7 Reasons Les Claypool is Strangely Awesome (+Lesson Tips)
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- Опубліковано 15 січ 2022
- 👉 My full beginner bass course: yeah.bassbuzz.com/claypool
Les Claypool - human, or slap bass machine? Or Willie Wonka in disguise? Here’s my take, plus bass lesson tips to match his style.
Sheet music + bass tab for all the Primus riffs I played - www.noteflight.com/scores/vie...
Let’s get right into it - if you’re anything like me, your brain probably exploded when you first heard Les Claypool slapping up a storm on a Primus tune. “How does a human make a bass guitar sound like that?” you may have asked yourself. “How does Josh know what my internal monologue is?” Fair question.
The thing is, Les’s technique actually can be comprehended by mortal minds - I’ll break it down for you, so you can start learning some Primus riffs ASAP.
Then we’ll dig into all things strum. Les plays a lot of bass chords, and combines them with his slap technique to create a lot of his signature bass lines. Again - I’ll break it down, you can copy it and learn Primus riffs. Are you sensing a pattern?
But how the hell does he pick all these weird notes? I’ll dig into a little bit of music theory (hey wait stop running away) to explain why Primus sounds like Primus and not… that weird Hanson mashup that I subject you to in this section of the video.
Time to take a tour of Colonel Claypool’s tapping technique. I’ll show you some of Les’s favorite moves, plus how to approach tapping with his particular style.
Also - Les is the king of weird bass tone. Let’s talk about it. I’ll demonstrate how different he sounds compared to other basses from the same era, and how crucial his tone is to getting the Primus sound.
Finally, we end as all semi-biographical tribute videos must end… with some juicy quotes from Les about the creative process, and a painfully obvious pun based on a Primus song title.
Don’t miss the next video - subscribe here: yeah.bassbuzz.com/subscribe
#LesClaypool #BassLesson #PrimusSucks
Alright, give it to me straight - I missed your favorite Primus riff, didn’t I? Punish me in the comments, I’ll be running away on the hamburger train. 🍔🚋
Timestamps for this lesson:
0:36 - Slap Bass Sorceror
3:41 - Slap ‘n’ Strum
7:03 - Weird A$$ Notes
10:18 - Tapping Fiend
12:35 - Creativity First
14:40 - Signature Tone
17:16 - Defying Tradition
Love you man, you're a huge inspiration!
@@thiccbasscovers the amount of people, young or old, that BazzBuzz has inspired is mesmerising
In 42 been playing bass since I was 8. He's extremely fast thats my big thing on les.
Lee Van Cleef
Not a riff, a reason... Distortion! "My Name is Mud" is a good example...and, of course, Laquerhead.
Les Claypool literally saved my life once. True story. Me and my old lady ate some random "doses" at a music festival; they tasted bad and we immediately spit them out. This was 2006 and Research chemicals were everywhere. I deduced that it had to be something like DOA, DoB or DOC. Either way, we ended up tripping for at least 72 hours. It was miserable, thought I'd completely lost my mind and I was gonna be insane for ever. We had been lying in our canopy for days with the most horrible, nightmarish hallucinations....unable to even speak to my girfriend. It was like a Hunter S. Thompson novel. And then, on the final day of the festival, a group of my buddies along with Mr. Claypool came and literally dragged the two of us out of our canopy and ("Weekend at Bernies style"). We had VIP tickets and were supposed to be working backstage on lighting. We had a posse of of Les's people prettty much carry us to the backstage area where we could watch the show in peace. It was magical. I've never been told by my favoreite rockstar to " Get up, you're gonna miss the show" { I didn't have a big role in the production of the shpow ( they could have gotten along just fine without me {) He just really wanted me to see the show and get out of my psychedelic horror film. I love that man.!
That is a helluva cool story.
Awesome guy.
Did you perchance learn a lesson about tampering with your brain chemistry, especially via unknown chemicals from strangers?
@@aleisterbroley900 I once smoked the forbidden strange joint at a Roots concert and immediately learned my lesson.
@@aleisterbroley900 I learned everything deserves a second chance 😉
That's fucking beautiful
This was fantastic.
