MediaCast - Primus Chat

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Chat

- side trips -

what was the mood backstage during the chat?

We would like to thank all of those who participated in the Primus chat, moderated by Addicted To Noise Editor/Publisher Michael Goldberg. We've uploaded the raw transcript of the chat, and audio and video soundbites will be arriving in the coming days.
Update: stills have been added!

To try and make this transcript easiest to read, the following colors are used for each person:
Violet	Moderator Michael Goldberg or chat admin Jon Luini
Red	Les Claypool
Green	Larry "Ler" LaLonde
Blue	Tim "Herb" Alexander
Orange	Bob C. Cock
Black	All of the people who came in to join the chat.

The Primus line-up... Herb, Ler, and Les

Michael Goldberg probes into that which is Primus and integrates the fan's submitted questions into the interview.

Jon Luini attempts to break typing speed records in transcribing the chat for online participants.

Admin	Les, Ler and Herb are wandering around back stage right now, and the chairs and camera crew are getting set up. We should be starting shortly.
Admin	Please do not request to talk as of yet. We have collected hundreds of questions from the net over the past week Michael Goldberg will cover topics included in those then at the end we will take some questions from here. if the boys in the band are feeling up to it, we'll see if they want to put their hands on the keyboard.
[Status]	admin changed the topic to "primus is in the room"
Admin	les, ler, and tim are all set up like ducks in a row of chairs
M. Goldberg	can you expain the primus aesthetic?
Les	we're sort of the anti-aesthetic.. no, not really...
M. Goldberg	there's a very offbeat sort of off center approach...
Les	it's not so far off center if you're a fan of such things.. ie, if you're a residents or beefheart fan if you are a bon jovi fan, it is a bit to the left... we were chastised by spin magazine in our last review .. i agree with that guy compared to beefheart we aren't all that weird
M. Goldberg	most kids these days haven't heard of captain beefheart.. you are sort of carrying on the torch of those types of eccentic music
Les	true
Ler	yup
Les	but i don't know if i would get as heavy as that. for one thing, i l never listened to beefheart or zappa.. the only zappa i listen to is from being exposed to him by ler what we do pull from is things that all three of us listen to -- ranging from the beatles to old public image and others.
M. Goldberg	do you think the influence of the beatles shows up in your work?
Les	definitely.
M. Goldberg	what's an example?
Les	i've always been attracted to songs which tell tales. whether it's maxwell's silver hammer or metermaid, i've always been attractred to that. if you're familiar with primus stuff, you can see... paul mccartney was a fabulous bass player

"I have a girlfriend." - Ler "but he wears a ring anyways" - Les "that's cuz of all of the girls.. just boatloads of them.. who want to meet me... in my dreams... that is" - Ler LaLonde

The band has the final word in who opens for them.

"adam (points to him) has been extremely busy putting together the primus and prawn song pages. theoretically we'll launch in summer." - Les

M. Goldberg	jason lafrance sent in a question: "who invented those damned people plastic people costumes?"
Les	vive la france!
Les	they were invented by a guy, steve johnson from x-fx, initially for a foster's beer commercial which the duracell people picked up on.
Les	jimmy iovine from interscope was always recommending we use it
M. Goldberg	are you open to suggestions like that, or is most of primus from internally?
Les	a good idea is a good idea.. that was a good idea
M. Goldberg	there were a lot of questions about your relationships..
Les	i'm married.. have the hardware to prove it (shows ring)
Ler	not married... girlfriend..
Les	but he wears the ring anywas...
Ler	that's cuz of all of the girls.. just boatloads of them.. who want to meet me... in my dreams... that is
M. Goldberg	people were wondering who you like to play with
Les	actually, i've wanted to play with weapon of choice for a while
M. Goldberg	do you usually have a lot of say in those things?
Les	it depends- for the most part you have your wishlist and go through it.. find out who is releasing new stuff and who is not too big.
M. Goldberg	but you have input on who plays?
Les	we have final say, yeah
M. Goldberg	you've dabbled in computers for a while... tell us about prawn song designs
Les	well, it's starting slowly.. then we go on tour and things stop. we have an office now.. walls that are midnight blue and black carpeting.. lava lamps are being erected as we speak. it has been a slow process.. adam (points to him) has been extremely busy put ting together the primus and prawn song pages. theoretically we'll launch in summer.
M. Goldberg	what will you be doing?
Les	initially we'll do web pages for other gropus.. interscope has expressed interest in us doing some of theirs.. hopefully step into more enhanced cd projects.
M. Goldberg	will you do another primus enhanced cd?
Les	no real plans ..
M. Goldberg	why is that?
Les	there's a lot of food on our plate right now.. it's not the first thing on my mind ... ler, what about you?
Ler	it's the first thing on my mind.. let's start now! (laughs)

