page_title: Les Claypool
section_title: 2007–present
hierarchical_section_title: Les Claypool / Biography / Solo work / 2007–present
caption_attribution_description: Primus band in Kopenhagen Primus at Langelinie, Copenhagen, Denmark in the summer of 1998. From left to right: Les Claypool, Bryan Mantia and Larry LaLonde. They played a concert the same day at Store Vega, Copenhagen.
context_page_description: Leslie Edward Claypool is an American musician, singer, songwriter, producer, author, director, and actor. He is best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the funk metal band Primus. His playing style on the bass is well known for mixing tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends, and slapping.
  Claypool has also self-produced and engineered his solo releases from his own studio, Rancho Relaxo. In 2006, a full-length feature film, Electric Apricot, written and directed by Claypool, was released, as well as his debut novel South of the Pumphouse. He wrote and performed the theme songs for the adult animated television series Robot Chicken and South Park.
context_section_description: Besides touring in the Summer of 2007 nationally with the Fancy Band, Claypool performed that October with a version of the band, dubbed the Fancy Trio. The trio consisted of Claypool, Skerik on saxophone, and Mike Dillon on drums, vibraphone and percussion. They played at The Echo Project, an inaugural ecologically minded 3-day festival in Fairburn, Georgia on the Boukeart family farm. The set was similar to that of the Fancy Band's tours, culling from Claypool' solo and Frog Brigade albums, as well containing a cover of "One Step Beyond" by Madness and teases of other songs, including several Primus tunes, throughout their improvisational jams.
  For many years Claypool has done a New Year's Eve show at The Fillmore in San Francisco. More recently the New Year's Eve show has been an Annual New Year's Eve Hatter's Ball featuring a hat contest. December 31, 2007, was the 3rd such annual event.
  In 2008, a United States tour spanned from February 29 to April 5. It kicked off at the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, North Carolina and ended at The Warfield in San Francisco. The 2008 tour was a quartet featuring Claypool, Dillon, Skerik and Baldi.
  During the year Claypool also performed several shows with Primus at festivals across America and Canada.
  Pig Hunt is a film directed by James Isaac released in 2008. Claypool contributes previously unreleased material and plays the role of "The Preacher".
  Claypool composed several songs for the Wii game Mushroom Men, released in December 2008.
  On December 31, 2008, Claypool rang in the New Year with his annual New Year's Eve show.  It was at the San Francisco Opera House with Zappa Plays Zappa sharing the bill and playing first.
  Claypool was also a judge for the 7th annual Independent Music Awards.  His contributions helped assist upcoming independent artists' careers.
  Claypool' second solo album, Of Fungi and Foe, was released on March 17, 2009. The album consists of expanded material of the music from the Mushroom Men game, as well as the Pig Hunt motion picture, and features a guest appearance by Gogol Bordello's Eugene Hutz.
  In 2009, Claypool toured with Matisyahu, performing as a 'double-feature' set, as well as appearing together on stage.
  In March 2010, Claypool went to tour in Europe with English trio HOT HEAD SHOW for the first time in his solo career and played a few concerts in Italy, the United Kingdom, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
  On March 28, 2010, Claypool performed a rendition of Rush's "The Spirit of Radio" for their induction into the Canadian Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
  From May 2010 to July 2013, Claypool toured extensively with Primus, alongside Larry LaLonde, and the return of former Primus drummer, Jay Lane. On September 6, 2012, a new side project was revealed as an acoustic band called Duo de Twang. Featuring Claypool and originally Marc Haggard. After two shows, Haggard was replaced with Bryan Kehoe. Both guitarists play together in the associated band M.I.R.V.
  On September 25, 2013, it was announced Jay Lane had left Primus to rejoin the Bob Weir group, RatDog. His replacement was declared to be Tim Alexander. Claypool and Dean Ween are currently working together for a reality TV show called Musishermen, and Duo de Twang is preparing for the release of their debut album, Four Foot Shack.
  On February 4, 2014, Duo de Twang released their debut album Four Foot Shack and began touring in late February. In the last part of the 2014 Spring Tour, Primus's drummer, Tim Alexander, had a small heart attack which rendered him unable to play. Luckily instead of canceling the September shows, they were able to use their close friend Danny Carey for the late shows.
  On January 19, 2016, it was announced that The Claypool Lennon Delirium, a collaboration between Claypool and Sean Lennon, would debut at Bonnaroo 2016. Claypool has spoken fondly of the collaboration, stating, "Sean is a musical mutant after my own heart. He definitely reflects his genetics – not just the sensibilities of his dad, but also the abstract perspective and unique approach of his mother. It m
caption: Claypool in 1998
exif: {}