 2008 marye said:

very good info for the bewildered but awestruck like me!