Shows / Primus Tracks
Primus Tracks
Primus Tracks chronicles the recordings of the rock band Primus, one track at a time. Join Josh, Frankie, & Primus friend/assistant Tim Soya as they create the ultimate Primus companion - for beginners and hardcore fans alike.
Episodes
- Primus Tracks
The Return of Sathington Willoughby w/ Leif
Fellow colleagues, distinguished podcast listeners, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for joining us to explore the…
- Primus Tracks
Making of Brown Album w/ Bryan "Brain" Mantia
Bryan "Brain" Mantia joined Primus during a period of uncertainty for the band, and helped drive them in a whole new direction - huge (literally) drums…
- Primus Tracks
Jay Lane charts his Primus path.
Jay Lane graciously joins our little podcast to get into the nitty-gritty details of some early-days Primus, as well as touching on Sausage, Frog Brigade, and…
- Primus Tracks
Coverpalooza with lespecial
Frankie takes total control of the podcast, kidnapping the men of lespecial and subjecting them to 15 extremely rare Primus / Claypool live covers (okay, a…
- Primus Tracks
Carla Freestep's long, strange trip
Carla Freestep, aka Lupin, joins the podcast to share some stories from the road as the de facto photographer for some Frog Brigade and Primus tours. She…
Primus TracksReuben Rude on visualizing Primus/Claypool
Longtime poster and album artist Reuben Rude drops in to discuss the Primus Poster Series of 2011-present, how he goes about his artistic process, and what…
Primus TracksTeddy Rankin-Parker on the Wonka Tour
Cellist Teddy Rankin-Parker recalls his experience sliding into the Wonka tour to hold down one half of the Fungi Ensemble. What was it like getting into the…
Primus TracksHello Skinny / Constantinople
Ah, The Residents. Men of mystery. Of enchantment. And the finest influence on Les Claypool this side of Geddy Lee! We dive into some of the mythos around The…
- Primus Tracks
Over The Electric Grapevine w/ Soya & Rory Dolan
No surprises this time! Soya and Rory Dolan (lespecial) help us unpack this latter-day fan favorite, and a treasure to us all - Over The Electric Grapevine. We…
Primus TracksDrawn Into The Grapevine w/ Soya, Rory Dolan, Adam Gates, and some guy named Les Claypool
The unthinkable has happened. What started as Soya, Josh, and Frankie with lespecial drummer Rory turned into a goofball hangout with a retelling of the…
- Primus Tracks
On The Tweek Again w/ Soya & Gene Meyer
Soya and Gene Meyer (of Bandit) join us to talk about On The Tweek Again, a thematic sequel to a Primus classic. It's musically sparse, but we're able to mine…
- Primus Tracks
De Anza Jig w/ Soya & Matt Hunter
Josh declares that he has little to say about this track, but there is plenty of ancillary stuff to discuss! Matt Hunter breaks down the music (and plays Tommy…
- Primus Tracks
Del Davis Tree Farm w/ Soya & Anthony Garcia
Del Davis Tree Farm was an actual place in Sonoma County. Locals Soya and Anthony Garcia bond over Primus landmarks in the area and this particular…
Primus TracksGlass Sandwich w/ Soya & Jonny Grusauskus
A weird Primus track births a plethora of topics: Jay Lane, Butthole Surfers, voyeurism, the nature of anticipation. Tim Soya and lespecial's Jonny Grusauskus…
- Primus Tracks
Hellbound 17 1/2 (theme from) w/ Zak Mendoza
As we reach the halfway point of Tales From The Punchbowl, we encounter another Primus oddity. Hellbound is a unique track in the Primus catalogue, and drummer…
Primus TracksSpace Farm & Year of the Parrot w/ Soya & Luke Bemand
Tim Soya and Luke Bemand return to break down Space Farm and Josh's absolute favorite Primus track, Year of the Parrot. Luke tackles the musical elements, and…
Primus TracksSouthbound Pachyderm w/ Tim Solyan & Luke Bemand
It's another foursome for Primus Tracks (we should start a charity golf tournament) - this time Josh, Frankie, and Soya welcome Luke Bemand of lespecial to dig…
Primus TracksWynona's Big Brown Beaver w/ Tim Solyan & Nick Croese
It's the best-known Primus Track of them all! Josh and Frankie call in reinforcements to discuss the depth and breadth of the impact the unexpected success of…
Primus TracksMrs. Blaileen
