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In 1993, Primus released Pork Soda, which managed to debut at #7 on the Billboard Top 10. The album was darker than previous Primus efforts, dealing with murder, suicide, and alienation. The band has commented that prior to recording, they had been touring for nearly two solid years and were thus in a sombre mood. "My Name Is Mud", "DMV", and "Mr. Krinkle" were singles, the latter made into a video featuring Claypool in a pig suit and tuxedo playing upright bass in an abandoned warehouse as a carnival of oddities parades behind him, including Claypool's wife and her twin sister. Claypool said he put his "heart and soul into" the video, but it received next to no airtime on MTV. In an interview with Guitar World magazine, Claypool disparaged the channel's unwillingness to air the video, saying "it got played like six times."
Pork Soda was the first full length album recorded at Claypool's house. The band would subsequently record all of their albums in his home studio.
In 1993 Primus headlined the alternative rock festival Lollapalooza. They also made an appearance at the Woodstock '94 Music Festival. They were pelted with mud while they performed "My Name is Mud" (Claypool claims to still have mud in his speakers). About a minute into the song the band stopped playing, and Claypool said "Well I opened a big-ass can of worms with that one, didn't I? The song is called "My Name Is Mud", but keep the mud to yourselves you son-of-a-bitch" and after a short break "You know, when you throw things onstage, it's a sign of small and insignificant genitalia."
The band produced material frequently
. In the previous four years they had released three albums, an EP, six music videos, and a home video. To top that all off, they toured with Rush, who they consider to be one of their biggest influences.
During a lull in 1994, the original Primus lineup consisting of Claypool, Huth, and Lane reunited to record Riddles Are Abound Tonight under the band name Sausage. Among the pre-Primus songs they recorded were "Temporary Phase", "Prelude to Fear", and "Shattering Song." The video to "Riddles Are Abound Tonight" featured the band in blue leotards performing on stationary bicycles.
In 1995 Primus released their fourth album, Tales from the Punchbowl. It contained Primus's most successful single to date, the Grammy-nominated "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver". The song was accompanied by a video with the band members dressed up in cartoonish plastic cowboy costumes (similar to the suits worn in the then current Duracell battery commercials). The band was invited to perform on David Letterman and Conan O'Brien's shows. On the David Letterman show Primus appeared dressed in penguin tuxedos. Two other less successful singles, "Mrs. Blaileen" and "Southbound Pachyderm" (the latter of which featured a claymation video that received only minimal airplay on MTV) were also released.
In 1996 Claypool self-produced his first solo album entitled Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel Presents Highball with the Devil. On this album many of the songs are done solely by Claypool himself. Claypool also employs the help of a number of other musicians. Experimental Bay Area guitarist M.I.R.V. joined Claypool and others. Performances include a spoken word piece from Henry Rollins on the song "Delicate Tendrils". This album was recorded at Claypool's home recording studio, Rancho Relaxo.
The Mantia era — Brown Album, Rhinoplasty, Antipop and hiatus (1997–2002)Disturbed by their sudden fame, Primus gradually began to disown "Wynona." It would not be long before Claypool stated that they would stop playing it altogether. Nonetheless, Alexander left the band in 1996. Rumored replacements for Alexander included Mike Bordin of Faith No More, but in the end he was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia of Limbomaniacs and Praxis. Mantia was one of the many drummers Claypool auditioned for the original line-up of Primus before settling with Alexander — Mantia bowed out beforehand because of a foot injury.
With Mantia aboard, Primus was asked in 1996 to compose the theme song to South Park after the show's creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone confessed to being big fans. (Les Claypool was an early supporter of their Spirit of Christmas video postcard/demo.) Primus also contributed to the South Park "Chef Aid" album with the song "Mephisto and Kevin", telling the story of Gopherboy.
Brown Album was released in 1997 with singles "Shake Hands With Beef" and "Over The Falls". The Brown Album was a departure from previous Primus work. Brain's drumming was much more groove-orientated, reminiscent of John Bonham, as opposed to Herb's very technical style, giving the album an altogether heavier feel.
In 1998, the band headlined the inaugural Sno-Core tour with The Aquabats, Long Beach Dub Allstars and Blink 182. Claypool broke his foot on this tour.Citation needed
In 1998 Primus released an EP called Rhinoplasty, featuring covers of XTC, The Police, Peter Gabriel, and more. The EP includes a bonus track, a cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", accessed by putting the CD in a computer and typing in the passcode "VIOLIN."
Antipop was released in 1999, and was the first album to feature heavy input from outside musicians and producers such as James Hetfield from Metallica, Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine and Fred Durst from Limp Bizkit. The band toured in support of Antipop with Ozzfest and Family Values Tour. The band released a music video for the album's only single, "Lacquer Head", that was banned from MTV because of references to and depiction of drug use, despite the song's anti-drug message.
