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Web Exclusive Interview
Les Claypool
 Les
Claypool
Les
Claypool sat down with MD Online to discuss an impressive partner in rhythm, his new bandmate in Oysterhead: Stewart
Copeland.
MD: Let's talk a little bit about
Stewart Copeland.
Les: Who? Who's that? [laughs]
MD: How did you first hook up with
Stewart?
Les: When we were working on the Primus Antipop
record, we approached different
musicians we admire and respect to
produce different cuts on the record. Stewart's name came up - not so
much for his
Police stuff, but because of Rumblefish and The Rhythmatist. We contacted him and he was excited about it, and
he came and did it. We became friends.
So
we jammed with him at SIR. His drums showed up before he did, and
we
were all sitting there freaking out looking at his kit - because, you
know, it was Stewart Copeland's. And I
even got to play his drums.
So anyway, he showed up and we played, and it was a pretty incredible experience.
MD: So you got Trey involved and played a show in New Orleans last year. Is that how the Oysterhead project
come about?
Les:
I was asked by Superfly Productions to put together a jam for their
Superjam. I called
Trey, and Trey said, "You know, I've always wanted
to play with Stewart Copeland." I said, "I know Stewart!" So we got
a
band together.
MD: When you three got together, was it your songs, or Trey's songs, or did you
collaborate?
Les: We just jammed. When we did the show in New Orleans, we got together for three days prior
and came up with seven songs.
MD: How does Stewart like to work in the studio?
Les: His
feeling is generally that the first take is the
take. He likes the emotion of discovery. He hates rehearsing songs
over
and over with a passion. So we didn't do too many takes. We'd play it,
and that was it.
MD:
How is your bass playing influenced by Stewart's playing?
Les:
Well, obviously, anyone who was of age
in the '80s grew up listening to
Stewart Copeland. Stewart is to drums in the '80s what Bonham was to
drums in
the '70s. He was the guy. He was the guy who was able to achieve huge commercial success and still maintain
strong musical integrity and credibility.
Stewart
and I have talked about this. Stewart was a huge influence on me as
a
musician. I play drums as well as bass, and when I go to see a band,
the first thing I look at is the drummer. His approach
to music,
rhythm, and phrasing - a lot of that is translated to my bass.
MD: It's safe to say that he
doesn't play like anyone else you've played with before. Did that change your style of playing?
Les:
I can tell you about the first time I played with him. He's one of
these guys who looks at the bass
player. So here I am playing with
Stewart Copeland for the first time, and I want to watch him play,
because he's
Stewart Copeland. But every time I look at him,
he's staring at me with this eager look. So I couldn't look at him!
I
kept looking down at my bass. So eventually I moved over to the side,
where a cymbal was hiding his face, so that I could
watch his hands and
watch him play.
Whenever you're playing with a new musician,
you have to change your
approach to your instrument. That's sort of a
given. You feel out the situation and away you go. Stewart listens
to
melody more than the rhythm of the bass. If you listen to a lot of the
stuff he's done, you'll notice that his
fluctuations come with changes
in the melody, whether it's the guitar or even the vocal part. He'll
play right along
with the vocal part - it's amazing. So I tend to follow him a little more.
Stewart
also plays traditional grip,
and his accents are amazing. He sat down
on our drummer's kit [during a Frog Brigade show] and sat in.
He's
playing along, but as soon as he hits those accents, it's like the kick
drum is leaping off the riser. It's
not like he's a bashing player. In
fact, he doesn't really hit that hard - but he hits his accents
incredibly hard. From
my experience, most players who have gotten to
the point where their instrument is an extension of them, their
personalities
come out of their instruments. Stewart's a very
passionate person. Consequently, he's a very passionate
player.
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