Primus Tracks

In 1998 and 2001, Tim Alexander teamed up with guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Michael Manring to create records under the name Attention Deficit. We are honored to have Michael Manring join us to document and sample those two records, as well as his work with Tim on Michael's records Thonk and Book of Flame. We also get into Michael's latest record, Small Moments, to discuss his mindset when...

The great Harry Waters takes the glass elevator up to the 38th floor of Primus Tracks Towers to discuss his endeavors in film and tv composition, as well as his role in the Frog Brigade and the relationships therein, as he gears up for the Hunt For Green October run with Les Claypool and company. Plus, Harry gives Josh some piano-playing tips, FOR FREE. Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn y...

Tim Alexander resuscitated Laundry in 1999 to create Motivator. Tim took over vocal duties, and the resulting effort is in many ways a departure from the first Laundry effort, but still delivers excellence. Frankie hadn't heard this record before the episode, so tune in to see why we make so many Tool references with this music, and why it's an intriguing listen! The CD is hard to find, but the al...

Here's another sub-series within the Primus Tracks realm: Ask Soya! We put out the call, and you answered with your hard-hitting questions about the Primus world. Is Soya up to the task? Find out in the episode as he faces queries about his own drumming, and some hair-raising experiences as a drum tech, and that time he got a talking-to from Les Claypool. Do you have a question for Tim Soya? Acces...

Bonnaroo 2008 saw Les Claypool assemble a one-off lineup to perform a bevy of his solo tracks around a couple of setlist surprises. Sam Bass, Pualo Baldi, and MIRV joined Les to delight and bewilder the assembled masses in a show that stands out among all of the performances billed to Les Claypool. Frankie guides us through the highlights and gives backstory to the circumstances of the show. Playl...

We double-dip to close out our exploration of Les Claypool & The Holy Mackerel Presents Highball With The Devil by discussing the two instrumentals at the end. Me and Chuck features guitar great Charlie Hunter on one of Les's guitars, and Carolina Rig lays down a dirty groove underneath a fishing program that Les captured from his television. Two disparate tracks that reveal the brilliant musi...

Granny's Little Yard Gnome is a little plaster gem hidden near the end of the record, but it hasn't escaped the watchful eye of Primus Tracks. We discuss what makes this one of the more complete tracks on the album, and sample its surprisingly rich live history. Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get involved Instagram Facebook Email Burn your money 

An autobiographical narration about Les Claypool's decision to purpose a career in music, El Sobrante Fortnight stands out among the goofball tracks on Holy Mackerel for its control, groove, and arrhythmic narration, and of course, MIRV . We get into the details of the lyrics to better understand Les's approach here, and that leads to discussions of oysters and chicken strips. Why not. Get involve...

An oft-overlooked track on the Holy Mackerel record, George E Porge is a modern take on the children's nursey rhyme, and features some fantastic guitar work from the one and only Joe Gore. It's a rare live cut, but we have a couple to sample, and we get some more Soya stories around the Holy Mak, and his attendance at a Frog Brigade show. Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get i...

Do you want relentless, pounding rain? You'll get it with this strange offering from the Holy Mackerel record. This track dates back to 1991, and trace its lineage, as well as the lost Michael Palin audio samples along the way...or are they truly lost? With some close listening, one might hear what could have been. Turn in up and listen closely! Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your mone...

It's a special day on Tracks, as we address a tune near and dear to Les Claypool. The Awakening is a drum-and-bass piece originally by The Reddings, and over the years it's become synonymous with Les. Luke (bass) and Rory (drums) of lespecial team up to analyze the song, but along give a live performance from their band headquarters. Soya compliments the performance, the complements the legend of...

We've referenced it enough, so why not return from out summer vacation to discuss Primus at Seahawks Exhibition Hall, 2004. This recording captures the band with a more raw and aggressive sound than any of the other soundboard recordings from this run. As to the why, we discuss some possible sonic reasons, but really, they must have been feeling their oats that night. Frankie hand-picks some highl...

This is a strange track, but in a different vein from the previous three; for the first time ever on a Les Claypool-fronted record, someone other than Les is on vocals! Perhaps the presence of Henry Rollins is why this track feels so out of place, but there are redeeming qualities - mostly, knowing that you're a marked man, no matter where you are. Enjoy! Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn...