I spent so much of my time in middle school trying to figure all this stuff out haha
Nice to see you here Rob as I delve into bass after playing guitar in my room for however many years its been :)
Nah, it sucked
Lol now people like me are trying to figure out your flamenco strumming, Rob😂
Thanks Rob! Love your videos. WTF at that squiggly whammy bar, I need to hear one of those on bass.
@@BassBuzz Les actually used a whammy on his bass, it always sounded like he was trying to break it.. Though I'm sure you knew that.
You're not wrong about his humility! They came to town around '94 and my friends' local band opened for them. After their set, the members of Primus helped them load their gear off stage and into their van! I had never seen a band that big pitching in like that before or after!
Talk about humbling. They actually is super real of them.. One more reason I have come to love Primus & Les
Not to mention how they embraced (or started?) the "Primus sucks!" chant. Les never took himself too seriously while still being a mad genius.
Somewhat small gesture but I can imagine how nice it must have felt to not have as much to lift after a good show especially if you're not as used to it like primus, touring the world and all.
I saw Les in the grocery store and he paid for my Milky Ways.
The idea of Primus performing "Tommy the Cat" in the style of Hanson's "Mmmbop" is hilarious.
Almost feel like sending the idea to "there I ruined it for you" Mashup channel
Agreed, that was *drop-dead* funny and the reason I stopped to leave a comment! O...M...G!!!
I think we can agree, Les Claypool isn't just a Bass player, he's a mad scientist/ genius with a four and six string laboratory at his fingertips. Thanks for the vid mate, now I'm off to hurt my fingers.......a lot
He looks like one, for sure
Never seen him play a five string bass
Never has Les been seen playing a 5 string bass
Les is as innovative as they come. Not to mention you have to be phenomenal at what you do to provide the innovation he has.
Les is a Bass Wizard spinning complex lyrical tales over rhythmic bass slappery!
Les is a friend to our family. He always shows grace and humility. A really good guy.
Cool!
Les created a whole universe of characters with his lyrics. Each with there own backstories, struggles and achievements.
So well said, my man.
"We're at an evil carnival and we're gonna die" - the most fantastic description of Les' style I've ever heard
That's pretty much how I've described Mr. Bungle too.
Dayyyyum these videos are well made. No filler, no time wasting, good editing, good demonstrations, clear and easy tabs. My singular thumbs up is not enough.
Thanks Invin! :)
Yeah, sucks you can't click that thing more than once, so I'll add one.
They are also very funny!
I am just hear for Dee Bass Faces,
Dey ees funky!
Les Claypool. The man who made me want to pick up the bass.
I think he’s underrated.
Me too! Him and Paul Barker
i saw Primus last year and not only did they play a killer setlist of their own, but they also covered the entire "A Farewell to Kings" album as an homage to Rush. AMAZING. The whole band is underrated IMO. btw, opening band was awesome too, THE SWORD
@@woody5831 what makes you say he’s overrated? Genuinely curious
@@woody5831 just cause you can play it doesn’t mean he’s overrated. it’s more his phrasing and technique that make him a unique player than anything else
What's crazy to me is that on top of all those crazy basslines, Les is also singing, like that's some serious coordination
Totally, no idea how he does it.
he can even play a little drums. and lets not forget the WHAMOLA
As a 70 year old novice bass player, I know that I can never touch these riffs, but it’s sure entertaining to watch you guys who can.
Why? If you believe, it's possible!
Try just doing T-F first (2:14), then T-F-P, it's already great fun and not that difficult really.
Don't give up dude! I've found that the best track for myself to practice that goes over most of the required techniques and isn't either too difficult too fast is "American Life".
Hope that it helps you out dude and all the best for the future.
I’m also 70. I’m spending about 45 minutes a day practicing my slapping. I believe it can be done! (I’m not a bass novice, but I’ve never expended any effort learning to slap. My bad.)
My favorite thing about Primus is that it is it's own genre of music and Les deserves credit for being a pioneer.
Kinda? It's like if Bootsie Collins and Frank Zappa had a baby that played folk metal. Les even openly admitted that he rips off Zappa constantly.
Primus is actually the only band with it's own ID3 genre tag: 'Primus'
The quote "So you can create feeling in music without following the rules - its just gonna be really weird feelings" actually made me laugh because it's so spot-on. Great writing in this episode!
