Les Claypool - Fancy
by Adrian Huggins
published: 23 / 7 / 2007
intro
The founder and lead singer/bassist of funk metal loons Primus, Les Claypool has recently released his first solo DVD which charts various shows from his recent US tour. Adrian Huggins is impressed by his incredibly diverse and unique sound and adventurous performance
This is Les Claypool’s first solo DVD charting various shows from his recent US tour. Claypool is the founder and lead singer/bassist of funk metal loons Primus. His solo work is in places similar to his work with Primus, but has less of a metal influence. If you’ve never listened to Primus or Les Claypool it’s something quite different. Claypool has an instantly recognisable voice, with a nasal southern drawl, which at first is a little strange but when combined with the funk metal odyssey he creates in his music fits entirely into place. The other distinguishing musical trait is Claypool’s bass playing. He is certainly one of the best bass players in the world, and has such a unique sound that it is pure funk. He plays bass like no other person I have seen before. Using pretty much every picking and slapping technique there is, he makes the sort of music that is impossible to replicate and,therefore, is in a league of his own. On this solo jaunt which was filmed in New York, Cleveland and Austin, Texas over the course of last year, he is backed by his band which consists of former Cake drummer Paulo Baldi ; Gabby La La on sitar and various other stringed instruments Gabby La La ; Mike Dillon on percussion and devil mask-wearing saxophonist Skerik. This band and these instruments alone indicate that is not some acoustic side project for Claypool to fill in the years after his main band. Having said that I have never heard a guy playing a xylophone or a women playing a sitar rock so hard and that’s what makes this unique and wonderful. Claypool makes sounds that I didn’t even know were possible on a bass guitar, and to top it all off, he even plays a bass-banjo. If you can’t love a man with a bass-banjo you are not worthy of having ears or an opinion. And, yes, he does a little version of the banjo song from ‘Deliverance’. Does it get any better than that ? No, I think is the answer. With many of the songs coming from Claypool's most recent album, ‘Of Whales and Woe’ including the title track, ‘Phantom Patriot’ and ‘Filipino Ray’ they all get a great reaction from the crowd. The live setting gives a great platform to show Claypool’s almost cult appeal as you can feel how everyone present hangs on his every word both during the songs and in the between song banter. Some of the highlights come in some of his earlier solo work such as ‘Holy Mackerel’ which he performs dressed in his best Elvis wig. This really gets the crowd jumping around to the funky madness that is in front of them. Claypool’s incredibly diverse and unique sound does take some people a while to get their head round, but if you are adventurous with your musical tastes, or a bass player for that matter, you could not help but be amazed by the sounds created by this man. Truly a master of his craft and undoubtedly as inspiring as he is insane.
reviews |
Of Fungi and Foe (2009) |
Unique and highly challenging, yet ultimately rewarding second solo album from Les Claypool, the bassist with Primus |
most viewed articles
current edition
Beat Featuring Ranking Jnr - Sala Jerusalem, Valencia, 18/2/2024X Ray Spex - Interview
London Afrobeat Collective - 16 Toneladas, Valencia, 21/2/2024
Dead Poet Society - Photoscapes
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Photoscapes
Happy Mondays - Photoscapes
Paloma Faith - Photoscapes 2
Stiff Little Fingers - Photoscapes
Paloma Faith - Photoscapes 1
Byrds - Every Album, Every Song
previous editions
Barrie Barlow - InterviewVolunteered - Interview
The The - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Men They Couldn't Hang - Interview
Kasai Allstars - Félicité
Lilly Hiatt - Interview
Miscellaneous - April 2020
This Mortal Coil - Profile
Chills - The Triumph and Tragedy of Martin Phillipps
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
most viewed reviews
current edition
Black Crowes - Happiness BastardsKaiser Chiefs - Kaiser Chiefs' Easy Eighth Album
Texas and Spooner Oldham - The Muscle Shoals Sessions
Caity Baser - Still Learning
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Libertines - All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade
Sheryl Crow - Evolution
Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for Bread
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart