Les Claypool
Leslie Edward Claypool (born September 29, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus since its formation in 1984. Frequently considered to be one of the greatest bassists of all time,[2] his playing style mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends, and slapping.
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward Claypool
Colonel Claypool
September 29, 1963
Richmond, California, U.S.
El Sobrante, California, U.S.
- Musician
- singer
- songwriter
- record producer
- filmmaker
- author
- Bass
- vocals
- double bass
- whamola
1984–present
Outside of Primus, Claypool has also been involved in a number of side projects, including supergroups such as Oysterhead (with Trey Anastasio and Stewart Copeland) and Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains (with Buckethead, Bryan Mantia, and Bernie Worrell). He also fronts the experimental rock projects Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade and Les Claypool's Fancy Band. He has self-produced and engineered several solo releases from his own studio, Rancho Relaxo, in California. In 2006, he wrote and directed the mockumentary Electric Apricot and released his debut novel South of the Pumphouse. More recently, he has formed musical duos like Duo de Twang (with Bryan Kehoe) and The Claypool Lennon Delirium (with Sean Lennon).
Early life[edit]
Claypool was born into a working-class family of car mechanics in Richmond, California in 1963.[3] He was raised in El Sobrante, California. He learned to play the bass guitar at age 14, but didn't begin a career in music until much later. He attended De Anza High School in Richmond, where he was friends with Kirk Hammett. Claypool worked as a carpenter for several years after graduating from high school.[4][5]
Career[edit]
Early career[edit]
After the death of Metallica bassist Cliff Burton in 1986, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett reconnected with Claypool and asked him to audition as Burton's replacement. In the Metallica episode of the documentary series Behind the Music, Claypool said that he jokingly asked the members of Metallica if they wanted to "jam on some Isley Brothers tunes" during the audition, a reference to his lack of experience with Metallica's thrash metal style. He later recalled Hammett had given him a copy of Metallica's 1984 album Ride the Lightning, which he enjoyed, but Claypool also stressed he "wasn't a big metal guy" and did not realize how popular Metallica had become until he arrived at the audition;[4][6] according to Claypool, he also didn't realize at the time that the intro riff of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" was a bass, and thus didn't play it during the audition.[6] Metallica frontman James Hetfield said that Claypool was not offered the job because "he was too good" and "should do his own thing". Claypool responded by admitting that he "wasn't the right guy" for the band due to being a self-proclaimed "weirdo"; he said that Hetfield was just "being nice" with his comments.[4]
Personal life[edit]
Claypool is known for his eccentric personality, surreal sense of humor, and cannabis use.[41] Claypool married his girlfriend, Chaney Smith, in December 1995.[1] They have a son, Cage Oliver Claypool (b. 1996)[42] and a daughter;[43] Cage Claypool is a filmmaker who also directed the music video for "Conspiranoia".[44]
"Les Claypool Day" was declared in Cincinnati by mayor John Cranley on June 12, 2018. The declaration was presented to Claypool during Primus' show that night at the Riverbend Music Center by members of the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation alongside Claypool's friend, influence, and Cincinnati native Bootsy Collins.[45]