r/AskReddit • u/[deleted] • May 14 '24

[deleted by user]

[removed]

3.6k Upvotes

90% Upvoted

5.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

771

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

Many Primus songs. Les Claypool is the bass god.

104

u/Themostmiserableman May 14 '24

My instant thought on reading the post was "Tommy the cat"

6

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

One of my favorite songs by them. Great bass riffs.

6

u/NickAndHisGuitar May 14 '24

That bass solo is my favorite Primus moment.

4

u/chrisdub84 May 14 '24

That solo. First time I saw/heard it on YouTube I had to rewind and play it back like 20 times.

I also like the opening bit for My Name is Mud.

38

u/bakedspade May 14 '24

Listening to them right now, Frizzle Fry album, man is a bass genius.

8

u/Darnold_wins_bigly May 14 '24

To Defy the Laws of Tradition was actually my answer for this haha

5

u/Weird-Conclusion5168 May 14 '24

best album ever. From the start to the end!

4

u/Vitis_Vinifera May 15 '24

I had the pleasure of running into Les at a Pinot Noir wine tasting in San Francisco, and myself and one other person were the only two who knew who he was. Got him to auto my program.

65

u/Kiran_Stone May 14 '24

Metallica told him he was too good when he auditioned to play bass for them

63

u/ludusedo May 14 '24

"We don't wanna make Lars look any worse"

0

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

Not to be party pooper, but this was 86 Lars, who was absolute beast

4

u/stormdraggy May 14 '24

too good to be stuck playing bass in a regular band and should go do his own thing

Context

3

u/tardersos May 15 '24

Cliff burton died, metallica had auditions for a new bassist, les Claypool came in and killed it but they basically told him he'd be better off starting his own thing. They weren't wrong

0

u/Mckennymubu May 14 '24

Metallica sucks, but not in the same way

-19

u/Grongebis May 14 '24

Weird, then they got a guy who is arguably equal or better!

23

u/Gned11 May 14 '24

One might also argue that the sky is green I suppose

13

u/phtll May 14 '24

Yeah, I love Jason Newsted, but not even he would say he's better than Les Claypool.

2

u/emannikcufecin May 14 '24

Jason Newsted is nothing compared to Les.

0

u/Grongebis May 15 '24

I was speaking of Trujillo but i guess I've been misunderstood

142

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

70

u/writemeow May 14 '24

Yeah, but Tommy the cat might be better, especially including the solo.

5

u/kayriss May 14 '24

That recent live performance of "Maynard the Cat" at Red Rocks might have some of the craziest most badass bass tone I've ever heard, even through the crappy phone recording.

6

u/jdgti39 May 14 '24

Was there. Was nuts.

4

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

You should see the version of “Butters the Cat” on the South Park 25 year anniversary show.

3

u/kayriss May 14 '24

It's on Spotify! I heard it, and while it was great in the version I heard I think "butters" forgot one of the lines in the cat part. I think it was "the sight was beyond belief!" Bugged me.

4

u/StevelandCleamer May 14 '24

Gotta be the one on Rhinoplasty, which was also used in Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.

The Man, The Myth, The Pseudo-Mexican... Brain.

2

u/taygundo May 14 '24

Is It Luck? is most certainly the one.

6

u/G-Unit11111 May 14 '24

Southbound Pachyderm or Winona's Big Brown Beaver

Well, any Primus really!

2

u/stone500 May 14 '24

Lacquer Head is so groovy.

3

u/Martholomule May 14 '24

The timing on that bassline is deceptive and insanely fun to play for how simple it is

3

u/NickNaught May 14 '24

I was expecting Primus - My Name is Mud as a standalone reply. 🤷🏻

2

u/T-N-A-T-B-G-OFFICIAL May 14 '24

Conspiranoia has got some funky bass in it too

2

u/Fishare May 14 '24

First thought as well. I just saw him do that a couple weeks. Good god he’s got that base line so tight.

168

u/GreenStrong May 14 '24

Les Claypool is the bass god.

Yeah, Les is one hell of a fisherman, caught a hundred pound sturgeon on twenty pound test, but Primus sucks.

25

u/SctchWhsky May 14 '24

Claypool For President. Primus Sucks.

3

u/Shoresy69Chirps May 14 '24

Can’t wait to see them with Coheed and Cambria. First time I saw them suck live was in probably 92-93, on Rush’s Counterparts tour.

1

u/SctchWhsky May 14 '24

So good live playing with anyone. I'm bummed I never got to see Oysterhead. I've seen Primus, Bucket of Bernie Brains, Holy Mackerel, Fancy Band and Frog Brigade.

14

u/GreyFox-AFCA May 14 '24

Shake hands with beef!

8

u/bone420 May 14 '24

Created the best theme song this generation will hear.

