Primus/Les Claypool is Awesome Thread

[jammindude]

I’m pretty lukewarm on GN, but I’ve recently rediscovered The Brown Album and I think that it’s far and away their most underrated album.

[Stadler]

For those trainspotters in the audience, Geddy Lee, Kirk Hammett and Alex Lifeson all make appearances of one kind or another.   It's a good set, varied, but in seeing the material in context, I realize that I GREATLY prefer Primus with Herb.   It's just not the same without him. 

And Les is a monster; I've seen him twice live - once with Primus, once with Sean Lennon - and was very impressed both times.

While I agree pretty much with that (I think that period from Frizzle Fry to Tales...is really amazing and magical), I must add that Jay Lane made an incredible drum work on Green Naugahyde, combining Brain's groove with the more technical and weird approach of Tim. And the album is really inspired! And, if you see Primus live with Jay at the time (there's a lot of youtube videos with great quality), he totally respected Tim's arrangements, including playing with double bass drums, wich Brain didn't manage to do.
Yes, Les is just a genius

I'll give you that; I think you nailed it anyway; Brain is a great drummer, he's just not a great drummer for PRIMUS.   They're flat out wierd, and the "normal" didn't - for me - complement the music, but worked against it.

Shout out for Les' lyrics, too. I generally dislike "comedy" in my music,  but for some reason I find Les' lyrics to be very engaging and clever, primarily because there's an intelligence even behind the inanity.

[devieira73]

I just wished that Primus had scaled down a bit the total weirdness of Brown Album's production, but I still appreciate it a lot. I really like all the Primus albums (I consider Chocolate Factory a cover album), including Anti-Pop. Brain made a great work on those albums, he just didn't fit so well in Primus, like Stadler said.
Maybe you already know, but Jay recorded the demos for many of the songs on Frizzle's Fry and you can hear the difference in Tim's drumming approach on Frizzle and Sailing Seas and I guess it's because the absence of demos with Jay on Sailing's songs.

[Stadler]

There's something very Bruford/Copeland-esque about Alexander's playing (there's clearly some Peart in there too) that I really like.  I don't get that from Jay or Brian's playing.  They certainly do not suck - you couldn't hang with Les if you did - but it's not the same.

Sorry for the repeat.

[dparrott]

This is what happens when you’re in bed waiting for the Ambien to kick in....and then it does.

Sorry guys. Not sloshed, just prescription sleeping pills. I don’t even remember that post. But the gist of it is that I have been listening to the newest album lately and I love it. Probably the proggiest album they’ve ever done.

"The pills that I've been taking confuse me" 

I like the latest Primus releases.  Good fun stuff.  And I thought Brain was good with them.  I love the drums on Shake Hands With Beef. 

[devieira73]

https://primuslive.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Vkcwp3VUI_ZWzg4ppHMyOvzPr6sziQXge2bTyDjwrGBlYw9ara8n8ngs
Just a head's up, this show is totally worth it. It's not very long, it's 1h 30 minutes of music, and, unlike the most common darker live videos from Primus on Youtube, this one is very well filmed and you can clearly see the band playing. Very cool improvisations as expected and it's really nice to see Tim playing 4 songs recorded on Antipop. Also it was nice to see some deeper cuts from Pork Soda and Tales from Punchbowl.
No Farewell to Kings songs, by the way.
There's still more than 48 hours to buy the virtual ticket and watch it.

[ytserush]

https://primuslive.com/?fbclid=IwAR1Vkcwp3VUI_ZWzg4ppHMyOvzPr6sziQXge2bTyDjwrGBlYw9ara8n8ngs
Just a head's up, this show is totally worth it. It's not very long, it's 1h 30 minutes of music, and, unlike the most common darker live videos from Primus on Youtube, this one is very well filmed and you can clearly see the band playing. Very cool improvisations as expected and it's really nice to see Tim playing 4 songs recorded on Antipop. Also it was nice to see some deeper cuts from Pork Soda and Tales from Punchbowl.
No Farewell to Kings songs, by the way.
There's still more than 48 hours to buy the virtual ticket and watch it.

THAT was flatout awesome. Never seen Primus live before (Not even sure this counts.) I'll admit I bought in to hear the Rush but I have most of the Primus albums (not caught up on a few recent ones) so it was great to her it brought to life. Huge King Crimson/Rush vibe. Just monsters all of them. Had no idea they were this amazing live. Guess I need to put them on my must see list when the dust settles. Always found an excuse not to see them. Had I been fortunate to see them open for Rush, I'm sure I'd have seen them more long before now. I'm sure they are all over you tube so I guess I'll check some out, but yesterday felt kind of special.  I suppose I'll find out if it was just your average Primus show.

[devieira73]

I can imagine that the beginning of video betrayed you about them playing at least Cygnus X-1!
Despite their extremely weirdness, Primus always had a lot of Rush and King Crimson influences. The song The Seven IMO encapsulates it perfectly in a short time.
The main difference of their studio albums and the shows is the jam sessions, since the studio versions are more concise. Nevertheless, there´s already a lot to chew in the songs.
Yes, I think what you saw was pretty much the (great) standart version of their performances.

[Stadler]

Primus is really good live; I got to see Les with Sean Lennon (and got to meet both of them!) and they played In The Court Of The Crimson King.  Les covered Thela Hun Ginjeet with his Frog Brigade band as well. 

[ytserush]

I can imagine that the beginning of video betrayed you about them playing at least Cygnus X-1!
Despite their extremely weirdness, Primus always had a lot of Rush and King Crimson influences. The song The Seven IMO encapsulates it perfectly in a short time.
The main difference of their studio albums and the shows is the jam sessions, since the studio versions are more concise. Nevertheless, there´s already a lot to chew in the songs.
Yes, I think what you saw was pretty much the (great) standart version of their performances.

Looks like I'm been missing out on some great live Primus over the years. Other than Suck On This and live radio concert that featured Dream Theater and Primus in the late '90s, I don't have a lot of live Primus. I don't even recall ever hearing about any live albums really.

[ytserush]

Primus is really good live; I got to see Les with Sean Lennon (and got to meet both of them!) and they played In The Court Of The Crimson King.  Les covered Thela Hun Ginjeet with his Frog Brigade band as well.

Those Frog Brigade albums are great. I've been meaning to get those "Delirium" albums, but still haven't done that although I almost saw them live once.

[Stadler]

Primus is really good live; I got to see Les with Sean Lennon (and got to meet both of them!) and they played In The Court Of The Crimson King.  Les covered Thela Hun Ginjeet with his Frog Brigade band as well.

Those Frog Brigade albums are great. I've been meaning to get those "Delirium" albums, but still haven't done that although I almost saw them live once.

The Delirium may be my favorite Les Claypool project.  It's a more "musical" effort than Primus, and they really delivered live.  I was front row center, and was mesmerized for two hours.  Some of it was being so impressed by Sean - everyone kind of knows John as the political Beatle; and except for a few songs, McCartney was the musical one - but he held his own for sure.   Kid's got talent (he's not a kid; he's 40).

[devieira73]

Primus will digitally release a 3-song EP, entitled "Conspiranoid" on April 22 via ATO Records.  The lead track, “Conspiranoia", can be heard on all platforms and vinyl pre-order is available now.
👉 https://smarturl.it/PrimusConspiranoia

[King Postwhore]

Very proggy. 10+ minute song.  I like.