•
Rating:
After participating enthusiastically in the "Carnuval Vecc" of my neighborhood, with singing and dancing in sincere and contagious joy, before subjecting my tried and sweaty body to a necessary shower, I decide to give a quick read to the Debaser page dedicated to my great musical heroes Primus. And I realize, with surprise, that I am not listed among the connoisseurs of the Californian band; I keep to myself the epithets that came to mind, contemplating a tremendous revenge.
Revenge that unfolds in a few moments... take what follows then, my beloved and esteemed colleagues; there you go!!!
“Let's clear things up right away to give some minimal logic to my arguments today: for yours truly, the crazy trio, led by the equally crazy (even more, even more!!) Les Claypool, represents absolute love, the number ONE in music. (something I will have recited ad nauseam since I've been frequenting Debaser; repetita iuvant the Latins argued, who knew far more than I do).
On this day of revelry, at least as far as I am concerned, I want to tell you about their debut released back in 1989; a live album recorded over two successive evenings in native California. Title of the work and cover already give a very good idea of the bizarre and crazy world built around the sound of these authentic jokers, guided by the unmistakable, legendary bass and cartoonish voice of leader Les. Accompanied in his tragicomic gestures by the multifaceted guitar of Larry Lalonde, who had already made a name for himself at a young age in the Possessed (Seven Churches, Seven Churches!!), and the drumming of that acrobat and champion of countertime bearing the name of Tim “Herb” Alexander.
The live show starts off in an overwhelming way: for about thirty seconds our guys pay homage to the Canadians Rush and the track “YYZ”; right after begins the story of the fisherman John, “John the Fisherman” indeed. Syncopated rhythms, ironic lyrics: funk-metal, thoughtful hardcore, fusion, prog…etc..etc… A form of crossover never heard before, with that healthy fun that has always accompanied the gestures of these three musical phenomena. Next comes “Groundhog’s Day”, where they demonstrate uncommon technique, then moving through “Tommy the Cat” (still a live staple for them today) and reach happily and contentedly amid hearty laughter at the bombastic finale of the closing “Frizzle Fry”.
Take Minutemen, Frank Zappa (always praise be to the genius of Baltimore), Rush, King Crimson, Residents: blend them and rip them apart and you will get the wonderful and at the same time outrageous sound of PRAIMUS.
Seen live five times: endless delight. And I have always been fascinated by one thing at their concerts: the three brave musicians never exchange glances during the show. Everything is calculated, everything is finalized, everything is mathematical: at this point allow me to use the term for them, too often overused, of GENIUS.
The beginning of a career that still continues today: Les has always written, recorded, and produced what he wanted, without regard to fashion and trends; not caring about various hassles. He doesn't care about selling, he doesn't care about making it. He plays very simply for himself and the pleasure he finds in doing it; after all, “Primus sucks”!
With their crazy musical approach, which is not easy to assimilate it is good to remember, they have from the beginning carved bizarre furrows, transporting the listener into a never-ending vertigo of sonic oddities; without, in my opinion, ever showing signs of self-pity. Always with a frightening ease so effective and inimitable.
There’s no match for them."
Now I feel better; much, much better...Harold of the Rocks...
Hoping to have filled this Debaser gap (so G read and fix it...AZZ...).
Ad Maiora.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 John the Fisherman (03:53)
One...two...
One, two, three, four.
When he was young
You'd not find him doing well in school.
His mind would turn unto the waters.
Always the focus of adolescent ridicule,
He has no time for farmer's daughters.
Alienated from the clique society,
A lonely boy finds peace in fishing.
His mother says,
"John, this is not the way life's supposed to be."
"Don't you see the life that you miss?"
And he says...
When I grow up I want to be,
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman.
Now years gone by we find the man who rules the sea.
He sets out on a dark May morning.
To bring his catch back to this small community.
He doesn't see the danger dawning.
Four hours up, oh the ocean swelled and swelled,
The fog rolled in it started raining.
"The starboard bow! Oh my God we're going down!"
They do not hear his frantic mayday.
And he says...
When I grow up I want to be,
One of the harvesters of the sea.
I think before my days are done,
I want to be a fisherman.
"I'll live and die a fisherman."
Calling John the Fisherman...
02 Groundhog's Day (04:52)
When I woke up this mornin' I felt a pang.
I was hungerin' for some apple pie.
Stumble in the bathroom, hung my hog a little bit.
Washed the sleep out of my eye.
Oh yeah, it's gonna be a fine day.
Scratched myself a bit.
Poured me out a bowl-a corn chex.
Closest thing I could find to apple pie.
Lingerin' taste of toothpaste
Made the milk go down a bit funny.
But you know, them chex they do satisfy.
Oh yeah, this'll be a fine day.
So, after my mornin' rise-n-shine and eat-n-clean.
Had my mind set to hit them streets.
Drizzle from the night left cold puddles out.
Had my black stomp-boots on my feet.
It's my day.
