Les Claypool

Les Claypool / Untitled (2008-2009)

Following the summer 2007 Fancy Band tour in support of the DVD, Les has engaged in a number of projects with various lineups. He returned to Gathering of the Vibes (last played in 2002) in 8/07, playing a unique solo bass banjo set, followed by a reunion of the 2000 one time ‘Rat Brigade’ with Chimenti and Lane. In 10/07 he played single show in a trio format with Dillon and Skerik only, and talked in interviews about plans of working with new, less traditional band formats. After a final Fancy lineup show for NYE, in spring 2008 he did a full tour without Gabby in an untitled band (they did NOT wear the FANCY t-shirts). Then in summer 2008 he premiered a new lineup with Sam Bass (from Deadweight fame on cello) and MIRV, which only played a handful of shows, including NYE. Fall 2008 saw another one off show with Bass and the return of Gabby. In 2009 he settled on a lineup of Dillon, Baldi and Sam Bass, which recorded and released Of Fungi and Foe, and toured in its support in the spring and summer.

Musicians

The spring 2008 tour consisted of Les, Dillon, Baldi and Skerik; the 2009 lineup replaced Skerik with Sam Bass.

Instrumentation

Les Claypool - see Claypool’s Unusual Instruments

Live Repertoire

Of Fungi and Foe

Mushroom Men – Premiered 03/04/09, its appearance in the middle of the lengthy Drum/Whamola Jams helped bring balance (and more Les) to what had over the years become 15 minutes of drum mayhem with a scant minute or two of whamola goodness. It was regularly played beginning in the latter half of the spring 2009 tour.
Amanitas – Premiered 01/04/09 (it was on the setlist for NYE 2008 but was not played), this became a live staple in 2009.
Red State Girl – Premiered 03/04/09, this became a live staple in 2009.
Booneville Stomp – Premiered 03/04/09, this became a live staple in 2009.
What Would Sir George Martin Do – Premiered 03/22/09 and played 3 times total spring 2009 tour
You Can’t Tell Errol Anything – Premiered 03/26/09 in its only appearance on the spring 2009 tour.

Of Whales And Woe

One Better – It remained the tour de force live number of the 2008-9 tours, with extended improvisation and frequent teases of multiple songs. Officially released on the Live from Bonnaroo 2008 DVD.
Lust Stings – Played only 3 times in 2008, not at all in 2009.
Of Whales And Woe - heavily played 2008 and semi regularly 2009
Vernon the Company Man - heavily played 2008, but only once in 2009 (the last night of the spring tour, so that Trey Spruance could make a one time guest solo spot)
Phantom Patriot – Played twice only in 2008, then it disappeared.
Iowan Gal – Played heavily 2008, then only 3 times in spring 2009.
Rumble Of the Diesel - heavily played 2008-9
Filipino Ray - Played twice only in 2008, then it disappeared.

Purple Onion

David Makalaster I – heavily played 2008-09
Buzzards Of Green Hill - heavily played 2008 and semi regularly 2009
Long In The Tooth – heavily played 2008 and semi regularly 2009
Whamola – played rarely in 2008, then disappeared after one appearance in 2009.
Ding Dang - heavily played 2008 and semi regularly 2009
D's Diner - heavily played 2008-9
Up On The Roof – regularly played 2008-9
Cosmic Highway – regularly played 2008-9

Unreleased Originals

Drum/Whamola Jam – this nightly tradition continues, although at least beginning with the spring 2009 tour, the 12-15 minute long drum/percussion duet was trimmed to (a more tolerable) 5 minutes, followed by a segue into Mushroom Men, capped off by another minute of drum extravaganza.