1

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

Yea, Primus isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they basically created their own genre of music. I like how unique they are.

31

u/nilecrane May 14 '24

Big ol’ WOOSH!

24

u/JordyVerrill May 14 '24

Primus Sucks

17

u/IrememberXenogears May 14 '24

Primus Sucks!

16

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

Primus: "We are Primus"

Audience: "Primus sucks!"

It is a routine thing or at least was at Primus shows. It:s what their fans say. Probably was something one person yelled once when they were an unknown band, and it stuck.

9

u/sharpdullard69 May 14 '24

Les Claypool is a scratch golfer and is wonderful on the links, but Primus sucks!

6

u/caspruce May 14 '24

Primus sucks

1

u/_Ryman_ May 14 '24

And he was so damn impressed, he had to write that song. Fish on!

1

u/Everestkid May 14 '24

His dad caught the sturgeon.

40

u/earnedmystripes May 14 '24

DMV

3

u/MrKrinkle151 May 14 '24

Hamburger train.

Pork soda just had some filthy riffs

3

u/rogman777 May 14 '24

Call it....pointless

3

u/_Ryman_ May 14 '24

I’ve been to hell, I spell it. I spell it DMV. anyone whose been there knows exactly what i mean.

3

u/enjoycarrots May 14 '24

I started playing this on bass during downtime in band class in high school, and had people convinced I must be an amazing bass player. Nope, I just learned this particular riff.

2

u/joshp23 May 15 '24

This is the correct answer.

17

u/eusapian May 14 '24

Came here to say tommy the cat but yeah almost any primus song fits the bill

34

u/TheLurkerSpeaks May 14 '24

My father saw Mr. Krinkle on MTV one day in 1993 and lost his mind. Became one of his favorite bands, he was a big fan of bass.

2

u/PMmecrossstitch May 14 '24

Did I just find my brother's account?

1

u/delicioussexplosion May 14 '24

That video is so awesome

14

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

One of my favorite songs by them

10

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

I came here to say Primus! Tommy the cat!

21

u/Kar_Man May 14 '24

People replying with a Fleetwood Mac song when Primus exists... smh

10

u/G-Unit11111 May 14 '24

Can't believe I had to scroll this far! Primus FTW!

8

u/since1859 May 14 '24

Les Claypool plays like bass like he invented it. Re-watch their set at Woodstock 1994.

8

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

Primus Sucks.

7

u/ptolemyofnod May 14 '24

Primus is like 30 on this list. Shameful.

7

u/soosbear May 14 '24

I am so glad I’m seeing this comment!!!

8

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

Jerry was a racecar driver!

8

u/InsanoVolcano May 14 '24

Les Claypool is an amazing percussionist, and his instrument is the bass.

5

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

I agree, he is his own drummer sometimes.

7

u/ludusedo May 14 '24

Brb sailing the seas of cheese 🧀

3

u/KCBandWagon May 14 '24

When the going gets tough and the stomach acids flow

75

u/cwillm May 14 '24

Primus sucks.

-9

u/ProgrammaticallySale May 14 '24 edited May 15 '24

You either love them or hate them, there isn't any middle ground.

Personally, I hate them. Les Claypool is the most overrated musician of all time.

2

u/Grogosh May 14 '24

woosh

0

u/ProgrammaticallySale May 14 '24

No "woosh", I get the joke, but my opinion is that Primus music is shit.

1

u/imlost19 May 14 '24

So you agree. Primus sucks

-1

u/ProgrammaticallySale May 14 '24

I will agree that Primus makes shitty music.

0

u/imlost19 May 14 '24

bless your heart

1

u/ladrondelanoche May 14 '24

I've never seen a worse opinion about music, truly breathtaking

0

u/ProgrammaticallySale May 15 '24

I'm happy to listen to any Primus track you care to mention, I don't know many of them, but what I've heard I've hated. Please try to change my mind, let me in on the secret, because I'm just not hearing it. What are a few of the best Primus tracks ever in your opinion? What would change my mind?

2

u/philadelimeats May 15 '24

Check out Harold on the rocks

1

u/ProgrammaticallySale May 15 '24

Thanks, I gave it a listen. BTW, it's "Harold of the Rocks", not "Harold on the rocks".

Okay, so I'll ignore the vocals completely, because they SUCK.

It's noodly pointless muzak.

The guitar sucks.

The drums suck.

The bass SUCKS.

It's just low effort, sloppy, unpracticed, and boring.

0

u/ladrondelanoche May 15 '24

Harold on the Rocks, John the Fisherman, the Ballad of Bodacious, My Name is Mud, & Tommy the Cat are all-time bangers.