Since I was in kneepants my pop had tried to make me realize. If I
set my mind down to it I could be a big man in the public eye. So
with my big blue collar on, I set out to find the easy way. What an
ice cold bath it was when I found you had to pay to play. To taste
the taste it's a tease that never would subside. The taste is strong
but soured by my learned eyes. Well, if a woodchuck could chuck wood,
he'd get down on his knees to pray. This little snappy boy might see
the light this ground hog's day.
05 Jellikit (03:59)
Jellikit
I just want to satisfy you
I would like to rectify you
Pay no attention to what you've heard
This mediocrity is so absurd. But
I won't listen to erratic advice
Don't make me ask you nice
I just want to satisfy you
I would like to contemplate you
Perhaps sometime we'll irritate you
I won't listen to sparratic advice
Don't make me ask you twice
I just want to satisfy you
Jellikit x 3
I just want to satisfy you
Jellikit
I just want to satisfy you
Jellikit x 6
06 Tommy the Cat (05:26)
" well I remember as though it were a meal ago"
Said Tommy the Cat as he reeled back to clear whatever foreign matter
may have nestled its way into his mighty throat.
Many a fat alley rat had met its demise while staring point blank down
the cavernous barrel of this awesome prowling machine.
Truly a wonder of nature this urban predator.
Tommy the cat had many a story to tell,
But it was a rare occasion such as this that he did.
She came slidin' down the alleyway like butter drippin' off a hot biscuit.
The aroma, the mean scent, was enough to arouse suspicion in even the
oldest of Tigers that hung around the hot spot in those days.
The sight was beyond belief.
Many a head snapped for double - even triple - takes as this vivacious
feline made her her way into the delta of the alleyway where the most
virile of the young tabbys were known to hang out.
They hung in droves. Such a multitude of masculinity could only be
found in one place...
And that was O'malley's Alley.
The air was thick with cat calls (no pun intended),
But not even a muscle in her neck did twitch
as she sauntered straight into the heart of the alleyway.
She knew what she wanted.
She was lookin' for that stud bull, she was looking for that he cat.
And that was me.
Tommy the Cat is my name and I say unto thee...
Say baby do you wanna lay down with me
Say baby do you wanna lay down by my side
Ah baby do you wanna lay down with me
Say baby?...Say baby?
07 Pudding Time (04:20)
You can have a lolly pop
a candy bar a jelly bean.
I'll buy you a rainbow
to hang above your door.
It's pudding time.
Laughter is a sweet
You can't put a price on.
When laughter's all gone
Daddy won't buy you more.
It's pudding time.
It's pudding time children.
Money money money
To buy you things.
Daddy's gonna buy you a
diamond ring.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Couldn't put Humpty together again.
San Francisco bay the
Striped bass are dying.
But you're gonna get
That brand new bike
Oh joy
It's pudding time
It's pudding time children.
08 Harold of the Rocks (06:18)
t was a weekend's eve,
I had sex on my breath
I was lookin' for somethin' to see.
With a borrowed black leather
And my best fishin' hat.
Well, it was just Wendy O. and me.
We called old Swamp
Up on the telephone
And said we was comin' on
Down to pick him up
and then, he said,
"Hey Swampy, me and Greeny'll come along -
But only if we can bring a friend."
"His name is Harold."
I said "Okay."
Now, we had a
Swamper, Greeny, Wendy O, Stanley,
Harold of the Rocks and me.
We hopped into my dart
And headed for the nightbreak
To see a man they call Schooly D.
Harold he's a friendly guy.
He rambles on and on.
He'll talk the balls off a rhinosaurus.
Fact is, he just doesn't make much sense.
"Well", Stan said.
"This guy's pretty bizarre, Gus."
Harold of the Rocks.
I saw Harold at a party
Trouzy threw late one night.
I said, "hey man,
Do you remember me?"
He said, "O' course
I do Snapdad and
Let me tell ya right
'Bout now I'm lit
Up like an ol' Christmas tree."
Hey bro you know I'd
like to thank you once again for let'n me
Hang with ya' all across the bay.
when I look back at that night I get me a
Warm spot across my heart."
Then he shook my hand, and walked away.
That's the last I seen of Harold.
Harold of the Rocks.
So in the end,
Swamper and Greeny
Finally succumb to
The ways of Harold.
And in doing so
Each gave just a little bit
Of his soul away.
What a couple of dumbshits.
09 Frizzle Fry (05:47)
Hello all you boys and girls
I'd like to take you to the
inside world
It's quite an irregular place
to be.
But never fear you're safe
with me.
Well,Maybe
Golden hair of macrame'
Agaisnts the face that's
cut from stone.
The white porcelain is
screaming ayee.
Thank God the boy is not
alone
I don't believe in santa claus
I don't believe in spite
I have no use for beauty
dolls.
Especially on this night.
I don't believe in miracles.
I don't believe in lies.
I don't believe in hologram.
For I am the frizzle fry.
Andy's painted green again.
This time they might take him
away.
When barrington starts to
breath again.
It may just take us all away.
I don't believe in charity.
I don't believe in sin.
And if you don't believe in me,
we'll play this tune over
again.
I don't believe in Pinochle
and I dont believe I'll try.
I do believe in Captian Crunch
For I am the frizzle fry
Yes I am the frizzle fry
Loading comments slowly