Other Les Claypool Band Material

Holy Mackerel

Calling Kyle – Played semi regularly in spring 2008, then only twice in 2009
Hendershot – Played sporadically in 2008-9
Highball With the Devil – After years of terrorizing setlists, it appeared 4 times in each of the spring 2008 and 2009 tours, and at several other miscellaneous shows.
Precipitation - heavily played 2008-9
Running the Gauntlet – played once in spring 2008 on bass banjo only

Primus

American Life – played regularly 2008-9 on solo bass banjo only
Coattails of a Dead Man – Premiered 03/21/08 and played 4 times on the spring 2008 tour. This song represents the first time a Primus song (that had never been played by Primus live) received its live premiere by another Claypool helmed project, and only the second time in his career that a band other than the original recording lineup premiered a Les original song live (the first time was when Fancy Band played the Holy Mackerel composition Delicate Tendrils).
Duchess and the Proverbial Mind Spread – Premiered 02/29/08 in a one time only upright performance, then on 4 string bass on 03/01/08. It was played heavily in 2008; then semi regularly in 2009.
Fisticuffs - Premiered 02/29/08 and quickly became a major jam vehicle. Heavily played in 2008-9.
Groundhog’s Day – played twice in spring 2008 on solo bass banjo only
Harold Of the Rocks – played twice in spring 2008 on solo bass banjo only
Here Come the Bastards – played twice in spring 2008 on solo bass banjo only
John the Fisherman –Technically premiered 12/31/07 as a full band rendition by the Fancy Band as their swan song, it was regularly played during the spring 2008 tour, then disappeared in 2009.
Those Damned Blue Collar Tweekers – played once in spring 2009 on solo bass banjo only
Too Many Puppies – played once in spring 2008 on solo bass banjo only
Toys Go Winding Down – played once in spring 2008 on solo bass banjo only

Sausage

Riddles Are Abound Tonight – Played 8/11/07 during Rat Brigade reunion show with Jay Lane, then 3 times during spring 2008 tour
Prelude to Fear – Rat Brigade reunion only

Covers

A Shot In the Dark (Henry Mancini) – Played occasionally in spring 2008, last time once in 01/09.
Awakening (Reddings) – Played twice spring 2009 tour only.
Electric Funeral (Black Sabbath) – Premiered 03/01/08 and played true to the original song. It was heavily performed in 2008 and semi regularly in 2009.
.50 Cal (MIRV) – Premiered 06/13/08 when MIRV was in the band, then played once more on 12/31/08 (Holy Mackerel played it once as well in their only 2008 show).
Hello Skinny (Residents) – Played in full 02/28/08, and teased occasionally in spring 2008 tour.
Honey White (Morphine) – Premiered 03/14/08 and played one other time that tour, it was then played once in spring 2009, in a nostalgic version as the remaining members of Morphine sat in to play their own song for the first time in a decade
Master of Puppets (Primus) – single complete solo bass banjo rendition on 3/24/09.
One Step Beyond (Madness) - Played occasionally in spring 2008, last time once in 01/09.
Russian Dance (Tom Waits) – After playing this at the 2008 Bonnaroo SuperJam as a guest of Gogol Bordello, Les premiered this with his own band on 12/31/08. It was performed semi regularly in the spring 2009 tour.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd) – Played occasionally in spring 2008 only.
Thela Hun Ginjeet (King Crimson) – Played 4 times only in 2008-9, the last two times when Eenor sat in.
Tomorrow Never Knows (Beatles) – Rat Brigade reunion only, with multiple members of Ratdog guesting, including Bob Weir.

Teases

Claypool originals – Cosmic Highway, Groundhog’s, John, Little Faces, Mr Krinkle, Mr Oysterhead, Over the Falls, Robot Chicken (Les (on keyboards) and Mike only), Southbound, Tommy, Tweekers, Up On the Roof, Wynona

Covers – ? (Stanley Clarke), Bed’s Too Big, Black Dog, Cygnus, Dueling Banjos, Fantastic Voyage, Glide, Hello Skinny, Kashmir, Master of Puppets, Them Changes

Vocal Teases/Lyrics

Claypool originals –
Covers – Flintstones theme song

Official Video

Live from Bonnaroo 2008 DVD – One Better (06/13/08 – capturing the rare lineup with Bass and MIRV)