"It's called music theory, not music fact... there are no rules." - E. Van Halen
@@SaberToothGary FFS. That's like saying It's called 'school', that's why they serve fish at lunch sometimes. It's just ignorant at worst, a terrible dad joke at best. 'Theory' has more than one meaning.
@@Bubu567 “Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist” - Pablo Picasso
@@omgvague I wasn't saying that his intentions were wrong, I was just upset that he didn't know he was implying the wrong definition of theory. 2+2=4 is mathematical theory. That doesn't mean it's up for debate. It's a rigorous model that describes how a thing is. Not a guess.
@@Bubu567 I understand what you're both saying. I think Picasso's quote is more in line with the point he was trying to get across.
When I first herd Jerry was a race car driver. I didn't even know it was a bass that I was hearing, I thought it was just a loop of somebody slapping guitar strings that just happened to sound cool. Once I learned it was bass. It flipped my bass world upside-down. And I was hooked on Primus .
So, you were… “Fish on” then.
I usually do not write comments, but your video impressed me. At first I thought it was just a clickbaity video, but you really dissected Les' tone: I learned a lot. Bravo!
Thanks Eliakim!
Big Primus fan here! Les is also a great guy, 15 years ago a friend of mine send him an email and asked him to use his music in a movie made as a college assignement. Les answered with a big thumb up and say that she can used wherever song she wants, no problems. Also, my favorite sont is The Return of Sathington Willoughby!
That sucks!
Les' vocals over Mmmbop is the most cursed thing i've heard in a while. Also, fantastic video! I've never really been interested in learning slap bass until now. This vid is easy to follow and does a very good job of breaking down the technique so a relative bass noob like myself can understand it and follow along. Might be putting down the pick for a few days.
I literally lol'd at the Les/Hanson mash-up. Frikkin' Brilliant!
That was hilarious
Pick? For bass? Sacrilege!
@@stefandinus7701 I like the stronger attack I get with a pick, plus the vast majority of my bass heroes play with a pick.
@@holidayonion I can't hold a pick, nor use a pick, to save my life. There are a few I'd like to play that use it, but I'm incapable lol
Les is straight up funky. I have seen Primus twice in concert and Les did not disappoint.
Primus were/are way ahead of the time, unbelievable musicians, absolutely love,Les,Larry & Tim. ❤️🎸🤘
I love it when a musician breaks all the damn rules and creates something truly unique. I played some KoRn tribute shows a little while back and had to un-learn so much about what was the "right" way to set up & play the bass, as well as the way the amp "should" sound.
Sometimes you gotta colour outside the lines to make great art.
That's the problem with most bands now,this is how drums,this is how guitar sound etc and the use the same set ups
Very very impressive. I salute you for taking the time and trouble to get your waggly fingers around Sir Claypools riffs of wonder and mystery. Most pleasing.
Thanks Mark!
At 59 yrs old I am a fan of Primus and Les Claypool, the Brown album hooked me. I collected stacks of magazine articles. I've never had the pleasure to see them play but I would watch MTV to see their videos. My favorites, it's incredibly hot in here today, reminding me of my groupie days. And over the falls, an obvious fret of getting married. PRIMUS rules.
When I was a teen, I had friends that were a PRIMUS cover band & they legit knew how to play. Being able to sit in their basement & watch them was incredible. Two of the three were brothers & they were from a musical family who played mostly bluegrass.
I've had a lot of people ask me for a Les Claypool video, but this is far and away better than anything I could have ever come up with. I especially appreciate the advice to just listen to an album all the way through. Listening to music is such an overlooked part of getting good at your instrument.
Les is in a league of his own. He's amazing. Great video.
Thanks Jimmy!
Les is the league.
One my favorite things about a Les Claypool show is how he tells these wild anecdotes between almost every song. Some are more exciting than others and some are down-right mundane, but they're all weird.
I started playing bass in ‘91 after hearing ‘Tommy The Cat’ for the first time. I’ve been learning Les’ style ever since and I can categorically say he is not of this world
Les is one of those bass players who encompasses the rhythm guitar aspects into his playing to fill in the void that is often left by Larry's guitar parts so well.
