Singles, B-Sides, Soundtracks And Compilation Album Contributions
Movie Soundtrack Studio Songs
- South Park Theme Song (Chef Aid) - Premiered 06/29/99, teased or played in full intermittently summer and fall 1999.
Poetry and Prose (Beavis and Butthead Experience) - bass coda incorporated into John bass/drums intro.
- Bastardizing Jellikit (Airheads) - Not played live.
- Mephisto and Kevin (Chef Aid) - Not played live.
- Hamster Style w/ Dust Brothers (Orgasmo) - Not played live.
Live Releases
- Music of our Mother Earth (M.O.M.) Soundtrack - Mr. Know it All (? live date but pre-'96)
- Woodstock 1994 - Those Damned Blue Collar Tweekers (08/13/94)
- Family Values 1999 Live CD - My Name is Mud, Laquer Head (both from 10/99 tour)
- Mrs. Blaileen Single B-Side - Seas of Cheese, My Name is Mud (both from summer '93)
- Live from Bonnaroo 2004 CD - Frizzle Fry (06/12/04)
Official Bootlegs
All (but the first show) of Tour de Fromage and all of Hallucino Genetics are available in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
NOTE:
The "bootleg barn"sub-page of the main Primus commercial site (primusville.com) includes a handful of audience quality recordings available for MP3 free download. None of these shows have been commercially released or professionally edited (some came from our archives!). We mention this for fan interest only; none of the featured songs are counted as adding to the officially released material.
Released Live Originals
- Drum/Whamola Jam - Premiered 10/13/03. Following in the Frog Brigade tradition started in 2002, the reunited Primus incorporated nightly monstrous drum solos and drum/Whamola jams into all 2003-4 shows. On the Tour de Fromage, these jams segued into Eleven; on Hallucino Genetics they segued into Spegetti Western. The Drum/Whamola Jam was only performed several times during the fall 2006 tour, but was resurrected in 2010, giving Lane a chance to show off his chops as well. Typically
a stand alone number, on several occasions in summer 2011 it appeared in the
middle of Electric Grapevine. Despite the name, Ler sat in for a drum/banjo jam on 11/23/03, and 11/24/03 saw a drum/Whamola/guitar trio jam. Official live version on Hallucino Genetics DVD (06/26/04).
Unreleased Originals
- ? - Premiered during BC&YS show on 05/25/92, only other know performance is 12/11/93. A lengthy, clearly composed disco-y instrumental with Bob Cock on vocals.
- NOTE: While the following reflects early studio material from pre-official band lineups... An early recording of John from 1987 was probably Les' first single (with Huth and Wright). There was also a circulated demo tape in early 1988 by the name of SAUSAGE, recorded by Les, Lane and Huth, and from which the 1994 reunion band took its name. It contained fairly true to form renditions of: Tommy, Groundhog's, Frizzle Fry, John, Pudding Time, Harold.
Other Les Claypool Band Material
Holy Mackerel
- Highball With The Devil - Performed as an excerpt during 1997-8 Tweekers.
Sausage
- Prelude To Fear - Performed in '87 or '88 by Les/Huth/Wright; similar to the studio version.
- Riddles Are Abound Tonight - Not confirmed, however '87 or '88 studio demo teases exist.
- Temporary Phase - Performed in '87-88, similar to the studio version.
- Shattering Song - Performed in '87 or 88 by Les/Huth/Wright. Similar to the Sausage version, although shorter; the "churn churn the butter churn" drums and vocals breakdown is used to both introduce and end the song.
- Temporary Phase - performed in '87-88 and basically like the studio version.
Purple Onion
- Whamola – Premiered
07/13/11, this was the first time Primus had played one of Les’ solo compositions
from his post 2000 hiatus part of his career. The song would have been new to
Ler, although Les and Lane had played it in 2001 and 2005.
Released Covers
Suck On This
- YYZ (Rush) - Premiered 02/25/89. Intro only was periodically performed between 1989 and 1995, again in 2000 and a handful of times during Leg 1 of Tour de Fromage. Then during Hallucino Genetics tour, the entire song (or at least the first half) was played 6 times; these versions are released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
Frizzle Fry (2002 reissue)
- Constantinople (Residents) - Premiered 02/03/90, performed occasionally between 1990-1994. Played in full; always with Hello Skinny.
