Amid a chat about the bands Willy Wonka-inspired new album “Primus & The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble“, Primus vocalist/bassist Les Claypool shared a story about how they got banned from KROQ‘s radio festivals. Speaking to Billboard.com, Claypool offered:
“…They don’t let us play those radio station shows anymore, I think since we ate a bunch of mushrooms and did a KROQ one years ago…”
“It was one of the KROQ Acoustic Christmases many years ago. Actually, we have a book just out this last week, and we talk about it a little bit. We used to do this thing called Bob Cock and the Yellow Sock; it’s basically us doing lounge versions of Primus songs. There was this character Bob Cock and we would say we couldn’t find him and he’d show up end of the set and supposedly be out of his mind on cocaine and he’d start singing pornographic lyrics, Hendrix songs and “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” different things. So of course we did all this frying out of our minds on mushrooms, and I think we went way over on our time, and of course there were kids in the audience and here’s this guy singing about his dick, and I think we ruffled some feathers. [Laughs] So we were never asked back after that.”
When asked if he would be taking anymore more hallucinogenics during their forthcoming tour, Claypool replied:
“I think my ‘shrooming days have waned. As you move through life and accumulate more responsibilities and people that rely on you to exist on the planet, it tends to become a little more stressful to take your mind to that electric place. [But] this is definitely a show for the head, and I’m sure there are going to be people altering their perspective and watch this thing, and we’re there to guide them along to a happy place as opposed to a too terribly dark and spooky place. Our version of Wonka is definitely a little creepier than what’s come down the pike, I think. You read those Roald Dahl books, and they are pretty sinister and pretty creepy, so there’s a little homage to not only Gene Wilder-era Willy Wonka, but also Roald himself.”
“Primus & The Chocolate Factory With The Fungi Ensemble” will be released next Tuesday, October 21st. Until then you can stream it here. A tour will be mounted in support of it with dates posted at this location.