Track 2 of Tales From The Punchbowl combines an earnest narrative with off-kilter music. What made this track as a single not so successful, where the Beaver…
Primus TracksProfessor Nutbutter's House Of Treats w/ Louis Ortega
Ahoy! Senior bass analyst Louis Ortega helps us kick off Tales From The Punchbowl in style with a breakdown of the complex, mysterious Professor Nutbutter…
Primus TracksMaking of Tales From The Punchbowl w/ Tim Solyan
Tim Solyan drops into Primus Tracks World Headquarters to give us the backstory on the making of Tales From The Punchbowl, the record that cemented Primus in…
Primus TracksInter-Album Interview: Bryan Kehoe
Bryan Kehoe is a force of nature, and brings his magnanimity to Primus Tracks. Kehoe discusses the earliest days of the Bay Area thrash and alt scenes, his…
Primus TracksInter-Album Interview: Elizabeth Gohr
Elizabeth Gohr has taken live concert photos of numerous fantastic bands in the Bay Area, but she holds a special affinity for Primus - and it shows! Elizabeth…
Primus TracksInter-Album Interview: Mike Dillon
Mike Dillon joined Les Claypool's troupe for the Purple Onion album in 2002 and stuck around for the various incarnations of Claypool's band(s). He also joined…
Primus TracksInter-Album Interview: Mark Kohr
Mark Kohr joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about getting his start in making music videos and the creative process. He has directed videos for Green…
Primus TracksInter-Album Interview: Eenor Keeps On Creating
Multi-instrumentalist Eenor (Frog Brigade, Yard Dogs Road Show) joins us to talk about the arc of his music career and his excellent run with Les and the Frog…
Primus TracksBastardizing Jellikit - Poetry & Prose
Josh and Frankie discuss two studio tracks recorded for compilations in 1993 and 1994. Poetry and Prose is a delightful meta-ditty, and Bastardizing Jellikit…
Primus TracksHamburger Train - Pork Chop - Hail Santa
We've reached the end of Pork Soda, and revel in its triumvirate of instrumental tracks that close this inimitable record. Hamburger Train dominates the…
Primus TracksThe Air Is Getting Slippery
The vaudevillian track The Air is Getting Slippery is perhaps Primus at its most suggestive, and has the air of something sordid, but Frankie helps Josh…
Primus TracksMr. Krinkle
I'll tell you why: buried on the back half of Pork Soda is Mr. Krinkle, which has become a latter-day live staple and undisputable crowd pleaser. Josh and…
Primus Tracks(The) Pressman
(The) Pressman is one of a few tracks left over from the early days of Primus, and it finally made its way to a studio recording, stashed in the last half of…
Primus TracksPork Soda
The title track of the 1993 effort is a novelty mishmash self-indulgent parody of advertising and a metaphor for what Les Claypool sees Primus as in the public…
Primus TracksWounded Knee
An unexpected Tim Alexander composition divides the two halves of Pork Soda. We get into the specifics of the recording of this track, which occurred…
Primus TracksNature Boy w/ Louis Ortega
Nature Boy, an enigmatic track that delights and confounds when it rears its hydra heads in concert. Senior bass analyst Louis Ortega drops in to demonstrate…
Primus TracksThe Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon w/ Anthony Garcia
A standout offering from Pork Soda, The Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon serves as a companion piece to Fish On and provides just as many delights. Our ol' pal Anthony…
Primus TracksDMV
Pork Soda is a bass clinic that demands an expert, therefore, junior bass analyst Matt Hunter joins Primus Tracks for a trip to the DMV. What's up with all the…
Primus TracksBob
Josh and Frankie take on arguably the darkest of Primus Tracks, and delve into what gives Pork Soda such a reputation. They also take apart the lyrics and how…
Primus TracksWelcome To This World
Welcome to Track 3 from Pork Soda, in which Josh and Frankie delve deep into Primus history to find the origins of this track, and Frankie's lyrical…
Primus TracksMy Name Is Mud
We've arrived at 1993's Pork Soda! Josh and Frankie get into some of the circumstances around the recording of the album and tackle the first single from the…