Fisticuffs is filthy. Jerry Was a Racecar Driver is dirty. I love Les. Loved his work with Buckethead, too.
I remember the first time i brought Frizzle Fry. I popped the tape in my Walkman and proceeded down the street, the first few notes sent shivers down my spine and by the time i got home my skull was blown wide open, i was in tears. Les had totally changed the way i saw and heard a bass, the possibilities became endless.
The fact he does vocals, too. Legend
So legit. Love Primus
How could you not?
Primus sucks!
@@BruceLeeKingoftheSewers Wednesday night is gonna suck!
You're easily one of the best bass teachers I've ever had. I learned more from your beginner to badass course in about a month than I did in 10 years of lessons with more classical teachers.
Thanks Wesley!
I CANNOT say thank you enough for those tabs brother, freaking love you for gifting them to us
You're very welcome!
You have a new fan. Amazing playing, good explanations, tab included (this is vital and often missed), and hilarious to boot. Nice work
You are a monster, Josh! The ultimate display of your skill. Thank you for an amazing video
The amount of effort that went into each video is awesomely insane. Making tabs, research, and putting original music in the background as you play omg😭 Good job man
Please do one of these for thundercat! Your videos have been a huge help for me in getting back into bass. Appreciate the high quality content you put out.
I once read that another way he gets the mid range nasal sound on the bass is by the way he strings it, he uses nickel rounds, but instead of your standard 4 string 40 60 80 100, he uses 2) 60s and 2) 80s. This also makes both the chords and dissonance sing more noticeably, especially using strums and harmonics.
Yo that's a clean vid. Snappy and quick, edits are crispy, and Primus is poppin. A well-made video and great subject matter. I still struggle with fret slaps and hope to get better at it soon!
Les has said he uses extremely light guage strings which might be why his sound is a bit thinner or midrangey. I tried doing this and it was very hard to adjust to.
I believe he said the trick to his sound was stringing his bass AAGG with it still tuned to EADG, making chords sound better. Since then I believe he’s moved on to 40-100 gauges
@@QaysSyed I know about the AA, but first time hearing GG! That's cool.
@@andrepereira744 I’ve tried it myself and it makes Primus songs so much easier to play. The problem is that it’s terribly unbalanced and not good for literally any other band
@@QaysSyed Yea, I sure can imagine that! Thanks bro
What a king! Making Les Claypool seem approachable, in such a casual way, what a video!
Man.... this video was great!
I very rarely sit down and watch anything over 5 minutes. But this popped up and I wound up glued to the screen.
The humor is actually good and not forced, the playing and explanations are spot on.
I'm a big Primus fan and have played stringed instruments off and on the last 20 years.
What a well made music instruction video. I'm a guitarist, not a bassist, yet I watched this whole video because it's just so well done. Good stuff!
Outstanding breakdown of a pretty awesome bass pioneer. Thank you sir.
Never was much into Primus, I was aware of the genius of Les Claypool, but having the riffs broken down by you just opened my eyes!! Gonna check out some of those great riffs tomorrow!
What a complete breakdown of his sound. Amazing.
This was a really well done video. Im not learning bass but always loved primus and just the pacing of the video and insights are all really well executed.
As non musician but a primus fan this was a really good breakdown of his style.
This guy’s understanding of the bass is off the charts! Incredibly well done
Such a great bassist! Flawless technique. I love your content.. your approach to teaching is fun and keeps it interesting.
Les is in fact AWESOME
and watching him play bass is hypnotic... 🎶💞🌟
Seems like more people are getting into Primus recently been seeing a lot of content covering them
youtube reccomended sucks
We all picked up bass during covid. Primus was inevitable
It's a good thing if more people listen to them, I'll seem less weird to my mates lol primus sucks 🤘
The internet bro
I’m just soooo glad they’re still touring and making music. A lot of Primus fan’s kids are now fans and old enough to attend shows.
This is one of the most in depth and super fun deep dive into Les' wizardry. Thank you.
Love Claypool. Especially love seeing him live solo, but always happy to see Primus, too.
I liked this video for countless reasons but I'll count some main ones in no particular order:
1) primus yay
2) fun references and sound bites
3) nicely played
4) nicely explained
5) You always look so young - the videos of you being at school remind me that you once looked even younger
6) taking breaks does help creativity, so does playing Tony hawk sometimes
7) I like the dissonance, it's fun just to play where fingers wander on a fret board and see what sounds are produced
8) such a well put together thought out video, great job!
Because of Primus and Les in particularly i got to love and understand the importance and role of the bass in a band in my early teens during zillion guitar based 90's rock era (grunge, alt rock, nu metal, britpop) cool video btw! Much kuddo's!
I don't play bass but I really appreciated this video! Gave me a whole new appreciation for Les's abilities and the music that he makes. I'll be going back and listening to the full Primus catalog!
Primus is one of my major influences.
From them I got freedom in playing what I feel is right, not just what is awaited from me.
Thanks for that video.
I'm a longtime guitar player and music producer who started out on bass many, many years ago.
I don't really watch this channel to learn anything. I watch this channel purely for the enjoyment of really well-made, professional bass playing YT content.
Please keep up the good work Josh & everyone at BB.
Long time Primus fan here. I'm not a musician, so for me this video provides really great insight into how Les creates all those weird noises and ear candy on his bass. It helps me to appreciate his genius. Primus is original and there is nobody that sounds just like them. The combination of talented players, quirky music, funny lyrics, and Les's bad ass bass sound makes them one of my favorite bands ever.
Les got me into bass alongside some other bass players, but he was the main one. The absolute crazy thing is that Les was self taught
This was excellent. I find your material educational, motivating, and entertaining. Keep on rocking!
Thank you, Josh. Informative, educational and enjoyable, the magic triad.
For me, Les Claypool is just on another level, the ease while is playing and relaxed approach is something else... Also, Primus is one of those love it or hate it bands. Awesome video.
I just thought I would mention also, Ler is/was the perfect counterpart with his own type of insanity balancing out the music.
Liked how u did that. Just listened to you talking for quater an hour, pick up my bass and play tipical claypool stuff.
Well done, gonna watch some more.
I have watched this video at least 7-8 times it’s so amazing I never get bored
Dude, I loved this so much. Les became one of my favorite idols when seas of cheese came out. I was a metal bassist, but have fallen out of playing years ago. Les still holds a special place with me in his sound. I think 'eleven' caught me off guard when It finally dawned on me that eleven was the timing of the song. I had been experimenting with strange timings of my own at the time I discovered this. I thought I uncovered something special at the time. :) I still enjoy the fisherman chronicles, though. To come back to how you started this episode, you mentioned Flea, and I still enjoy Aeroplane that came out around that time. I get the feeling of flying from his playing. Les was the reason I started experimenting with distortion on Bass.
Great video! The attention to detail and quality is incredible.
Thanks for the lesson and tabs, cant wait to try them out!
I remember first hearing Primus on Rock Band 3 when I tried playing Jerry Was A Race Car Driver and that absolutely blew me away, Les' playing was absolutely insane and that song made me realize that you can do some absolutely insane stuff on bass and he made me want to learn how to slap, plus he's without a doubt one of my absolute favourite bassists
So I can't express how glad I am to have found you at the same time I started playing bass just over a year ago. Out of all the content, your lessons have provided the most real application of technique and how to honestly enjoy this instrument. I've always wanted to learn to play bass and you've helped me accomplish the start of this journey. The hardest part was learning to push through the hard times where you feel you can't do it, then I watch your videos and there I am again, doing my best to stretch 4 frets with my little hands. Thank you for being you and allowing us to see you through your lessons.
Practice 5 mins a day. Don't skip. You WILL get better.
Scales.
dude, outstanding video. I've been playing guitar about 3 decades, took a +5-year break (who knows why - but sure feelin it) and decided to roll back in with bass. Big fan of Geddy, Flea, McCartney and so many others but recently strangely obsessed with Claypool. Appreciate the insight!
Primus is in a class and category by themselves. No other band sounds similar.
I stack all these videos in my "tutorials" playlist. I just started playing. I can't play at all but his videos are truly inspiring.