A Primus live album requires a lot of time spent listening to all of the raw recordings to choose from... "Somebody is already doing that" - Herb

Veteran photographer Robert Altman captures Les commenting on why there are so many food references in the last few albums... "maybe i'm working towards becoming fat?" - Les

M. Goldberg	so you are going to take some time off?
Les	a little ... i might do some film work with friends mark core and rob shapiro. ler has some stuff he can't talk about .. i also have a side project of music with friends that may come out.
M. Goldberg	and there is going to be a live primus album?
Les	yeah.. shooting for the end of the year
M. Goldberg	so someone has to go through all the recordings..
Herb	somebody is already doing that
M. Goldberg	so that's you?
Herb	yeah, i'm going through them.
Ler	he loves it... he was listening to them just earlier (all laugh)
M. Goldberg	question from the net... "what in the hell is hellbound 17 1/2 ?"
Les	we were hoping that someone would make something that could be the theme to .. it hasn't happened yet. it was just a stupid thing ler and i came up with one night which we thought sounded cool
M. Goldberg	why so many food references in the last few albums?
Les	maybe i'm working towards becoming fat?
Ler	300 plus
Les	i knew once we titled the new album punchbowl we'd get people asking about the food reference.. the same as with sausage. there's humor in food... like gary larson draws in his cartoons.. i dunno, it just keeps coming out.. it's just there.
M. Goldberg	you've been touring for nearly a year.. what do you do to keep it fresh?
Les	that's a good question (all laugh)
Les	we change our set every night.. we changed production on this tour to make it a bit more lax.. the last tours were a bit more elaborate. we're also doing more old tunes.. you just try and rotate things and keep it interesting.
M. Goldberg	many fans said they noticed the old stuff and liked it...
Les	yeah.. maybe it's polite way to say they don't like the new stuff.

Who was the inspiration for the netcast? "you all were (pointing around).. actually, flapjacks was the inspiration." - Ler

"we're getting about 200 messages a day (to the website).. we tell them to piss off.. each and every one of them!" - Bob C. Cock

M. Goldberg	martin from the net heard ler on club wired and said he heard ler say he was possibly interested in netcasts. he wants to know if that was partially inspiration for tonight.
Ler	no. you all were (pointing around).. actually, flapjacks was the inspiration.
Les	he's an old, dear friend and said "hey you want to do this thing?" and we said "yeah."
Admin	note: flapjacks is dave libby, mediacast project manager for this event
M. Goldberg	what do you think about how present the net is becoming?
Ler	i saw a billboard with just a big url address on it. i don't know what it means, but ...
Ler	the (Primus) web page is going well...
Bob C. Cock	we're getting about 200 messages a day.. we tell them to piss off.. each and every one of them!
Les	bobcock forwards the interesting ones to us. it's difficult on the road.. we'd rather go down to the bar than go online
Ler	i've had a phone line at all places across the tour, but none have worked. so i play computer golf instead.
M. Goldberg	what do you think about the sex pistols and ramones activity?
Les	i have no thoughts on that whatsoever... actually, i did want to see the pistols.
Ler	when the dead kennedys get back together, i'll be excited.. i am from the dead kennedy's era.. i've never seen the ramones. i guess this is my last chance...
Les	it's a helluva chance .. lollapalooza.. i did see rock n roll highschool and it was a fine film.

"(making artwork for the new album) was a bit of pain with no sunlight .. it's always fun to create though. (no sunlight from being holed up in front of the computers)" - Les

Herb points out the way a fan shows their last names align vertically and horizontally.

Les does a great Jack Nicholson impression

What's the one special thing from this tour?