Another Holy Mack track, another heavy! This time, Bruce Swenson joins us to discuss Cohibas Esplenditos and its unabashed star, Mirv Haggard. Bruce crewed for MIRV for many years, and met Soya on the Holy Mack tour. Great stories abound as we hear about the recording of this track, reveal the identities of the subjects of this tune and relive some moments from the Holy Mack tour. Plus. Frankie le...

What Calling Kyle begins, Rancor continues: madcap adventures in home-studio recording with Les Claypool. Soya relives some Mackerel tour moments via the live cuts of this track, which introduced Brain as the new Primus drummer, and everyone had time to show off their wackiness. Do it up! Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get involved Instagram Facebook Email Burn your money 

Perhaps the most bizarre of them all, Calling Kyle seems to be Les Claypool channeling his inner Residents, or simply letting his id run wild. Soya recalls the vibe around this track, and Frankie has insight on the otherwise indecipherable lyrics, as well as killer live cuts. Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get involved Instagram Facebook Email Burn your money 

Track 4 of the Holy Mackerel record showcases Mirv's surf guitar prowess, and this tune became a live favorite of the Holy Mack crew on the 1996 tour; deservedly so, and letting Mirv run wild is always a good thing. We jog Soya's memory and get some nuggets about the drum sound, Mirv's approach, and Frankie has some massive live cuts. Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get invol...

For the track Highball With The Devil, we needed a heavy, and Soya delivered with the legendary Adam Gates, who contributed backing vocals to the tune. Adam talks about the track itself, a bit about Precipitation, and the recording/sound philosophy of the Holy Mackerel record. Plus, we wind up Soya and Adam, then let'em go with some tour stories. Check out the Primus Tracks Patreon for the extende...

Track 2 of Les Claypool & The Holy Mackerel Presents Highball With The Devil is the first two title tracks. For this one, Les brought in Jay Lane on drums, and Joe Gore & MIRV for guitar parts. It's one of the more complete tunes on the record, and reflects the spirited approach to this DIY project. Matt Hunter and Soya join to discuss the instrumentation and the mostly obtuse lyrics, plus...

In this episode, we begin our track-by-track discussions of the 1996 release Les Claypool & The Holy Mackerel Presents Highball With The Devil - Les's first solo record. Running The Gauntlet is the opening track, and Tim Soya was there for most of the recording process! He sheds light on the atmosphere at Rancho Relaxo as Les put this record together and a revolving cast of guests turned up to...

We return to the Prawn Song Records well to discuss a pair of 1994 releases by Primus principles: the self-titled Porch, helmed by Todd Huth, and Tim Alexander's band Laundry and their record Blacktongue. These two records vary in styles, but are ultimately the voices of the men who formed them. Todd's signature guitar riffage is all over Porch, and Tim's unmistakble, powerful drumming drives Laun...

We return to the Prawn Song Records catalogue to discuss MIRV's Cosmodrome, recorded in 1993 at Les Claypool's house for release on his own record label. This record deserves a deep dive give nthat Les produces and performs all over the record, and that Marc "MIRV" Haggard is such an important figure in the Primus/Les world. The band MIRV has opened for Primus numerous times, and Marc has performe...

Mike Dillon, aka Jazz Dad, returns to Primus Tracks. The busiest man in music gives us the skinny on his new Punkadelick record, Inflorescence, and primes us for his Jazzfest lineup on May 4 in New Orleans, and the upcoming Frog Brigade tour. Mike's bands are not to be missed! Mike Dillon on Instagram Mike on Bandcamp Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get involved Instagram Fac...

We've reached the final track of the Sausage record, and it's time to relax with an instrumental jam that escorts us off the premises. We discuss our lasting impressions of the record as a whole, as well as running down some missed info from previous episodes. Next week: Mike Dillon's back! Get involved: Instagram Twitter Email Burn your money Get involved Instagram Facebook Email Burn your money 

Recreating is another early Primate track that was resurrected for the Sausage record, and it's a ripper! Soya joins us from Portugal to bend his knee and praise Recreating to the heavens from the altar of Jay Lane. This powerful track features Les Claypool using a tremolo for the entire tune as well as a vocal falsetto, an unmistakable Todd Huth riff, and some syncopation that'll knock you off ba...