Great vid bro claypool is who got me into bass in the early 90's. ( just a heads up tommy the cat wasn't originally played on 6 string that song was on suck on this which was way before the six string phase and then they later released on the seas of cheese album)
Good catch on the Suck on This version James! I just think of the Seas of Cheese recording as "the" reference point.
When I saw them in 97, he played Tommy The Cat with a mid 60's 4 string Fender Jazz. Plus played an alternate solo in the middle of the song.
@@jeredalmeida1880 Yep, I have seen videos of him in the late 90s using a fender jazz on stage. I didn't realize he used a jazz bass at all, I just thought he thought it looked better in the Wynonna video but I had it in my head that he didn't really play it. Anyways, great video!
@@BassBuzz True, you can hear the difference from both versions....but does he actually need to use the 6 string, the whole song is still played on E A D G right?
Such s great video. One of the most enjoyable I've seen on UA-cam. Nice one Josh.
I don’t know how long it took you to put this video together Josh, but it’s fantastic !👏great job ..
This is the best video I’ve seen yet from you. Kudos, man! 🥳⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🎸
very glad to see Les Claypool content from this channel
Les is and will always be my music hero, and I love that so many just dont get him and Primus.
Excellent! A very complete and didactical class. I laughed with the Hanson - Primus mashup. I'm a fan of Primus since high school. Thanks!
Please make more primus videos!?!?
Holy shit. I've been looking for years on here for a video like this. Thank you so much.
I loved antipop too. I moved to Portland from SF in 1999. I found antipop in Walgreens and was floored. I loved the sound of this album. Your video is fantastic by the way.
The Frizzle Fry album did a lot for me back in the day. Still love it. Primus is just unique.
Definitely subbed man, awesome work and very clear explanation❤❤
Thank you, Les! And thank you for a beautifully informative video.
Yo you’re the best Josh you literally gave me the foundation for all my amateur musicianship I feel like if I didn’t stumble upon bass buzz I would’ve never kept going. You’re a wonderful instructor and I think you understand the power of knowledge !! Thank you hope you see this haha.
Thanks Christian! And yes I see every comment. :)
I have been a Claypool fan since I was 12! Even though I always wanted to play bass and emulate his sound, it has always been so intimidating. Thank you for this breakdown, it has re-inspired this now 42 yr old to pick up a bass and just start to learn.
Nice, welcome to the bass family Derek!
My younger brother Pach was a bass player and a Primus/Claypool fan that was killed 30 years ago in Richmond, VA. I cried watching your awesome video imagining how he would have loved to have seen it. Thank you!
One of your best vids. So well researched and played. Thank you!
Personally I think the Family Values tour made a lot of good bands question what they wanted out of the industry. Rammstein also completely changed the way they did business after being on that tour. Both bands are conspicuously absent from most of the published footage of the backstage “antics”. You can even catch some of the Rammstein guys rolling their eyes on their way by, or waving people away like they want no parts of what’s going on. The dude bro atmosphere of it all wasn’t attractive to the handful of artists that actually had some stuff to say. And if you look at Les’ lyrics for the next decade he started being much more explicit about making art with a message and not just... for the nookie.
Yeah, I would think playing on the same stage as Limp Biskit would really make you question the industry.
Ummm, you do know that les and durst were cool with each other right? Fred durst helped produce on primus antipop album, laquerhead in particular, and les claypool was on limp bizkits 2nd album lending some vocals to the hidden track
@@BigSmiley0TV I do seem to remember that, you are right.
