|
 |
| |
|
I really like seeing people dance as close to the edge as possible. And trip a little bit, fall, and grab themselves. Sometimes they fall off, and that's just the way it is.
-Les Claypool |
|
|
| |
|
Photo by Jay Blakesberg
Of Whales And Woe
"This is the first Les Claypool solo record," chimes Claypool. In more ways than one, too. In addition to his usual intimidatingly good bass work, Les plays drums, guitar, keyboards, and all manner of other noisemakers. He is quick to point out the contributions of his merry music makers – Skerik (saxophonics), Mike Dillon (vibraphone, marimba, things you beat on), and Gabby La La (sitar, ukulele). All of them sing too, which makes for a cool Lollipop Guild meets the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test vibe.
"Holy Mackerel was the Holy Mackerel, the Frog Brigade was the Frog Brigade, even though they were my bands. I am the king! It is no longer a democracy (laughs)! This was the first one that's just Les Claypool, and a lot of that has come about because my agent was saying, 'I'm getting these offers for you to do shows. And I come to you and ask which band do they want. I'm not doing this anymore. I'm just booking you as Les Claypool.' So because of that, it's just become Les Claypool but with the Fancy Band by default."
Les Claypool :: All Good 2006 by R. Massie |
Claypool continues, "Obviously, I play in bands completely defined by the individuals. Primus is these three guys. Oysterhead is those three guys. The notion of having a solo project means that if Skerik's not available, then he's not available. If I have these dates, this section of time set aside, because I'm such a busy bastard, to go on the road, I'm going to have to work with whoever's available. I'd love it to be Skerik. I'd love it to be Mike and Gabby. It helps my life logistically, and whoever happens to be there is there."
His affection for his band is nakedly obvious, a fact reflected in the nicknames he's hung on them (most of which he swore me to secrecy on). Claypool says, "I've always been known as the guy who nicknamed people, most of whom have abandoned the names I gave them. As they've gotten older and subsequently gone through recovery or whatever, they've tended to reject the names because of the association with things they used to do but can't anymore (laughs)."
The frequently shirtless vibraphonist was given this doozy, "Mike Dillon is Sir Loin of Beef. I always encourage people to not wear street clothes on stage. So I don't know where the hell he got this thing, but he got this really cheesy Knights of the Round Table costume made out of crappy polyester stuff. He'd come out with this thing on, and I'd call him Sir Loin of Beef." However, their current tour drummer, on loan from the Eric McFadden Trio, needs no special name. Says Claypool, "Paulo Baldi is a name! That guy should be a Latin pop star or a porn star!"
Gaby La La (Fancy Band)
All Good 2006 by R. Massie |
The Fancy Band moniker came out of the ether last year and has stuck so well everyone, including Claypool, has been sporting plain t-shirts with the word "Fancy" on the current tour. This line-up adheres to the most striking difference between Claypool's new millennial music and Primus – the general absence of an electric guitarist. At first it was odd to hear Les' gymnastic bass moves without the acupuncture stab of Larry LaLonde. A hectic genius, LaLonde is also such an alpha male that for some of us it was only outside of Primus that the full scope of Claypool's instrumental prowess became clear.
Always a fine storyteller, Claypool has continued to blossom as a bard of tales short and tall. Of Whales And Woe adds Vernon The Company Man and an Iowan Gal to his long list of characters that includes Jerry The Race Car Driver, Sathington Willoughby, Tommy The Cat, and Wynona's ever-popular Big Brown Beaver. Only Steely Dan rivals Les for sharply drawn freaks.
Fans of the Cartoon Network's stop-motion animated series Robot Chicken will be pleased Claypool included the theme song he wrote, his second for a cartoon after his meth-addled South Park theme.
Les Claypool by Jaci Downs |
"I've always been a big fan of animation. It's an incredible medium, and now that everything's computerized, the quality bar has risen to this amazing level that continues to grow exponentially," offers Claypool. "I remember doing some videos in the early '90s, and they didn't have the ability to do all this computer stuff, so it was extraordinarily expensive and time-consuming. We worked with Dave Spafford - who's a well-respected cell animator - on 'Tommy The Cat,' which was incredibly expensive for 30 seconds of animation."
New cuts like "Rumble of the Diesel" have the ring of old Bugs Bunny cartoons. Well, old Bugs Bunny cartoons dredged in a finely powdered King Crimson and fried up golden brown. Claypool enthuses, "I love Carl Stalling! When you come over to my house for a barbecue or something, you're usually hearing Carl Stalling over the sound system, with some Jelly Roll Morton and Raymond Scott."
|
