Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Les Claypool's new bass


Chris2112
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1086209' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:54 PM']bejesus. primus were great at the time. but that was then. hurts my head a bit now, and les' too no doubt. he moved on from primus long ago and has more than earned the right to do exactly what he feels like at the time. i don't think les would appreciate being compared to primus quite honestly, although they do still reform regularly (no doubt for a little extra pocket money).[/quote]

Well,I wouldn't say that he'd moved on from Primus-what with them touring right now and with a new album currently
being recorded.
I really like his solo stuff though.I've got a soft spot for the 'Holy Mackerel' album especially. And his London gig
last year was killer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1086209' date='Jan 11 2011, 10:54 PM']bejesus. primus were great at the time. but that was then. hurts my head a bit now, and les' too no doubt. he moved on from primus long ago and has more than earned the right to do exactly what he feels like at the time. i don't think les would appreciate being compared to primus quite honestly, although they do still reform regularly (no doubt for a little extra pocket money).[/quote]

I suppose if Les had ever made anything as memorable as the Primus stuff on his own then he wouldn't be so intrinsically linked to the band. Because to me, everything after that has just sounded like Primus offcuts, and other stuff that wasn't considered good enough for a Primus album. But they were a band of their time, so relevant with the whole "generation X" that was big in America at the time, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers were still considered edgy and fresh.

A great shame because Les and Herb are talented guys (although Les has an awful voice). Herb did two fusion albums with Michael Manring, the band was called 'Attention Deficit'. He showed some real drum chops there, but the music wasn't particularly memorable if I'm honest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1086357' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:25 AM']I suppose if Les had ever made anything as memorable as the Primus stuff on his own then he wouldn't be so intrinsically linked to the band. Because to me, everything after that has just sounded like Primus offcuts, and other stuff that wasn't considered good enough for a Primus album. But they were a band of their time, so relevant with the whole "generation X" that was big in America at the time, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers were still considered edgy and fresh.

A great shame because Les and Herb are talented guys (although Les has an awful voice). Herb did two fusion albums with Michael Manring, the band was called 'Attention Deficit'. He showed some real drum chops there, but the music wasn't particularly memorable if I'm honest.[/quote]


The Idiot King was a great album. Also had the benefit of Alex Skolnick too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Doddy' post='1086324' date='Jan 12 2011, 01:24 AM']Well,I wouldn't say that he'd moved on from Primus-what with them touring right now and with a new album currently
being recorded.
I really like his solo stuff though.I've got a soft spot for the 'Holy Mackerel' album especially. And his London gig
last year was killer.[/quote]

Yeh I was there too, it was amazing. I really like the latest album that they played a lot of too. I don't really understand why some people would like early primus and not his latest solo stuff. It sounds like a natural progression to me. I can't wait for the new album!!

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1086357' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:25 AM']....Les has an awful voice....[/quote]

Lol, but he tries so hard to sing so beautifully!!! :) :) :lol: :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1086357' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:25 AM']A great shame because Les and Herb are talented guys (although Les has an awful voice).[/quote]

Exactly as awful as Tom Waits perhaps? OR Dylan (come on he's a better singer than Dylan)....

I think his voice is brilliant. I can tell its Les singing on the first syllable, thats class!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1086357' date='Jan 12 2011, 07:25 AM']I suppose if Les had ever made anything as memorable as the Primus stuff on his own then he wouldn't be so intrinsically linked to the band. Because to me, everything after that has just sounded like Primus offcuts, and other stuff that wasn't considered good enough for a Primus album. But they were a band of their time, so relevant with the whole "generation X" that was big in America at the time, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers were still considered edgy and fresh.

A great shame because Les and Herb are talented guys (although Les has an awful voice). Herb did two fusion albums with Michael Manring, the band was called 'Attention Deficit'. He showed some real drum chops there, but the music wasn't particularly memorable if I'm honest.[/quote]
now you're talkin, rhcp. theres a band who i would agree should have given in long ago. aren't they s**t as f**k? i think keidis actually turned into a girl at some point after blood sugar or one hot minute. went from gods to mortals in a few years. thats skag for ya.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1085043' date='Jan 10 2011, 11:52 PM']sad to hear two really great human beings being rubbished like that due to personal tastes[/quote]

Isn't that what you've recently done to the Chilis? :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Doddy' post='1085426' date='Jan 11 2011, 01:05 PM']I know a lot of people who don't like Primus. But for me,they were one of only a handful of bands who blew me away the moment I heard them.[/quote]


Same here. I bought Suck On This about a year after buying my first bass and was totally in awe of Les. Almost made me want to learn slap bass...

I do prefer the stuff with Brain on drums though.


For years I tried to imagine what Metallica would have been like if he'd joined them, instead of Newsted. But when I heard the cover of The Thing That Should Not Be I realised they'd be exactly the same as Les would not have got a say in the writting of songs.
"Sorry Les, that bassline is amazing but can you just follow the guitar parts and add a little fill every 12 bars. thanks"


EDIT: Back on topic the bass is really growing on me...

Edited by bartelby
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='lettsguitars' post='1086500' date='Jan 12 2011, 10:58 AM']now you're talkin, rhcp. theres a band who i would agree should have given in long ago. aren't they s**t as f**k? i think keidis actually turned into a girl at some point after blood sugar or one hot minute. went from gods to mortals in a few years. thats skag for ya.[/quote]


So just because they haven't released the same album over and over and have gone for different variations on their own style they are 's**t as f**k'?


On topic : the claypool bass looks cool, but I don't think you could play something that flashy in a regular band.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='fretmeister' post='1086420' date='Jan 12 2011, 09:25 AM']The Idiot King was a great album. Also had the benefit of Alex Skolnick too.[/quote]

Alex Skolnick was a great player, very underrated. He used to play guitar for Stuart Hamm's live band around the time The Urge album. That said, on the Attention Deficit records you had three very talented players together but it was sadly what I'd call "fuzak". I can think of very few memorable tunes, or even memorable moments within songs due to the improvisational nature of the band.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Mark Latimour' post='1087005' date='Jan 12 2011, 06:30 PM']He's still alive and playing (saw him last year). Are you using the past tense to infer he's no longer great?[/quote]

Well I've got to be honest Mark, the Skolnick trio stuff doesn't really grab me. But I am impressed with the dedication he has shown in transitioning from metal to fusion and then onto jazz!

Edited by Chris2112
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Chris2112' post='1087039' date='Jan 12 2011, 06:52 PM']Well I've got to be honest Mark, the Skolnick trio stuff doesn't really grab me. But I am impressed with the dedication he has shown in transitioning from metal to fusion and then onto jazz![/quote]

I'm sure your approval is important to Alex.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Rich' post='1085417' date='Jan 11 2011, 04:55 AM']New bass notwithstanding... am I the only bugger in the world who has never 'got' Les Claypool, has never understood all the fuss about his playing, and has really [i]really[/i] disliked all the Primus stuff I've ever heard? Years ago I bought Sailing The Seas Of Cheese, to see what all the hoo-ha was about. Played it twice. Hated it. Left it to gather dust for 18 months. Played it again. Hated it more. Sold it. Is it just me?[/quote]
I feel any great art will be not just loved but also hated passionately by some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's an interesting one, Les plays some very subtle bass on this Tom Waits track. Like most later Tom Waits, it's not for those who like easy listening (I love it personally!)... Great, great, fantastically great guitar solo from the inimitable Marc Ribot too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...