- Hello Skinny (Residents) - Premiered 02/03/90, performed semi-regularly between 1990-2004. Performed in full, although Les has alternated between sticking with his studio part (copying the original song's trombone part onto bass) or just playing his vibrato bar. Hello Skinny was played during Nature Boy from 1993-6, and Too Many Puppies in 1998-2000. Alternate version: all-banjo show on 1/9/96, with one of the Residents on vocals. Of note, all three Primus covers of Residents' songs are from their Duckstab album! Official live versions on: Videoplasty (10/14/98) and Hallucino Genetics (06/26/04) DVDs; also released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
NOTE: Prior to this reissue, the studio version of these covers was available on a Residents tribute CD entitled Eyesore: A Stab at the Residents.
Miscellaneous Debris
- Intruder (Peter Gabriel) - Premiered 08/29/91, rarely played 1991-2. Performed as either partial or complete cover.
- Making Plans For Nigel (XTC) - Premiered 10/26/91, only known performance.
- Sinister Exaggerator (Residents) - Premiered 11/13/91, rarely played 1991-2. Performed in full.
- Tippi Toes (Meters) - Performed in full on Dennis Miller show 1992, as the credits roll.
NOTE: Have A Cigar (Pink Floyd) has yet to be confirmed.
Woodstock 1994 compilation CD and Animals DVD
- Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key) - Premiered 08/13/94 at Woodstock, this glorified bass only tease was repeated several times in spring 2004.
Rhinoplasty
- Awakening (Reddings) - Premiered 12/31/96, it was incorporated into all versions of Tommy from summer 1997 through summer 1998, then reappeared in 2010 as part of the Tommy medley (Jay and Les have a longstanding history of playing this song together). The 1997-8 Primus version omitted the studio version's outro bass coda and drum fills. Official live version on Rhinoplasty (12/31/97).
-
Behind My Camel (Police) – Premiered 07/18/10 and played true
to the original/studio rendition, it was regularly played at 2010 shows. It
essentially disappeared in 2011. Recorded by Brain for Rhinoplasty, but never
performed by that lineup.
- Devil Went Down To Georgia (Charlie Daniels) - amazing animation video on secret DVD portion of album. Never played live.
- Family And the Fishing Net (Peter Gabriel) - Premiered 05/11/98, only known performance.
- Scissor Man (XTC) - Premiered 02/04/98. Performed in full throughout 1998 mostly on the Europlasty tour.
- Silly Putty (Stanley Clarke) - Premiered 02/04/98. Performed in full occasionally during 1998, often with DJ Disk. Disk-free renditions had a nice guitar solo.
- Thing That Should Not Be (Metallica) - Played in full during Internet Infiltration; only formal live version was premiered (as excerpt only) on 09/25/97.
NOTE: To our knowledge, Amos Moses (Jerry Reed) has never been played live.
Nativity In Black Part 2
- NIB (Black Sabbath) - Recorded during Brain era with Ozzy himself on vocals for this Sabbath tribute album, but never played live.
Mule Variations (Tom Waits)
- Big In Japan (Tom Waits) – Premiered
08/05/10, it was a regular on the 2010 tour, and was the main track to feature
guest performers, including Skerik and various members of Gogol Bordello. It
had previously been performed by the Frog Brigade just twice in 2003-4. It was
recorded with Brain on Tom Waits’ Mule Variations album, but Primus had never
played it back then.
Unreleased Covers
- 1999 (Prince) - Premiered in full 12/31/98; only known performance, with Bob Cock on vocals and Brain keeping the drum beat, but otherwise just the synth parts of the studio version being belted over the PA.
- A Shot in the Dark (Henry Mancini) - Premiered 06/30/90, rarely played 1990-92. Alternate version: BC&YS, Les Claypool and his Fancy Band.
- Angel Of Death (Slayer) - Premiered 11/19/91 as instrumental excerpt, presumably rarely played 1991 as there is an official (very brief) live excerpt on Cheesy Home Video.
