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Les Claypool: Bass-Sick-ly
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In 1977, the American music industry took off to new heights that hadn't been thought possible. The realization that there was no limit to the amount of money that could be made on one song had labels popping up out of the blue, diving for fortune in music's pool of residual income. That movement came to a head in the early '80s, and as a result, corporately funded bands were making major headlines, doing expensive, pyrotechnic-laden tours, and dominating the charts with watered-down "schlock-rock."
In the midst of this great industry gold rush, a scene was growing in California comprised of rock bands whose aversion to image marketing and easily digestible tunes had pushed them to create edgier, funk-infused tunes. These songs seemed to better represent teen anxiety and angst, and in the process, strayed away from nearly every element associated with the pop formula. The scene consisted of bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, and a power trio named Primus. The trio featured the unique bass playing and off-the-wall lyrics of a man who would become notorious for his stage antics and incredible music skills, Les Claypool. Claypool's passion for going against the grain earned Primus one of the most loyal followings of any Bay Area band at the time. In no time at all, Primus had gone from playing small clubs in California to performing before sold-out rock festival crowds at coliseums across the country.
That was nearly seventeen years ago. Since then, Les Claypool has removed himself from the glamour and glitz he ironically gained by being the antithesis of a rock star. Those fortunate enough to be at the New Orleans Jazz Fest 2000 were privileged to see Les Claypool's dynamic return to the stage in a new trio featuring Phish front man Trey Anastasio and ex-Police drummer Stewart Copeland. Since that show, Les has resurfaced numerous times with different bands. His most recent project, Col. Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, is taking the stage with Galactic, Lake Trout, and Drums and Tuba for a national tour.
musictoday.com found Les Claypool in Las Vegas on opening night of the SnoCore Icicle Ball Tour, and asked him to reminisce about making it to the top from the underground with Primus, and how music and life on the road affected him personally. We also discussed Claypool's activities leading up to his recent infiltration of the jam band scene, as well as the deep similarities between the California underground he grew up in and today's jam band scene that has revitalized his love for music.
Les Claypool: Primus started in 1984 with myself and Todd Huth. We had various drummers until Todd left the band in 1988 and Herb showed up. We subsequently made some records before Herb left the band in '96. Brain joined after that. Brain has subsequently left the band, and it now looks like Herb is coming back.
musictoday.com: Being from the East Coast, I am not overly familiar with the California scene around the time when Primus was coming up. How difficult was it for you all to get recognition when you first started? How many other groups out there were doing your type of music?
Les: It was very difficult at first because there was no one we could really play with in the Bay Area. They were sticking us with all these groups and it didn't really make any sense. It was mainly because club owners couldn't figure out who to stick us with, and we weren't really big enough to sell too many tickets. There were a lot of years of just being an oddball group running around town. All of a sudden, other bands started popping up. Along came Fishbone, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Faith No More. Finally came some groups that we could play with. We could identify with them, they could identify with us. Their audience could identify with us and ours with them; and so the San Francisco scene was created. A big part of that came from groups like Limbomaniacs, Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and us, as well as the whole L.A. scene, which was Chili Peppers and Fishbone.
mt: Where did you see yourself fitting in at that time, considering the type of music that was widely accepted?
Les: At the time, the whole semi-underground scene was all metal. There was Exodus and Anthrax (we actually toured with them); Metallica, who was actually reaping the most reward from the whole thing, but Faith No More opened doors and Chili Peppers opened huge doors for everybody. One of the bands that was most influential to us, and just about everyone else on the scene, was Fishbone. They were the most incredible live band of their era. They were phenomenal.
mt: Did you notice any environmental factors that pushed people to the heavier, harder sound, or in your case, that sound with a bit more funk element employed?
Les: I wouldn't necessarily say heavier or harder. There were so many things much heavier and harder than what we were doing. If anything, we weren't heavy enough to be part of the metal scene and we were too heavy to be part of what was called the worldbeat scene in the Bay Area, even though I worked with a lot of worldbeat bands.
mt: That was a pretty dominant scene.
Les: Oh, yeah. It was huge then. There were two scenes in the Bay Area in the eighties: the metal scene, which became huge, and the worldbeat scene, that kind of petered out. That was a terrible shame because there were some awesome bands that had some terrible management. They just took the wrong direction with it. It is interesting because that stuff is coming back around now. I hear a lot of Fela (Kuti) records again all of a sudden. People are starting to jam a lot more South African music these days—at least I am hearing it spring up more often then I had since the mid-eighties.
mt: Your bass playing has a style that is very recognizable and unique to you. In the years of your playing your bass, I am sure you have had plenty of influences. What has kept you from being a notable spin off and allowed you to move into the vein of innovation?
Les: In the early days, I was definitely compared to Stanley Clarke and Geddy Lee. But, from growing and playing so long, listening to different people, and many different types of musicians (not just bass players), and incorporating different types of feels and styles, it kind of became my own thing. You know, I could point fingers at various players like Tony Levin, Larry Graham, and Geddy Lee, and say that these guys are a big part of why my playing style is what it is. I just met Chris Squire [of Yes] the other day. He was a huge hero for me.
mt: Another thing that sets you apart is that you manage to sing while at the same time playing such complicated bass riffs. Whereas many of the bands that were around then that you named had the music, their lyrics were not as involved as you tended to write them. Were you a writer before a bass player, and why the elaborate stories over simplified metaphors?
Les: I was always writing something—you know, little stories or whatever—but usually they were songs. I grew up watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and musicals and what not. I have always been attracted to music that told a bit of a story. A lot of country music is like that. Obviously, folk music, too, because there are a lot of stories being told and that is some of my favorite stuff. It is easier for me to write that way, so that is how I tend to write.
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