"playing golf with les and ler" - Herb

"saving the universe from space robots" - Ler

when i almost blinded our assistant road manager with a pellet gun. an adrenaline moment... it was sad... it was evil. children shouldn't do that. - Les

M. Goldberg	arnold o'brien wants to know if les went to school with mike patton
Les	no. i did go to school with kirk hamster, though.. another famous rock-n-roller.
Admin	ok, questions coming... who wants to ask?
vicki	How fun was it to create your own artwork for the new album?
Les	it was a bit of pain with no sunlight .. it's always fun to create though. (no sunlight from being holed up in front of the computers)
vicki	Well, it was worth it! We loved it.
mirv	Did Mirv ever show you how your last names match up vertically and horizonatally?
Admin	the band is dumbfounded with the question, mirv...
Tweaker	What song, in your humble opinion sucks the most live?
Les	tommmy the cat... ler doesn't get to play enough
Ler	i agree with whatever they say. i have no opinions of my own
Admin	back to the mirv question...
Herb	(has printout of question and is showing it to ler and les)
Ler	i think this guy mirv has too much time...
Stinky	Do you remember the pyscodelic zombies from denver?
Les	i do since the keybaordist is the keyboardist for weaopn of choice now. a fine player i'd like to play with him sometime.
James	who was the best man at les' wedding? ler?
Les	trous was
Ler	i was the worst man
Admin	Trous is Primus' Tour Manager, fyi
Launder	I have heard there's a new Laundry album coming out. Is it true?
Herb	no
funkmeister	are you going to reggae on the river this year?
Les	nope
funkmeister	why not?
Les	beacause i'm going to douche that day...
all	where is it?
funkmeister	please go to reggae just to go it's fun. it's by garberville
Les	(pause).. ok i'll go
vicki	question: was always curious about what was behind the appearance on 'bill and ted's excellent adventure' - how did that come about?
Les	i dunno... why did we?
Ler	we didn't know any better
Les	it was fun.. nice to see our heads on the big screen.
vicki	hee hee hee :)
Les	we got free beer. we got to by keanu reeves and say "wassup"
Admin	hmmm... les has picked up a sharp knife
Jimmer	What does Southbound Pachyderm represent?
Les	it's supposed to be a refernce to the slow but sure disappearance of our thick skinned beasts which are rhinos, elephants and such going south... going bad... if you watch mtv every hour for the next month you'll see it once.
KeTT-	hey ler: it says on the punchbowl cd that you use bic lighters....have you ever lit farts with bic lighters?
Ler	no comment
Herb	he's the king of flame
Admin	we have to wrap things up here now, we've gone over our 1/2 hour already :}
Admin	some closing comments..
M. Goldberg	what's the one special thing for you from this tour?
Herb	playing golf with les and ler
Ler	saving the universe from space robots
Les	the highlight of my touring was when i almost blinded our assistant road manager with a pellet gun. an adrenaline moment... he stuck his head out and the wrong time. and me being the dead eye ... it was sad... it was evil. children shouldn't do that.
Admin	note: i talked to tim "soya" soylan later and his eye was healed nicely. certainly a reminder how dangerous it can be to toy around! take care out there...
Admin	thanks for all who tuned in
Les	GOD BLESS AMERICA
Admin	we'll put up a transcript of this chat later on the web site http://www.mediacast.com/

Group: TalkTalk (cvl) Mod: admin         Topic: primus is in the room
   Nickname     Idle  Resp  Sign-On  Account
   Soylee         4m     -   3:49pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   wheels          -     -   3:50pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   scooter         -     -   6:05pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   funkmeister    1m     -   6:12pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   hobo            -     -   6:16pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Somms          6m     -   6:23pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   KeTT           1h     -   6:29pm  icb@icb.addict.com
   MV            31m     -   6:30pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   SpaceBar       3m     -   6:37pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Jimmer          -     -   6:38pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Silverfuk     24m     -   6:45pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   earick         2m     -   6:49pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Matilda        5m     -   6:51pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Stevo          8m     -   6:52pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   ichabod       18m     -   6:53pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   runner        24m     -   6:54pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Haber         23m     -   6:55pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Jwhyne        28m     -   7:01pm  icb@icb.addict.com
   KeTT-           -     -   7:02pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Launder        3m     -   7:03pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   jay           27m     -   7:04pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Stinky          -     -   7:04pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   James          1m     -   7:06pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Primus_SUCKS   8m     -   7:06pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   amish         16m     -   7:07pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
  *admin           -     -   7:06pm  falcon@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Barbara       24m     -   7:07pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Patrick         -     -   7:08pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   Tweaker        4m     -   7:08pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   jfox          22m     -   7:08pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   josh          19m     -   7:11pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   skeeter         -     -   7:13pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   mirv           7m     -   7:14pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   butthole      12m     -   7:14pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   vicki          2m     -   7:16pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   habib          2m     -   7:19pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   brookes        5m     -   7:19pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   yacub          6m     -   7:22pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   fatherfeta      -     -   7:27pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   id             3m     -   7:27pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)
   xizor          1m     -   7:30pm  icb@icb.addict.com  (nr)