- Atomic Punk (Van Halen) - Premiered in full during Internet Infiltration only.
- Ballad of Buckethead (Buckethead) - Premiered 10/14/98, played nightly through 1999, usually during Tweekers, with Buckethead guesting (Les guested on the recorded version). The Primus live version was both an excerpt and a different arrangement, with Les singing the lyrics over a drum groove, followed by a Buckethead solo over a bass and drums ostinato.
- Bed's Too Big Without You (Police) - Premiered 03/20/92 as instrumental excerpt, presumably rarely played that year only.
- Closing Time (Semisonic) - Internet Infiltration only; performed by Bob Cock (vocals) and Ler (acoustic guitar) only.
- Cocaine Blues (Johnny Cash) - Premiered in full 07/27/97; only known performance.
- Crazy Train (Ozzy Ozbourne) - Premiered 07/22/99 as instrumental excerpt; played semi-regulalry during 1999-2000 shows.
- Cygnus X-1 (Rush) - Premiered 01/92 as instrumental excerpt; played rarely 1992-3, usually at the end of Harold (the descending guitar and bass licks from these two songs sure do sound alike), then once each in 2000, 2004 and 2006. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Dumb All Over (Frank Zappa) - Premiered 05/29/04 as complete rendition; only known performance.
- Heart of the Sunrise (Yes) - Premiered 02/07/00 as instrumental excerpt; played 2/00 only.
- Hey Joe (Jimmi Hendrix) - Premiered in full 05/25/92 as BC&YS version; only known performance.
- Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin) - Premiered in full 05/25/92 as BC&YS version; only known performance.
- In the Flesh (Pink Floyd) - Premiered 1988, played a handful of times in 1990, then rarely 1991-4 and 1997, then emerged in 2000 as a routine number. During the reunion, played semi regularly fall 2003, then just once each winter and summer 2004. It then reappeared in 2010. Played in full. Alternate version: BC&YS. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Kashmir (Led Zeppelin) - Premiered 01/23/92 as instrumental excerpt, played 1992 only.
- La Villa Strangiato (Rush) - Premiered 05/30/04 in its complete 8 minute glory, played 4 times. Several times segued out of Southbound Pachyderm jam, making for one of the band's neater medleys. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Lone Rhinoceros (Adrian Belew) - Premiered 06/12/04 in full; only known performance, from when Belew sat in with Primus at Bonnaroo festival. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Master Of Puppets (Metallica) - Premiered 01/12/90 as instrumental excerpt, often during Tommy or Luck. Performed semi regularly from 1990-5, then reappeared fall 2006.
- Paranoid (Black Sabbath) - Premiered in full 02/25/89; only known performance.
- A Passage To Bangkok (Rush) - Premiered 05/01/92 as instrumental excerpt, played once in 2000.
- Riot in Cell Block #9 (The Coasters) - Premiered as excerpt 03/16/90; only known performance.
- Rock N' Roll (Led Zeppelin) - Premiered in full 12/31/96; only known performance.
- Run Like Hell (Pink Floyd) - Premiered in full in ? '89; only known performance from audio broadcast at end of Stanford radio video taping in '89.
- Running With the Devil (Van Halen) - Studio rendition from '87 or '88 by Les/Huth/Tim Wright; no live version confirmed.
- Rosie (?) - Studio rendition from '87 or '88 by Les/Huth/Tim Wright; no live version confirmed.
- She Watches Channel Zero (Public Enemy) - Premiered 08/26/89 as excerpt, played rarely in 1989-91. Official live version as excerpt only on Cheesy Home video.
- Shiny Happy People (REM) - Premiered in full 05/25/92 as BC&YS version; only known performance.
- Smoke On The Water (Deep Purple) - Premiered 12/30/90 as instrumental excerpt; played occasionally 1992-3, then several times in 1999-2000, once in 2003. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Spirit Of The Radio (Rush) - Premiered in full 08/26/89; only known performance.
- Super Charger Heaven (White Zombie) - Premiered in full 12/31/97; only known performance.
- Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) - Premiered in full 04/29/00; previously only teased.
- The Jam (Graham Central Station) - Premiered 10/24/89 as instrumental excerpt, played rarely '89-92.
- Thela Hun Ginjeet (King Crimson) - Premiered 12/31/93 as complete but all instrumental performance; played once in 1994, then once in 2004 with Adrian Belew. Released in official bootleg download form on primuslive.com
- Thieves (Ministry) - Premiered 08/03/91 as excerpt; played routinely during Pudding Time from 1991-3, then once in 1995. (Of note, Limp Bizkit also covers this song live. Fred Durst, the vocalist and leader of Limp Bizkit, is a major Primus fan - Bizkit opened for Primus on the Brown tour, and Durst produced Laquer Head on Antipop).
- Time Bomb (Public Enemy) - Premiered 02/17/90 as excerpt, played rarely 1990-91; this actually consisted of various late 80s rap song lyrics (by Trouz), over a single band riff.
- Tomorrow
Never Knows (Beatles) – Premiered 12/31/10 in a one off performance, it
featured multiple Les solo band guests ( a Frog-Fancy super band lineup had
opened). This would have been new to Ler, although Les and Lane had routinely
played TNK in Frog Brigade 2000-01, and rarely at Fancy Band 2005 and Rat
Brigade 2007 reunion show (see respective lineups).
- Train Kept a Rollin (Yardbirds) - Played in full in 1987-8.
Teases
- Primus/Claypool: too numerous to write out
- Covers: Another One Bites The Dust (Queen), Aqualung (Jethro Tull), Auld Lang Syne (traditional) - Angelo Moore only, Blind (Korn), Dazed and Confused (Led Zeppelin), Deathless Horsies (Frank Zappa) - Ler only, Dueling Banjos (traditional), Hair (Larry Graham), Glide, Henry the 8th (?), Hey Hey My My (Neil Young), Iron Man (Black Sabbath), Jaws Theme Song, Jeopardy Theme Song - DJ Disk only, Little Chicky (?), Love Rollercoaster (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - released on Animals DVD (08/12/95 during Pudding), Money (Pink Floyd), Mountain Song (Jane's Addiction), O Sole Mio - Kehoe/MIRV only, Rapper's Delight (Sugarhill Gang), Shout At the Devil (Ozzy Ozbourne), Stairway To Heaven (Led Zeppelin) - Ler only, Stranglehold (Ted Nugent), Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) - Ler only, Taxman (Beatles), Thank You (Sly and the Family Stone), Tom Sawyer (Rush), Torture Never Stops (Frank Zappa), Voodoo Child (Jimi Hendrix), Who Knows (Jimi Hendrix), Wildwood Weed (Jim Stafford)
Vocal Teases/Lyrics
- Primus: Arnie, Mr. Krinkle , Nature Boy, Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon, Pork Soda, Toys
- Covers: Amos Moses, Fantastic Voyage (Coolio), Hello Skinny (Residents), Pigs (Pink Floyd), Wildwood Weed (Jim Stafford), Wondrous Boatride (Willy Wonka)
Official Videos
- Cheesy Home Video - Includes very brief segments of the following live footage: Tommy (2 brief jams w/ DJ Scribble from obviously different shows), Bastards (two different snippets, one w/ Angelo Moore), John (05/25/92 BC&YS version), Pudding Time (soundcheck), Angel of Death (soundcheck), Sartori in Tangiers (Les only in practice room backstage).
- Horrible Swill - Includes partial live performances from the 03/03/98 Toronto show (Mud, Puddin' Taine, Bob's Party Time Lounge); also brief live snippets of John, Tommy and Jerry; Les playing Silly Putty alone in the practice room backstage, as well as a hilarious interview segment with "Big Al" (Alex Lifeson of Rush, in disguise with false teeth and a bad accent).
- Videoplasty - 10/14/98 show, includes: To Defy, Puppies/Hello Skinny, Seas Of Cheese, Bastards, Tommy (including Brain/DJ Disk jam, but omitting the Silly Putty that replaced the usual Awakening), Tweekers, Kalamazoo (minus false start, for good reason), Bob's Party Time Lounge.
- Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People - DVD portion included:
- Cheesy Home Video and Horrible Swill
- Complete performances of: Duchess (05/11/98), Frizzle Fry (05/03/89), Groundhog's Day (two versions: ??/88 with Huth and Lane; also 12/31/93), Laquer Head (10/??/99), Mr Krinkle (12/31/93), Mud (08/13/94), Pudding Time w/ Love Rollercoaster tease (08/12/95), Sgt Baker (mid 80s version with Huth and Tim 'Curveball' Wright), Southbound Pachyderm (08/12/95), To Defy (05/03/89), Tommy (05/25/92 BC&YS), Too Many Puppies (05/03/89), Tweekers > Star Spangled Banner (08/13/94)
- Brief live snippets of (mostly from 'Horrible Men' section of DVD): Tommy, Mud, Ler intro to Bob's Party Time (all from 1997-8), Tim's intro to Eleven (appears to be bootleg 1995 footage ? 08/12/95), Angelo Moore guesting on something, Mud w/ multiple bassists (? Lollapalooza gag, as most of them don't even look plugged in), Harold w/ both Hammett and ? Cantrell (? date, likely Lollapalooza) (also studio footage of recording of Coddingtown and Hats Off).
- Hallucino Genetics Live - 06/26/04 show in its entirety, including all Frizzle Fry material, plus American Life, Drum/Whamola Jam, Hello Skinny, Jerry, Last Superpower, My Friend Fats, Mud, Pressman, Sgt Baker, Southbound Pachyderm.
- Blame It On the Fish - Live footage from various shows from Tour de Fromage, including: American Life, Bob, De Anza Jig, Hello Skinny, Jerry, Mary the Ice Cube, Mr. Know It All, Mr. Krinkle, Nature Boy, Over the Electric Grapevine, Pilcher's Squad, Southbound Pachyderm.
- Live from Bonnaroo 2004 DVD - My Friend Fats (06/12/04)
NOTE: Over the years, there have been several Netcasts of live shows (11/16/97, 07/16/99, 07/25/99), none of which were formally released through commercial media but were available for viewing and download by fans. Also to be noted is the monumental 8/12/98 Internet Infiltration (i.e. Netcast only performance of Primus live in their studio).
Guest Performers
- Tim (Herb) Alexander (drums)
- 12/30/98 - Here Come the Bastards
- Scott Amendola (talking drum) - Best known for work with Charlie Hunter.
- 02/04/98 - Tommy The Cat, Food For the Masses.
- Trey Anastasio (guitar) - Leader, vocalist and guitarist of Phish and multiple side projects, including Oysterhead with Claypool.
- Marc "Hot Potato" Asseguedo (vocals) - Vocalist of former Bay Area band Swarm.
- 08/12/98 (Internet Infiltration) - Thing That Should Not Be, Atomic Punk
- Adrian Belew (guitar, vocals) - Zappa, King Crimson, Talking Heads, Bowie... the list goes on.
- 06/12/04 - Tweekers, Lone Rhinoceros, Thela Hun Ginjeet
- Buckethead (guitar) - Guitar genius, composer of solo albums, member of Praxis and C2B3, also did a stint in Guns N Roses.
- 08/12/98 (Internet Infiltration) - Silly Putty, Improvs, Bastards
- 10/14/98 - Tweekers.
- 12/30/98 - Tweekers.
- 12/31/98 - Tweekers
- 07/25/99 - Tweekers, Tommy the Cat.
- 11/06/99 - Tommy the Cat
- NOTE: In addition to the above, Buckethead was a nightly guest for basically all of 1999. During the Ozzfest, Family Values and Antipop Tours, he played on his own Ballad of Buckethead during Tweekers. During the Antipop Tour, he also played on Electric Uncle Sam.
- Jerry Cantrell (guitar) - Guitarist and vocalist for Alice In Chains, who co-headlined Lollapalooza 1993 with Primus. Les collaborated on his Boggy Depot album. Besides the appearances below, the Animals DVD also includes very brief, tantalizing footage of both Cantrell and Hammett guesting on Harold from an unspecified date (? Lollapalooza era).
- 06/19/93 - Harold Of the Rocks
- 07/13/93 - Here Come the Bastards.
- 08/13/94 - Harold Of the Rocks
- Chris "Trouz" Cuevas (vocals) - Former Primus manager.
- 02/03/90 - Timebomb
- 04/14/90 - Timebomb
- DJ Disk (turntables) - Member of various Bill Laswell projects.
- 09/25/97 - Tommy
- 02/04/98 - Silly Putty, Scissor Man, Food For the Masses.
- 02/09/98 - Silly Putty
- 02/10/98 - Tommy, Jeopardy Theme Song
- 03/10/98 - Tommy, Dueling Banjos
- 10/14/98 - Tommy, Silly Putty, Bastards
- 12/30/98 - Tommy, Dueling Banjos
- 12/31/98 - Tommy
- NOTE: Besides the above, Disk was a nightly guest on the Snocore tour on Tommy the Cat.
- DJ Scribbles (turntables, scat-rapping) - Member of rap act YBT, which toured with Primus in 1991 on the Public Enemy Tour.
- 10/18/91- Tommy the Cat
He likely appeared multiple times, as Cheesy Home Video includes snippets of two different Tommy appearances.
- Mike Dillon (percussion)
- 08/06/10 – Big In
Japan
- 08/07/10 – Big In
Japan
- 06/09/11 – Here Come the Bastards
- 12/31/11- Hawaii 5-0, Hukilau Song
- Michael Einzinger (guitar) - Member of Incubus, which opened for Primus in 1999.
- 12/03/99 - Groundhog's Day
- Michael Franti (rap vocals) - Leader of Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (which also included Charlie Hunter) and Spearhead.
- 02/04/98 - Food For the Masses, Lipstick On the Collar
- Adam Gates aka Bob Cock aka The Filthy Ape (vocals, keys) - Collaborator on Holy Mackerel album, Beanpole and No Forcefield projects, member of M.I.R.V.
- 05/14/90 - In The Flesh (BC&YS version)
- 02/14/91 - In the Flesh
- 02/25/92 (BC&YS show) - Money, Hey Joe, unreleased instrumental, Another One Bites The Dust, Immigrant Song, Shiny Happy People.
- 12/11/93 (BC&YS show) - unreleased instrumental
- 12/31/96 - Rock N' Roll
- 12/31/97 - Super Charger Heaven
- 08/12/98 (Internet Infiltration) - Closing Time (vcls), Improvs (keys), Bastards (vocals, keys)
- 12/31/98 - 1999
- 12/31/10 - TNK
- NOTE: In addition to the above, Gates was a nightly guest during the entire Tour de Fromage, playing keyboards on Sathington Waltz and either bass or percussion as one of the masked extras during the Los Bastardos rave ups.
- Joe Gore (guitar) - Has recorded with Tom Waits, PJ Harvey, and Les' Holy Mackerel album; played rhythm guitar in Holy Mackerel.
- Mark "MIRV" Haggard (guitar) - Vocalist/guitarist of MIRV, Limbomaniacs, Top Rockerz BreakBeat Band, CaCa and other Bay Area bands, recorded on Claypool's Holy Mackerel album and member of that band.
- 08/29/91 - American Life, Harold
- 11/14/97 - Tommy the Cat, O Sole Mio
- 08/12/98 (Internet Infiltration) - Improvs (guitar, vocals), Tommy (guitar), Bastards (one-string Middle Eastern string instrument)
- 12/31/11- Hawaii 5-0, Hukilau Song
- Kirk Hammett (guitar) - Lead guitarist for Metallica, for whom Claypool auditioned in 1986. Besides the appearance below, the Animals DVD also includes very brief, tantalizing footage of both Cantrell and Hammett guesting on Harold from an unspecified date (? Lollapalooza era).
- Brad Hauser (bass)
- 08/06/10 – Big In
Japan
- 08/07/10 – Big In
Japan
- 06/09/11 – Here Come the Bastards
- Todd Huth (guitar) - Founding member of Primus, played in Porch, then played in 2000-winter '01 version of Frog Brigade.
- 03/20/92 - Tommy The Cat.
- 03/21/92 - Pudding Time, Harold Of the Rocks.