By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
November 22, 2002
At its prime in the 1990s, Primus was headlining at Lollapalooza and touring with U2. These days, Les Claypool, Primus’ frontman before the members went their separate ways two years ago, is touring with the Frog Brigade in support of the group’s first studio album, “Purple Onion.” The band performs tonight at the Vic Theatre.
Claypool recently took a break to phone from Providence, R.I., to talk about swimming upstream, being idolized and why bassists are better than guitarists.
Q. Who are some of your favorite artists?
A. I’ve always listened to so many different people. I never honed in on any one particular artist. When I was a little kid, I loved Led Zeppelin and Rush. I’m a huge fan of Peter Gabriel’s old stuff and I love Tom Waits as well. He’s a friend of mine now. I also like Melt Banana. They’re amazing and do some really interesting things.
Q. On your day off, would you rather jam with an all-star lineup or go watch a band of your choice?
A. I always like being in the group. I’ve got gold and platinum records, and that’s nice. But the most spectacular thing about my career is playing with amazing people like Tom Waits and Stewart Copeland who’ve become friends of mine. That’s been my biggest reward–meeting and befriending my heroes.
Q. OK, you big name-dropper. Who’s the one person you haven’t played with that you would’ve liked to?
A. [Laughs.] John Bonham.
Q. How do you react when amateurs want to jam with you?
A. I get approached all the time by kids who say, “Oh, dude. We should jam!” Some people are more tactful than others, but that’s not an overly realistic thing to say. You kind of have to earn your 15 minutes. It’s like I get to play with some of these amazing players because I’ve worked at my craft for a long time and got to be in a position where they like what I do. How do you get famous? There’s no magic button. True respect is earned. You have to go do it. You can’t just talk about it or take a shortcut. You’ll have that same shortcut on your way down.
Q. How did you deal with your success with Primus?
A. I was 25 before I even started going on the road with the band. At the time, I was thinking, “I’ve missed the boat. I’m too old.” I was working as a carpenter, a shipping clerk and I printed T-shirts. You just keep going and working, and do whatever you have to do. We’re all salmon swimming upstream.
Q. Speaking of salmon, you’re an avid fisherman. How does that rate as a hobby?
A. I don’t spend all my time fishing. Last summer, I bought an old motor home, fixed it up and did a lot of camping. That’s enjoyable to me. I love driving. One of the things I miss about touring is the actual driving part. I would like to drive the [tour] bus myself but they never let me. Back in the day, I used to drive our motor home when we toured and got to see so much of the country. I saw the Badlands and Yellowstone [national parks]. Now, I go in the bus, drink wine and talk to the guys. It’s not the same.
Q. What do you do when you’re sick and on tour?
A. Well, if my throat doesn’t clear up, I can always just do a bunch of Tom Waits songs.
Q. What’s with all the food references in your songs?
A. They’re just metaphors, usually. Our first major-label release was marketed alongside Bon Jovi and all these cheeseball bands. Cheese seemed like a good thing to sing about. [Laughs.]
Q. Why do bass guitarists rule?
A. Because guitars are thin and twangy and so are guitarists. [Laughs.] The bass has some soul to it. The drums are nice, too. I play drums. When I go to shows, I always watch the drummer.
Q. If music didn’t work out for you, what was your safety career?
A. I definitely would’ve gone into film. I used to make little films in school. I’ve got a couple screenplays written and hope to make a film someday. We’ll see.
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade, Deadweight
7:30 tonight
Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield
Tickets, $22.50
(312) 559-1212
