This summer antiMUSIC�s Dr Fever attended the very first Mid Atlantic Music Experience in Lewisburg, WV.  While there his new �partner in crime� Susanna Robinson took a few minutes to interview Les Claypool.  So without futher b.s. from your friendly editor, here is the interview�  (stay tuned at the end for links to Dr. Fever�s review of the Festival!) 

Susanna Robinson for antiMUSIC: What percent madness? What percent genius? 

Les Clayrool: I think it�s, um, 80% penious. (laughter) The other 20 you can divide up however you want

antiMUSIC: Fill in this blank; (Blank) is the enemy of creativity? And feel free to expound on why. 

Les:  Hmmmm. I could be a smart ass, or I could think about it a second. (pauses to think) prejudice I think.

That�s a good one. Nice broad term. There are many forms of prejudice.

antiMUSIC: For somebody who�s never heard your music, how would you describe it? 

Les:  I usually just avoid it. I mean, my whole career has been based on avoiding describing what I do, because nobody has really been able to do it. Ya know with Primus..which is what got me here...nobody was ever able to really categorize what that band. I�ve seen that band under many different monikers...But, ya know. It�s sort of an eclectic blend of many different style. Little edgy, little quirky, little scary.

antiMUSIC:I felt that space and humor were really important (to your music.) What are you thoughts on that? 

Les: Well I mean all these guys...our guitar player�s new to this band, but I�ve known him for 25 years. But, they�re all lunatics. If you had each one of them in this room talking, they would all impress you with their lunacy. (laughter) 

antiMUSIC: (laughter) Well, ya get them to go along with you, to follow you there... 

Les: Well, I mean, they help propel me there, ya know. There�s no anchors in this band. The sails are all up.

(laughter)

antiMUSIC: Have you had a certain inspirational moment, creatively? A pivotal life change musically? Or anything that made you realize this is what you want to do to? 

Les: Well I think there is never �one.� Well, at least not for me. There are pivotal �moments�. I think that�s just the way it is in life. Whether your a shoe salesman, or an auto mechanic...and I come from a long line of automechanics...or a bass player. Ya know? Things happen, you come to a cross roads, and something makes you lean to a certain direction.

antiMUSIC: So, what inspires you still? 

Les: Playing with people that I enjoy not only playing with but being with. To me, it�s not only the making of the music, it�s the camaraderie. That�s where a lyrical idea might come from. Or a notion for whatever we might were on stage...or just the attitude of the day might come from an event that happens because you�re gelling together...

antiMUSIC: And that�s what keeps you happy on the road... 

Les: I mean, this is my job...I come from a long line of auto mechanics and I was brought up with the notion of �Learn a trade.�  I know many trades and I�ve had many jobs over the years. I�ve had some really good jobs. But, I�ve had some really s***ty jobs too

(laughter) 

antiMUSIC: What was your worst job? 

Les: Uh..(quick pause to think) busting tires was pretty unfun..but it builds character.� (chuckle) 

antiMUSIC: (laughter) I think all jobs build character, but especially those kind.... 

Les: Some jobs build character. But some jobs destroy it... 

antiMUSIC: You mentioned coming from a long line of auto mechanics; so, describe the atmosphere of your childhood home.. 

Les: My parents were divorced when I was, like, 4 or 5. So, I had two sets of parents.. they remarried pretty quickly.. I had two sets of Christmas�s, all that and whatnot. My stepfather was a mechanic, my father was mechanic, my grandfather was mechanic, all my uncles were mechanics. My other uncle was a fireman. Very blue collar. to me, it�s funny  because my parents are at the age where they�re older and they�re doing their soul searching.....especially over the last 15, 20 years. They�ve had their therapy and whatnot...they�ve come to me at different times apologizing for this that and whatnot. I just think that�s the way it is these days. A generation of therapy. Generation of guilt. And I just tell them, I had a pretty good childhood. I wasn�t beaten. I wasn�t sodomized by anybody...it was pretty good ya know? what I would consider an average American childhood of the Seventies.