Primus news and features

Larry "Ler" LaLonde, Tim "Herb" Alexander and Les Claypool of Primus perform at the Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre on September 22, 2021 in Sterling Heights, Michigan

“It was an insane, bare bones show”: Primus's Les Claypool and Ler LaLonde were just forced to play a gig with brand new gear from Guitar Center – and yes, they still sounded exactly like Primus

By Janelle Borg published 2 May 24

The instruments the band purchased and played onstage are now set to be auctioned off, with all proceeds going to St. Judes Children’s Hospital

Les Claypool of Primus performs on the opening night of their "Tour De Fromage". Photo by J. Shearer/WireImage)

"Like wrestling an octopus": How to play bass like Les Claypool

By Nick Wells published 14 August 23

Even if you're not playing double-stops tapped on a fretless 6-string bass there’s still a lot you can learn from Primus frontman Les Claypool. We asked him to break down some of his craziest basslines...

Les Claypool performs with Primus at Old Forester's Paristown Hall in Louisville, Kentucky on May 30, 2022

Primus's Les Claypool names 7 bassists who shaped his sound

By Andrew Daly published 24 May 23

The alt-rock innovator on "one of the most underrated bass players ever", who he sees as the instrument's Jimi Hendrix and that time a low-end hero "f**king kicked my ass" in a jam

Primus’s Les Claypool and Tool’s Justin Chancellor

Hear Justin Chancellor play through Les Claypool’s rig as this Primus-Tool supergroup take on Ænima at chest-rattling velocity

By Matt Parker published 3 May 23

Members of the two bands and Queens of the Stone Age’s Troy Van Leeuwen teamed up for a double-drummer take on the Tool classic

Les Claypool of Primus performs at Day Two of the Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival on June 10, 2011 in Manchester, Tennessee.

Les Claypool: “The Pachyderm bass has one knob on it, a volume knob: I don’t want any tone”

By Joel McIver published 10 March 23

Primus’ bass wizard tells us all about his Pachyderm bass and exactly what naugahyde is

Les Claypool from Primus onstage in 1991

Les Claypool says he was on acid during Primus’ 1992 MTV Spring Break performance – “everything I saw was just orange”

By Matt Parker published 6 July 22

The bassist extraordinaire has been reflecting on Primus’ early years amid the 90s alternative boom, in which the band got picked up by MTV before Metallica... It was quite literally a trip

Primus cancel European leg of A Tribute To Kings tour due to “unavoidable logistical challenges”

By Matt Owen published 29 June 22

The mammoth Rush tribute tour comes to a premature end

Larry LaLonde and Les Claypool join Alex Lifeson to discuss A Farewell To Kings and recall that one time the Rush guitarist used a tortilla chip as a guitar pick

By Joe Bosso published 16 June 22

With Primus on tour playing the 1977 classic, the band's guitarist and bassist/frontman talk tribute acts and discuss the album's legacy with Rush's Alex Lifeson

Rush’s Geddy Lee on A Farewell To Kings, Les Claypool the bassist, and what he thinks of Primus playing the album live in its entirety

By Ellen O'Reilly, Joel McIver published 9 June 22

Playing A Farewell To Kings in full is not for the fainthearted. Even Geddy Lee, the man who recorded it, thought Les Claypool “was a little bit nuts” for attempting it

Les Claypool: “Singing Geddy Lee parts and playing bass, or just singing Geddy Lee parts period, is f**king hard, because it’s up in the upper stratosphere”

By Ellen O'Reilly, Joel McIver published 1 June 22

Primus are currently on the road, playing the Rush album A Farewell To Kings in its entirety. We ask Claypool what made him embark on such a mad endeavor

Keeley Electronics Larry LaLonde BubbleTron effects pedal

Keeley collaborates with Primus’ Larry LaLonde for Artist Series Edition BubbleTron flanger/phaser

By Matt Owen published 29 April 22

New-look unit introduces aesthetic and functional tweaks to the original BubbleTron, which is described by LaLonde as “the greatest pedal ever made”

Anna Calvi performs on the main Stage on day 2 of The Legitimate Peaky Blinders Festival 2019 at the Custard Factory on September 15, 2019 in Birmingham, England.

From Pink Floyd to Primus: here are this week's essential guitar tracks

By Michael Astley-Brown published 8 April 22

Start your weekend off on the right foot with top-tier tunes from Clutch, Interpol, Anna Calvi, Helms Alee, Hovvdy and Delicate Steve

Primus announce Conspiranoid EP, share sprawling 11-minute lead single, Conspiranoia

By Sam Roche published 6 April 22

The EP arrives April 22, days after the trio are set to embark on the second leg of their Rush tribute tour, A Tribute to Kings

“Pro tip: play triangles!” Watch Primus’s Ler LaLonde offer a madcap masterclass in Gibson’s latest Riff Lords video

By Matt Parker published 13 August 21

Insight, eye candy and a load of ways to reinvigorate your playing with Primus's master of unhinged licks

Watch Primus perform the entirety of A Farewell To Kings as they kick off their Rush tribute tour

By Matt Owen published 12 August 21

Fresh from his lesson with Geddy Lee, a kimono-kitted Les Claypool took to the stage with his bandmates to tackle the daunting setlist from start to finish

Les Claypool has been taking bass lessons from Rush's Geddy Lee

By Sam Roche published 10 August 21

The Primus man said he was “learning from the master” ahead of the band's upcoming Rush tribute tour, A Tribute to Kings

Les Claypool faces off with Metallica’s Robert Trujillo in a bass-slapping duel in new short film Precious Metals

By Richard Bienstock published 10 February 21

The film is directed by the Primus bassist’s son, Cage Claypool

Jason Momoa details his jams with Les Claypool: “It was like a childhood dream”

By Michael Astley-Brown published 28 January 21

Bass Player’s latest cover star interrogated Claypool on a number of topics, including the hardest Primus song to play

EMG introduces all-new Les Claypool 'Pachyderm Gold' bass pickups

By Matt Owen published 21 January 21

New finishes for Robert Trujillo's Rip Tide set also unveiled

Watch members of Tool, Primus, Mastodon and Coheed and Cambria absolutely crush Rush’s classic Anthem

By Richard Bienstock published 27 July 20

The latest from Two Minutes to Late Night is a wonder in the world

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