Primus released their first album of new material since 1999′s Antipop last month. Green Naugahyde also featured the return of drummer Jay Lane to the band. To mark this event, here are Revolver contributing writer J. Bennett’s picks for the top five Primus songs.
“To Defy the Laws of Tradition”
Album: Frizzle Fry
For the first few bars, the opening track from Primus’ 1990 studio debut sounds vaguely like one of Metallica’s early instrumentals—until Les Claypool takes it into circus land with one of his trademark slap-bass grooves. Sample Lyric: “What if Christmas didn’t come this year/And no one paid for Christmas cheer?/Who would cry the biggest tear/The child or the store?”
“Jerry Was a Race Car Driver”
Album: Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Of Primus’ many character-driven tales, this 1991 single remains one of the band’s most distinctive and heaviest songs, thanks to Claypool’s video-game-like bassline and former Possessed guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde’s demented squalls.
Sample Lyric “Jerry was a race car driver/And he drove so goddamned fast/He never did win no checkered flag/But he never did come in last.”
“Tommy the Cat”
Album: Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Primus’ unlikely collaboration with chain-smoking piano man Tom Waits (who voices the titular feline) was also featured in the 1991 movie Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.
Sample Lyric “She knew what she wanted/She was lookin’ for that stud bull, the he cat/And that was me.”
“My Name Is Mud”
Album: Pork Soda
Claypool pounds out an ultra-rubbery bassline and takes on the persona of a drunken, homicidal gravedigger on this classic 1993 single.
Sample Lyric “Six-foot-two and rude as hell/I got to get him in the ground before he starts to smell.”
“Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver”
Album: Tales From the Punchbowl
Contrary to popular belief, this Grammy-nominated 1995 track is (unfortunately) not a reference to Winona Ryder’s nether region.
Sample Lyric “Wynona loved her big brown beaver/And she stroked him all the time.”
This past weekend saw the 20th anniversary of Guns N’ Roses landmark Use Your Illusion albums. But 1991 was also the year that many other landmark releases in hard rock and metal came out, including Metallica’s “Black Album,” Nirvana’s Nevermind, Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears, and many, many more. Below, we want you to weigh in and tell us what the best heavy release of 1991 was. Horns up!
Dean Guitars is set to unveil an amazing collection of their electric guitars hand-painted, illustrated, and sculptured by a bevy of hard-rock legends; including Ozzy Osbourne, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, and Slayer’s Kerry King. The axes are to be displayed as part of the Six-String Masterpieces exhibit that raises awareness and support for music-education projects. Taking place at the Mesa Arts Center Museum in Phoenix, the exhibition also includes guitars personalized by Scott Ian (Anthrax), Chester Bennington (Linkin Park), Les Claypool (Primus), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Munky (Korn), and Bret Michaels. In addition to the rock royalty lending their hand to the cause, renowned tattoo artists, such as Aaron Cain, along with an assortment of leading visual artists, like Mark Dean Veca, and even NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick have also put forward their own unique designs for the show.
Additionally curated by artist/musician Curse Mackey, Six-String Masterpieces is dedicated to legendary Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell with its strong anti-violence theme.The exhibition runs from September 9 through to December 4, with all proceeds going to Little Kids Rock, one of the country’s leading music education charities.
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