In the early 90s, a young musician auditioned as a replacement bassist for the band Metallica, but despite being impressed by his talent they turned him down due to his unusual manner and weird style. The musician was Les Claypool, and afterward he would go on to start the most unique metal band to record music, Primus. They are best known for their unique combination of rock, metal, funk, and other genres into a distinct sound, often leaving new listeners to ask: “What the hell am I listening to?”. Their music combines Claypool’s technically proficient and percussive “slap” bass style with his bandmates’ confusingly catchy and complex guitar melodies and elaborate rhythms on drums. The lyrics, written by Les Claypool, blend humor and spontaneity, immersing the listener in a ridiculous story within each song. Les Claypool grew up fishing every weekend with his father, which led fishing or the sea to be a continuous theme throughout their albums. The first song of their debut album “Fisherman’s Chronicles” is one of their most popular songs titled John the Fisherman, a story about a fisherman who dies while returning his catch for his community. Despite the dismal nature of the lyrics, they are sung in a somewhat “goofy” voice by Les over a whimsical and funky instrumental. This song is a perfect example of the classic Primus sound that so many enjoy. They are also known for creating South Park’s iconic theme song, turning down the meager $74 they were offered by the writers and sending in more than one recording all out of their respect for fellow artists and enjoyment of their craft. Primus opened the door for many other bands, like Tool, to embrace their weird and unique sounds as well.
The process of writing such a unique song surprisingly starts off like most. Primus frequently has studio sessions that start with the band jamming together, feeling the rhythm and style of the other players, and building off each part into a fully developed sound and structure. During this process they also incorporate Claypool’s lyrics, which he often writes on his own. To aid this process, he keeps a notebook full of ramblings, rantings and thoughts, any really any line of nonsense that gets stuck in his head. Another aspect that makes them so special is their use of rare instruments and effects in their songs, including a six-string bass and the “whamola,” a homemade electric bass that Claypool constructed for a very specific sound. Primus’ creative albums and music are a perfect example of technical skill meeting absurdity.
In The Creative Spark, by Agustin Fuentes, creativity is part of what diversifies humans and fuels their progress in nature. He also claims that leaps in human progress occur only when people disrupt or challenge norms, which is exactly what Primus does with music. They can’t be labeled or confined to a specific genre like rock, prog-rock, or alternative, they just create their own thing. An inside joke amongst Primus fans is chanting “Primus sucks!”, not as a form of hate, but as a show of their pride in enjoying weird and unusual music that would make most say “this band sucks.”
Sources:
https://www.notreble.com/buzz/2011/09/01/still-fishin-an-exclusive-interview-with-les-claypool/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkFMJ4-ai1I
The Creative Spark, Agustin Fuentes
I enjoyed reading your opinions on how creativity can shape personality and individuality in artists. I think many of the most creative people we can think of were at one time an outsider or "strange" to those who met them. I also think our generation has come to better embrace the weirdness of creatives, and to create spaces for those who might not have been as accepted in past years.
ReplyDeleteYour story about them turning down the money for the South Park theme song also shows how they support other artists, and can see how "weird" or different creators should be supported and lifted up. Primus has some songs on my playlist as well.
Hey Nicole! I loved learning about Les Claypool and the band Primus. The image that you included for this post is what caught my eye at first. My immediate thought was, that's kind of weird. However, as I read on I realized that is exactly what Les Claypool is embracing. I love that he along with the band embraces the weird and uses that to enhance their creativity in their music. The whamola that Les Claypool constructed is also such a creative instrument to me. It amazes me that he was searching for a specific sound, couldn't find it, and then proceeded to create an instrument that would produce it. I can't wait to give their music a listen!
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