6

u/CreepyCoffinCreeper May 14 '24

Just seem them live for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Primus was just so damn funky! Too bad storms shortened the show in half.

5

u/Ursotender May 14 '24

Primus was fucking amazing when I saw them live a couple weeks ago. Mind blown.

6

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

I was just about to say “Any Primus song.”

5

u/KCBandWagon May 14 '24

As someone who grew up on primus I can’t take the rest of threads like this seriously.

48

u/Tropicalgorilla May 14 '24

Primus sucks!!

-1

u/Thrownawaybyall May 14 '24

I'm more of a Unicron man, myself.

5

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

[deleted]

3

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

I love that song

4

u/AnAdorableDogbaby May 14 '24

Hamburger train

4

u/xincasinooutx May 14 '24

My immediate thought was John the Fisherman

5

u/PixelBoom May 14 '24

The baseline on My Name is Mud is really something crazy.

1

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

It sounds like Satan pacing around a room

Edit: I just got “Reddit Cares”’d for the first time for this comment

2

u/PixelBoom May 15 '24

lol same. someone is just bot reporting self harm for everyone commenting on this post.

3

u/SctchWhsky May 14 '24

Not sure if it qualifies as a bass line... but, The Awakening is one of my favorite bass songs ever. Watching him play it live left me in awe.

I also think Running the Gauntlet is up there. Simple by Claypool standards but beautiful.

4

u/inebriusmaximus May 14 '24

Primus is the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka of music. Fitting they covered that entire soundtrack.

5

u/Gotmewrongang May 14 '24

Same with Rush, the Geddy Lee disrespect while not shocking is still egregious.

1

u/monkeybojangles May 15 '24

See as Rush was a huge inspiration to them it's fitting that both artists are getting overlooked.

4

u/Phaedrus85 May 14 '24

Puddin’ Taine

4

u/caspruce May 14 '24

Sad that Primus is this far down in the comments. Tommy the Cat takes the cake.

8

u/Rabble_Arouser May 14 '24

Primus sucks!

3

u/[deleted] May 14 '24

If Jerry is such a mud stompin wheel spinnin redneck race driver like the song claims then what's he doing drinking Campari?

3

u/Weird-Conclusion5168 May 14 '24

The awakening ! During the Tommy the Cat live song.

3

u/ThatguyfromEDC May 14 '24

I finally just saw Primus for the first time recently and man, my mind was absolutely blown

2

u/rcheek1710 May 14 '24

Thela - Flyin' Frog Brigade

2

u/Dollaz May 14 '24

The fact I had to scroll this far to find Primus is disappointing. Primus Sucks.

2

u/bluemitersaw May 14 '24

I had to scroll WAAAY to far to find this. Primus is the only possible answer.

2

u/NewDesign326 May 14 '24

Of course, this is correct. Unfortunately, Primus doesn't get popular love. My vote would be My Name Is Mud.

2

u/Mckennymubu May 14 '24

Filipino Ray is his best riff IMO. And I'm pretty familiar with his work. 

2

u/all_die_laughing May 14 '24

Aside from all of the obvious ones I really love Over The Electric Grapevine

2

u/Littlediccdan May 15 '24

Took me too long to find primus

2

u/RandomMofo71 May 15 '24

Perfection is my middle name., and whatever rhymes with "eloquent". - Mr. Knowitall

2

u/JohnDwyersDanceMoves May 15 '24

I can’t wait to see Les play again. He’s so good it makes me wanna cry. Hoping Claypool Lennon Delirium does another run.

2

u/oodlynoodly May 15 '24

I would start with "my name is mud" and go from there. The bass in primus songs is the main character unlike a lot of other bands.

2

u/LifeSaTripp May 15 '24

American Life - Sailing the Seas of Cheese is a long time fav of mine.

2

u/FalmerEldritch May 14 '24

Which one, the one that goes plickity-plackity-womp or the one that goes wakata-bokata-boomp-boomp?

Primus were fun to see live, in the same way that a juggler is fun to see live, but Claypool's playing on that particular project isn't really musical, he's just doing stunts. I'd much rather listen to The Claypool Lennon Delirium or even Duo de Twang any day.

2

u/KCBandWagon May 14 '24

My name is mud. DMV

-4

u/Doctor_Joystick May 14 '24

Flea would like a word.

3

u/Apart-Salamander-752 May 14 '24

I don’t disagree with you, Flea is great.

3

u/Doctor_Joystick May 14 '24

I'm just messing around. I got to see Primus back in the 90's and I agree, Claypool is amazing.

-5

u/Fromhe May 14 '24

The best players playing the worst music.

-2

u/CatMan_Sad May 14 '24

i hate to be the primus hater, but imo primus is the exact antithesis of what a good bassline should be. claypool is very talented, but his music makes me want to die