Les Claypool is the one of the most unlikely success stories in the entertainment history. His trademark voice, thumping bass lines and unique worldview have become the calling cards for a number of wildly successful and influential albums in the last two decades, including the seminal alt-rock band Primus. But through his myriad of musical and creative projects, Claypool has also become a favorite of metalheads, jam banders, funk connoisseurs and pretty much everything in-between.
"Let's put it this way ... I think, with Primus and without, I've played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair," he says, laughing. "You could say I'm the guy who doesn't fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere."
Movie? Book? Yep. Claypool's recent creative renaissance is now paying off in other mediums. His debut novel, South of the Pumphouse, was released in the summer of '06 through Akashic Books. Now in its 5th printing the book, originally conceived as a screenplay, can best be described a character study revolving around three guys on a fishing trip. Les explains, "It's sort of an Old Man and the Sea meets Deliverance."
Adding to Claypool's busy schedule is the release of Electric Apricot: Quest for Festeroo, a "mockumentary" about four head strong musicians and their desire to make a big splash on the jam band scene. Filmed over the summer of 2005, it proved quite a challenge. "It was like we were building a house with a bunch of apprentice carpenters and all the building materials were on fire," he says laughing, "But you know what? We ended up building a cool little house." Claypool compares the film's comedic style less to Spinal Tap and more to Ricky Gervais's seminal BBC comedy The Office. "Very, VERY dry," he says. "A few people that have been to the screenings didn't know it was a joke."
Having won Best Comedy at the Tiburon Film Festival and audience choice for Best Feature at the Malibu Film Festival, the film is being released through National Lampoon in limited theatrical release and DVD distribution later in the year. "It's odd how all these things are coming together at the same time, it wasn't planned that way," Claypool admits. He pauses, then laughs. "Ah, but what the hell do I know? All I know is, when you get inspired, you try to document it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. That's the basis for everything I do."
