Angine de Poitrine Gets The Primus & Rush Seal of Approval

Angine de Poitrine have picked up plenty of fans during their rapid rise, but the viral Quebec duo now has the attention of some particularly influential musicians. Primus’ Les Claypool and Rush’s Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson have all recently shared their admiration for the unconventional act.

Claypool has been aware of Angine de Poitrine for some time. In a newly published interview with NME, the Primus leader discussed the duo after being asked whether he thought a band like Primus could achieve the same level of success if they were starting out in 2026.

“It’s funny, when Angine de Poitrine popped up, all of a sudden everybody was sending me all their videos saying ‘Look at this, oh my God, this reminds me of Primus’,” Claypool told NME. “So those guys are doing it and it seems like they’re taking over the world. That’s a wonderful thing.”

Claypool sees Angine de Poitrine’s rise as part of a larger appreciation for musicians who can deliver something authentic and unexpected onstage.

“Again, I think people just want to see real musicians play live,” Claypool explained. “They want to see artistic guys and gals who can waggle their fingers and can do these incredible things with instruments.”

The Primus frontman went on to point to Rush’s return to the road and Billy Strings’ ascent as other examples of artists connecting with audiences through their musicianship.

“A handful of years ago, he was playing little tiny places, and now he’s massive. Why is that? Because he can fucking play,” Claypool said of Strings.

The bassist sees a spirit similar to that of Primus in Angine de Poitrine.

“They’re just playing shit that turns themselves on, and people caught onto it,” Claypool said. “I don’t know them personally, but it looks like they’re having a damn good time doing what they’re doing and they’re taking the piss. Aesthetically, it’s very original, very odd, and very cool looking.”

Claypool has also previously addressed the comparisons between Primus and Angine de Poitrine. Speaking with Bass Magazine in May, he said he had repeatedly been sent videos of the duo by people who thought they sounded like Primus.

“Primus is an acquired taste,” Claypool said. “I’ve had 40 people send me Angine de Poitrine because they think it’s some derivative Primus thing. I get that and I go, brilliant! The world is finally coming around to shit that I like.”

Claypool isn’t the only member of the rock royalty club to have taken notice of Angine de Poitrine. Rush’s Lee and Lifeson also recently discussed the duo during an appearance on Chile’s Radio Futuro.

Lee was particularly enthusiastic when asked about Angine de Poitrine, calling the duo “fantastic” and praising their unusual approach.

“That’s the most entertaining and exhilarating bits of music that I’ve heard for a long, long time,” Lee said. “And I think most people that hear them find it somehow infectious, and I don’t mean that like it’s poisonous. I mean good infectious.”

Lee also drew a connection between Angine de Poitrine and the music of both Primus and Rush, while emphasizing the duo’s singularity.

“I love the fact that they’ve gone viral, because they’re so unusual, peculiar, idiosyncratic. It’s a sound that no one’s heard before. They’ve taken Primus and a bit of Rush and all the complexities and sort of boiled it down to a two-piece band using an incredible array of technology.”

Lifeson offered another perspective on what makes Angine de Poitrine so compelling, focusing on the duo’s arrangements, musicianship and distinctive approach to creating their songs.

“There’s something very hypnotic about their arrangements and how they write, how they present the music,” noted Lifeson.

Lifeson also discussed the duo’s use of looping and their ability to build intricate musical arrangements, highlighting the technical skill behind what can initially seem like an intentionally absurd presentation.

“You know, using the looping pedals to create a bass line, and then guitar lines over it, and keep building on it. And above all, they’re just great players. They really play their instruments so well, and that whole microtonal approach just makes it sound so exotic, and just mesmerizing,” Lifeson added.

The praise from three musicians as influential as Claypool, Lee and Lifeson is another indication of the impact Angine de Poitrine have made with their unconventional approach. Khn and Klek de Poitrine are currently on the road for their first U.S. tour. The sold-out run continues through September.