In 2000 Primus performed a cover of the Black Sabbath song "N.I.B." with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. This track originally appeared on the album Nativity in Black II: A Tribute to Black Sabbath. The single hit number two on the Billboard Modern Rock tracks, the band's highest charting single in nearly a decade.Citation needed
After touring to promote Antipop throughout 2000, citing studio mismanagement and general dissatisfactionCitation needed
During this hiatus, Alexander released two albums with the band Laundry and performed with Blue Man Group, A Perfect Circle, and Born Naked, among others. Claypool explored the jam band scene with Oysterhead (featuring friend Trey Anastasio of Phish and Stewart Copeland of The Police) and his own Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade (featuring both Huth and Lane). He also collaborated with Brain, Buckethead and Bernie Worrell in the group Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains. LaLonde joined Mantia to produce two experimental No Forcefield records, and tried unsuccessfully to start a recording studio.Citation needed
Reformation (2003–2009)In late 2003, Primus reunited with Tim Alexander on drums to record a five track EP. Released alongside a DVD containing the band's music videos and clips from live performances, the resulting package was titled Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, which Claypool described as the first DVD with supplementary music, as opposed to the contrary.Citation needed
In 2005 the band performed at Lollapalooza and Vegoose. Between Primus shows, Claypool created a new solo project called Les Claypool's Fancy Band which, like other projects, occasionally used Primus songs.
at the 2008 Bluesfest.
A May 10, 2006 article in IGN revealed that Primus had signed on with RedOctane to allow the master recording of John the Fisherman to be used in Guitar Hero 2, a game for the PlayStation 2 and nowrap Xbox 360.
Primus performed on July 29, 2006 at the first annual Hedgpeth Festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
On October 17, 2006, Primus released both their first greatest hits CD ''They Can't All Be Zingers, as well as their third DVD Blame It on the Fish: an Abstract Look at the 2003 Primus Tour de Fromage''. Containing live footage from the band's 2003 Tour de Fromage, interview segments and behind the scenes footage, the DVD includes a seventy minute feature film and ninety minutes of bonus material, including a thirty minute mockumentary about the band in the year 2065. Blame it on the Fish was directed by Matthew J. Powers. ''They Can't All Be Zingers: The Best of Primus'' includes 16 digitally remastered songs that span the band's career.
In November 2006, Primus commenced another tour which concluded the following month. On November 24, 2009, the band's first studio album, Frizzle Fry, was re-released on vinyl record, as well as some of Claypool's solo albums.
Reformation with Jay Lane (2010)On March 18, 2010 it was announced by Phil Lesh on his official message board that former Primus drummer Jay Lane would be leaving his previous band Furthur to rejoin Primus. On May 3, 2010 Primus announced a new tour. The opening acts will include Gogol Bordello, Wolfmother, and The Dead Kenny G's.
Correlating with this announcement, the Primus website was updated with an animation of an elevator and a sign reading, "PRIMUS WILL BE WITH YOU SHORTLY." The twelfth floor of the elevator featured a stylized question mark, alluding to a possible new album.
On August 5, 2010, Primus released June 2010 Rehearsal, a free 4-track rehearsal EP up for download on their official website. The EP includes new recordings of "Pudding Time", "American Life", "Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread" and "Harold of the Rocks" and feature Jay Lane on drums.
Primus will begin their "Oddity Faire" tour on September 14, 2010 with opening acts Portugal. The Man, Split Lip Rayfield, Mariachi El Bronx and Gogol Bordello. They will also be playing Australia's Soundwave Festival in March 2011.
Musical style and influencesPrimus' musical style is difficult to define. Primus has been called everything from "thrash-funk meets Don Knotts, Jr." to "the Freak Brothers set to music", and has been variously termed alternative rock,[title=Biography of Primus ] and progressive metal. Les Claypool himself once described their music as "psychedelic polka." Primus is the only band with its own ID3 genre tag, as extended by Winamp. Primus' influences include The Residents, Rush, Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. Bands that have cited Primus as an influence include Deftones, Korn and Limp Bizkit.
Band members- Current members
- Les Claypool - lead vocals, bass (1984–2000, 2003 onward)
- Larry "Ler" LaLonde - lead & rhythm guitar, backing vocals (1989–2000, 2003 onward)
- Jay Lane - drums (1988, 2010 onward)
- Former members
- Todd Huth - guitar (1984–1989)
- Tim "Herb" Alexander - drums (1989–1996, 2003–2010)
- Bryan "Brain" Mantia - drums (1996–2000)
Discography- Suck On This (1989)
- Frizzle Fry (1990)
- Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991)
- Pork Soda (1993)
- Tales from the Punchbowl (1995)
- Brown Album (1997)
- Antipop (1999)
DVD- Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People (2003)
- Hallucino-Genetics: Live 2004 (2004)
- Blame it on the Fish (2006)
Tours- Roll The Bones Tour (1992)
- Zoo TV Tour (1992)
- Lollapalooza (1993)
- Liquid Pig Tour (1993)
- Counterparts Tour (1994)
- Punchbowl Tour (1995)
- Southbound Pachyderm Tour (1996)
- Brown Tour (1997)
- H.O.R.D.E. Tour (1997)
- SnoCore Tour (1998)
- Ozzfest (1999)
- Family Values Tour (1999)
- Antipop Tour (1999–2000)
- Tour de Fromage (2003–2004)
- Hallucino-Genetics Tour (2004)
- The Beat a Dead Horse Tour (2006)
Awards
Copyright Citations
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