Les Claypool

Latest about Les Claypool

Todd Huth (L) and Les Claypool of Sausage pose during Laguna Seca Daze at Laguna Seca Raceway on May 28, 1994 in Laguna Seca, California
Primus’ original guitarist, Todd Huth, recalls the band's early pre-fame days

By Janelle Borg Published

Huth co-founded Primus with Les Claypool – and was also the one who picked the band’s longest-serving drummer, Tim Alexander

Guitarists
bass Gear Roundup for May 2026
Les Claypool’s bonkers one-string leads the biggest (and strangest) bass releases of the month

By Nick Wells Published

May saw the reissue of Fender's best-selling bass, a custom Rickenbacker for Geddy Lee, and a supersized version of the daddy of all fuzz

Bass Guitars
Telecasso guitars by Godfrey Guitars
The making of the Telecasso – the Telecaster-Picasso mashup that has driven guitarists crazy

By Janelle Borg Published

Les Godfrey has been crafting guitars for over 30 years, and with his latest creation, he brings a Cubist take to a timeless model

Electric Guitars
Sean Lennon of The Claypool Lennon Delirium performs at The Georgia Theatre on June 7, 2016 in Athens, Georgia
The mystery pedal that became a Sean Lennon favorite

By Phil Weller Published

The pedal – made by an elusive pink-haired stranger from Facebook – has become the star of a new Claypool Lennon Delerium track

Guitarists
Les Claypool of Primus performs at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre on July 16, 2025 in Sterling Heights, Michigan
Les Claypool looks back on his disastrous Metallica audition

By Janelle Borg Published

Following the death of the sorely missed Cliff Burton, James Hetfield and co. auditioned the bassist of the then-emerging band Primus

Bassists
Les Claypool of Primus performs at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre on July 16, 2025 in Sterling Heights, Michigan
How Eddie Van Halen led to Les Claypool picking up the bass – and how he nearly joined Kirk Hammett’s band

By Janelle Borg Published

The Primus bassist and Metallica lead guitarist attended the same high school – and very nearly ended up in the same band

Bassists
Musicians Larry LaLonde and Les Claypool of Primus perform at MAPFRE Stadium on May 21, 2017 in Columbus, Ohio
Primus’ Larry LaLonde on how he and Les Claypool ended up with off-the-rack gear from Guitar Center right before a show

By Janelle Borg Published

The guitar and bass behemoths eventually auctioned off the Strat and P-Bass they bought at the last minute for charity

Guitarists
Bassist/singer Les Claypool of Primus performs at Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre on August 17, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“It amazes me that we wrote like that”: Les Claypool looks back on the stomach-churning grooves of Sailing the Seas of Cheese

By Gregory Isola Published

The heralded Tour de Fromage saw the classic Primus lineup reunited – and Les Claypool rediscover the fretless 6-string that made him famous

Bassists
Primus perform live at Sick New World Festival
When their gear didn’t turn up for a festival performance, Primus played brand-new Fender guitars from Guitar Center – with the tags still on

By Amit Sharma Published

2024 Year in Review: Les Claypool and co proved that tone really is in the fingers when they turned to off-the-shelf guitars for a high-profile festival spot

Bands
Portrait of Danish musician Ida Nielsen. Mark King, lead singer and bassist of the band Level 42. Photo of Victor WOOTEN. American Jazz composer and bassist Marcus Miller
The 20 greatest slap bass songs of all time

By Nick Wells Published

These masterful slap basslines chart the evolution of the quintessential bass technique, from Larry Graham to today's YouTube heroes

Music Releases
1 2 3 4 5 Archives