Press Release :
"Les Claypool's sharp and imaginative, contemporary ironic humour and lightning musicianship makes me think of Frank Zappa. Songs for big kids!" ~ Tom Waits

"'Of Whales And Woe' is a big fat chunky helping of Weirdness" ~ Record Collector

Les Claypool, bass-playing mainstay with Primus, and collaborator with various rock and roll luminaries from Tom Waits through to Stewart Copeland, is to release a brand new solo album entitled 'Of Whales And Woe', on his own Prawn Song label on Monday, July 17th 2006.

'Of Whales And Woe' marks the first release under the name of Les Claypool. Though previous 'solo' efforts were issued under a variety of monikers – Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel (1996, Interscope Records), The Les Claypool Frog Brigade 'Purple Onion' (2002 Prawn Song Records) – but 'Of Whales And Woe' is the most self-contained of Les' solo recordings to date. While Claypool's band members add some degree of instrumental variety (Skerik –sax, Mike Dillon – marimba and percussion, Gabby La La – sitar), Les handles guitar, percussion and drums, as well as his usual bass and warped vocals. This fascinating, multi-layered release is diverse enough to appeal to Primus fans and the 'jam band' crowd, but will also chime with those free-thinking listeners for a taste for the outré and the 'out there'.

In addition to this, Les will also be publishing his first novel, 'South Of The Pumphouse'. A dark, clever tale of two brothers, a fishing trip, misconceptions, drugs - and murder. The novel skilfully combines classic motifs of epic struggle and intelligent layers of imagery, reminiscent of The Old Man And The Sea, and the raw, tweaked perspective and hallucinogenic tutorial of a Hunter S Thompson novel. 'Pumphouse' is being published in July by Akashic Books in the USA.

As if this were note enough, Les' movie debut – 'Electric Apricot – Quest For Festeroo' is a 'mockumentary' on the US jam band scene that is an inspired amalgam of the enlightening and the hysterical! 'Electric Apricot' was screened at the Tiburon Film Festival on March 15th this year, where it received an award for 'Best Comedy'. It was also shown at the Portland Lonbaugh Film Festival in April 2006, and the Malibu Film Festival in the same month. It features cameos by actor Seth Green, 'South Park' co-creator Matt Stone, and such jam band legends as Bob Weir, Mike Gordon and Govt Mule's Warren Haynes and Matt Abts (check out www.electricapricot.com)

Les Claypool will be undertaking his usual hectic round of Festival appearances throughout the summer of this year, but is available for interview in support of this absorbing and furiously new album. Please contact Indiscreet PR.