I think it weirded Primus out to be an opening act for bands that once looked up to them, too. That would be like Rush opening for Primus
@@herbertwildey2349 oh yeah, I'll grant you, that it's an odd pairing, even coming from somebody that will openly admit to having been a fan of both, but yeah, it's all right there in the credits on the albums and in Wikipedia. While there's plenty of reasons to trash durst, at the end of the day he was just a guy trying to have a job making art, as is claypool. I don't know if they stayed in touch or would consider working together again, especially finding out how little primus enjoyed making antipop, but at the time primus was big for a bizarre underground band, while limp bizkit was just blowing up fo having been an underground sensation that went mainstream, and was propelled very quickly into pop stardom playing to huge arenas, full of fans that would later talk about what a tool durst is. Getting hated, not just for their music but being a symbol of all the bands that got caught up in that sound and were pushed by radio mtv and the media, just as they had pushed the seattle scene a few years earlier. The same type of meteoric rise kurt cobain had that caused him great woes, durst seemed to revel in. I still maintain that claypool is one of the greatest bass players in rock, and that antipop was there last great huge pop release, though i love the albums that followed, his "solo" work now outshines what primus does, and as for the bizkit, they were also extremely diverse and experimental in their sound being amongst the first big groups that did fusion of many styles with a major influence from the rap world, and if one can listen with an open mind to their first album, you can hear a multilayered onslaught of ideas, and styles, with durst mainly talking about issues that one deals with at that age, of loss of love and fake friends, loneliness and resentment, that give a righteous reason to feelings of anger. They even end the album with a very long, 16 minute ambient track, that lets the anger subside before releasing you back to reality. The unfortunate thing is that he was a great frontman with ideas to sell the band, and make a living fir the group, but the whole thing was predicated upon that adolescent hurt and anger that sound very formulaic really quick, especially when they all become rich quick and shouldn't still have the same problems, but he wasn't the greatest writer, singer or rapper, but they did change up the sound while progressing the formula of what worked, or got them paid, and that led more and more towards the goofy party based hip hop shock rock pop imagery working for Eminem, and manson. When he would've been better off, in theory, artistically, looking to predecessors like rage against the machine or even beastie boys, and realizing that if you're going to be screaming about pain and anger, because you're not funky enough to be snoop and could rap about nothing and be a respected hit maker for decades, than you need to scream about things that should make a grown man angry, like either being as honest an open as john lennon crying about his mother, or literally raging against the machine of society. Run the jewels are currently doing a great job of that, though the stage might've gotten smaller for limp, had they done that on their second or third album, we'll never know, though we certainly know that by their third album, even fans like me stopped caring about why he wants to break things, because it wasn't always all for the nookie, he made that clear on album one that he had wanted true love from his lover and his friends, and bands, and even on that song it sounded like he was trying to still kill his heart and convince himself, or the lover who wronged him, that he was gonna be ok and got what he wanted, but still just needed to break some stuff, but the party would keep rolling rolling rolling, but without anymore insight coming forth, and no other clear interests, (like cypress hill making yet another weed song) it seemed like the nookie, and a big loud frat type party, was what he was looking to keep going towards, which plenty of bands do better.
Finally! Les is really a great bass player. And he affected so much my "style", I guess, strumming and wierd intervals, that's my love. Thanks for video.
You're welcome!
Wow, this video was awesome! How have I been missing out on this channel?! Great work
Amazing video(s).. you're really a true inspiration to the bass world. Def reminded me why I started playing the bass, thanks to Les. Keep up the awesome teachings.
I was in 10th Grade School Orchestra playing String Bass in 1993 when I saw the video for Mr. Krinkle late at night on MTV. My mind was blown. Never had I heard an upright bass played with heavy distortion and a bow! That fateful night started a musical journey of bass wizardry for me! Les Claypool inspired me to teach myself slap bass guitar which was the same tuning as the upright bass I played in orchestra. Claypool opened up a weird, warped, and bizarre world of strange yet funky music outside the classical realm I had no idea existed! Since then I’ve played in several bands over the years from Texas to Kazakhstan and from China to California! I’ve also been to more PRIMUS & Claypool side project concerts than I can count on two hands!
In Australia we had a late night video show called Rage. Mr. Krinkle was the first video I had ever seen or heard from Primus, but the weirdness got me hooked.
The bullboard misses you!!
I watched this video a few months ago because I like Primus then I got sucked into a bass well, bought an acoustic bass and started playing. Thanks for the great videos
I have always loved listening to Les' tone evolve over decades eventually landing on what we hear today. My favorite was when he was using the Mesa 400s, 15" cabs with the ADA-MB1 preamps combined with the 1970's mahogany 6 string fretted CT bass. That combo was hella flat, muddy and heavy. He's still my favorite bassist ever. Not solely because of his bass playing but because of the world he created of Primus; all the tragic characters, the ocean/fishing vibe and many other artistic talents he has. He's also just a cool dude. I've met him several times over the last 30 years as just a fan backstage and he was always really nice and funny.