Primus TracksMiscellaneous Debris with Ron Rigler
Ron Rigler, engineer behind Miscellaneous Debris, joins us once again to delve into the recording of this little slab of Primus covers from 1992. We go track…
Primus TracksGabby La La in Claypool Country
Gabby La La traces musical journey from childhood to her teenage years and into the gigging that helped land her a spot touring and recording with Les…
Primus TracksAnimation Academy w/ Webster Colcord
Animator Webster Colcord created a caricature of Les for a Beats Antique video, which opened the door to further collaboration on the videos for Bubbles Burst…
Primus TracksCapturing Claypool w/ Jay Blakesberg
Renowned photographer Jay Blakesberg gives us a tour behind the scenes and the lens via his book, To Defy the Laws of Tradition: A Photographic Archive of…
Primus TracksLos Bastardos
The bastards are back, and they've brought their friends. Josh and Frankie provide info on the eight (!) guest musicians on this track, which wraps up our…
Primus TracksFish On
Josh and Frankie define the symbolism of the instrumentation of this track, which is just three fishing stories sewn together. OR IS IT?! There's more beneath…
Primus TracksSathington Waltz / Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers w/ Anthony Garcia
Anthony Garcia returns to get us to the bottom of the success of this Primus live staple. What makes it so catchy? Why does it get everyone fired up? WHERE IS…
Primus TracksTommy The Cat Part 2 w/ Louis Ortega
We bring it home for this monster Primus track with an examination of latter-day performances, lyrics, and a run through Frankie's favorite live Tommy moments…
- Primus Tracks
Tommy The Cat Part 1 w/ Louis Ortega
PART ONE of TWO in which Josh, Frankie, and Senior Bass Analyst Louis Ortega discuss and deconstruct Tommy The Cat, perhaps the pinnacle of all Primus tracks…
Primus TracksIs It Luck?
Josh and Frankie have a podcast. Is it luck? They decode Primus's most chaotic track. Is it luck? Frankie has the track's history. Is it luck? Josh is unnerved…
Primus TracksEleven
Stranger Things fans, it's your favorite Primus track! Josh is particularly fired up for this one - the sneaky time signature and the philosophical…
Primus TracksJerry Was A Race Car Driver
We've reached Jerry, the gateway track for many Primus fans, and the most-performed Primus Track in a live setting. Once again, we get into live history and…
Primus TracksAmerican Life
American Life - a titan of a track that is a latter day live staple. Josh and Frankie get into its varied live history, the extended versions, what makes it a…
Primus TracksSgt. Baker
RIGHT! Josh and Frankie march through Sgt Baker and discuss the first official PRIMUS MYSTERY: what are the original lyrics to this track, that one can hear on…
Primus TracksHere Come The Bastards
The bastards are coming, sure. But who are they? What do they want? What's their message? Find out as Josh and Frankie take on this Primus anthem. We get into…
Primus TracksMaking of Seas Of Cheese with Ron Rigler
Special guest Ron Rigler, who engineered the first four Primus studio releases, joins us to talk about the making of Sailing The Seas Of Cheese, the Primus…
Primus TracksSeas Of Cheese
We're out of the Frizzle Frying pan and into the Seas Of Cheese. We put on our snorkels and explore the origins and recording of the album, and Frankie shares…
- Primus Tracks
Early Days with Joe Gore
The fantastic JOE GORE joins us to talk the 80s SF Bay scene, early Primus, how Les Claypool molded his stage persona, and the Holy Mackerel experience. Find…
Primus TracksHarold Of The Rocks & To Defy
We round out Frizzle Fry with the Primus all-timer, Harold of the Rocks. We discuss the differing live versions, which lines are most fun to scream along to at…
Primus TracksSathington Willoughby & Spegetti Western
Josh and Frankie track a goofy segue and a sinister jam that can be overwhelming to the uninitiated. We dissect the music, the lyrics, and the spelling of the…
Primus TracksPudding Time (w/ Anthony Garcia!)
It's pudding time, children! Sound engineer and musician Anthony Garcia joins us to break down the musical elements of Pudding Time, and Frankie takes us on a…