Guest Performers

Frank Catalano aka Ballpark Frank (baritone sax)

03/22/08 – A Shot In the Dark

Karl Denson (sax)

01/05/09 – One Step Beyond, A Shot In the Dark

Eenor (guitar)

03/08/09 – Thela
03/14/09 – Thela

Tom Hagerman (violin) – from 2009 spring our opening band DeVotchKa

03/22/09 – Russian Dance

Eugene Hutz (vocals) – Frontman for the band Gogol Bordello, he first shared the stage with Les at the 2008 Bonnaroo all Waits cover set, and recorded Bite Out of Life off of Of Fungi and Foe.

03/07/09 – D’s Diner

Gabby La La (sitar)

04/05/08 – Cosmic Highway
12/31/08 – Cosmic Highway

Lonnie Marshall (bass)

03/07/09 – D’s Diner

Morphine (Jerome Deupree on percussion, Billy Conway on Drums and Dana Colley on baritone saxophone) – Les announced that he had been in the studio that day with the remaining members of Morphine…

03/26/09 – Honey White

Skerik (sax)

01/04/09 – One Better, Long In the Tooth, Hendershot
01/05/09 - Buzzards

Jeanie Schroder (sousaphone) – from 2009 spring our opening band DeVotchKa

03/22/09 – Russian Dance

Trey Spruance (guitar) – best known as guitar player in Mr Bungle, as well as his work with his own projects, most notably Secret Chiefs 3, which opened for Les in both 2008 and 2009 spring tours.

03/15/08 – Vernon, Calling Kyle
04/04/08 – Vernon
04/05/08 – Vernon, Cosmic Highway
03/28/09 – Vernon

Saul Williams (vocal) – lead vocalist of rap opening band from spring 2009 tour

03/28/09 – D’s Diner

Tour By Tour Analysis

Spring 2008

This tour was by the untitled, Gabby less (i.e. ? Fancy) band of Dillon, Baldi and Skerik. The material was similar to Fancy Band 2006-7 tours, although Highball material was de-emphasized, and Lust Stings, Filipino Ray and Phantom Patriot were all rarely played. In exchange, Les raided the Primus vaults, unveiling Coattails of a Dead Man (never before played live!!), Duchess and Fisticuffs off the Brown album (these had not been played in a decade!) and John the Fisherman. The band also premiered two new covers: Sabbath’s Electric Funeral and rare performances of Morphine’s Honey White.

This lineup/tour introduced the following complete songs:

Claypool originals: Coattails, Duchess, Fisticuffs, John the Fisherman
Covers: Electric Funeral, Honey White

Total # Complete Songs Played On Tour: 30 band, 8 bass banjo only

NYE 2008, Jam Cruise and Spring 2009

This tour was in support of the Of Fungi and Foe CD, and featured the lineup of Baldi, Dillon and Sam Bass on cello. The band premiered 6 songs off the new studio album, as well as Waits’ Russian Dance. After the first 4 tracks off the studio album were all premiered in the opening days of the tour, George Martin and Errol made late and rare appearances as the tour wound down. There were typically 3 openers the entire tour, limiting Les’ set to about 90 minutes.

This lineup/tour introduced the following complete songs:

Of Fungi and Foe: Amanitas, Booneville, What Would Sir George Martin Do?, Mushroom, Red State, You Can’t Tell Erroll Anything
Covers: Russian Dance

Total # Complete Songs Played On Tour: 30 band, 4 solo bass banjo only

Special Shows

Historically Important Shows

06/13/08 – The transitional lineup with Bass and MIRV appear at Bonnaroo, premiering .50 Cal.

New Year’s Eve

12/31/08 – Notable for the premiere of Russian Dance, and a guest spot by the long gone Gabby.

Radio/TV Appearances

04/01/2009 – Red State Girl, Booneville Stomp - Jimmey Kimmel Live!

Classic Shows

History will tell which are the classics!