Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool
Category: Books,Arts & Photography,Music
Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool Details
About the Author "Tommy the Cat." "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver." "My Name Is Mud." Yessiree, Primus is responsible for some of the most cutting edge and original rock music of the 1990s. Although originally formed in 1984, it was not until shortly before the end of the decade that the classic Primus lineup featuring Les Claypool (bass/vocals), Larry LaLonde (guitar), and Tim Alexander (drums) was solidified. With most hard rock/heavy metal acts at the time either neatly falling into either "thrash" or "glam" categories, Primus joined a variety of underground bands that refused to be pigeonholed (and by the early '90s, had fully infiltrated the mainstream)--merging metal, funk, alternative, punk, country, roots rock, and experimental music, along with Claypool's penchant for witty and often humorous storytelling lyrics. Building a large and loyal following first in and around San Francisco (before eventually, going global), Primus kicked things off with a string of releases that are now considered classic alt-rock titles: Suck on This, Frizzle Fry, Sailing the Seas of Cheese, Pork Soda, and Tales from the Punchbowl. Along the way, Primus toured with some of rock’s biggest names (Jane's Addiction, Public Enemy, Rush, U2, etc.), headlined the third Lollapalooza Festival, and issued a variety of crafty music videos, which stood out in sharp contrast to the ultra seriousness of most other video clips at the time. Primus, with Greg Prato, is the coauthor of Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool.Greg Prato is a Long Island–based music journalist, whose writing has appeared in Rolling Stone. He is the author of numerous books, including A Devil on One Shoulder and an Angel on the Other: The Story of Shannon Hoon and Blind Melon, Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music, and MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video. He is the coauthor, with Primus, of Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool. Read more
Reviews
This book just arrived and I can't put it down. The definitive story of Primus told by the people who lived it. Essential reading for any fan of this amazing band."Over the Electric Grapevine" is written in the "oral history" format that is all the rage these days, and it is organized well so the story flows chronologically. Starting with Les in high school (with Kirk Hammett), the book takes us (almost) all the way to the present.Great stories about the making of the albums, the ideas behind some of the songs, and the hi-jinks of touring. Sprinkled in are the observations of some of their peers and tour-/festival-mates, most of them fawning in admiration at the talent and influence of Messrs. Claypool, LaLonde, and Herb/Brain.It includes a small section of pictures, a lot of which I had never seen before. This is an outstanding book that was put together with a lot of care.
