Primus: june tour dates announced

The definitive Primus line-up – Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde, and drummer Tim Alexander – will play their first shows in 18 years in June. Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday 6th March. The band recently released 'Primus & the Chocolate Factory’ (their first full-length studio album in nearly 20 years) and will perform the album in its entirety as well as classic Primus tracks. Les Claypool had the following to say about their UK shows:

“I think the notion of performing Primus and the Chocolate Factory in the UK is fantastic being that, when I was a kid, I had always wanted to visit so I could see the Wonka factory there. Curious how neither Willie Wonka nor Charley Bucket nor Grampa Joe had an English accent in that film. At least Gene Wilder didn't try to cop a half-assed cockney accent like Dick Van Dyke did in Mary Poppins. When I was a kid I figured England was all Willy Wonka and Mary Poppins - my kids think it’s Harry Potter. Now I know the reality...it’s The Mighty Boosh.”

Dates:

10-Jun

Primus

Isreal

Raanana

Raanana Amphitheater

12-Jun

Primus

France

Paris

Trianon

13-Jun

Primus

Italy

Milan

Carroponte

15-Jun

Primus

Belgium

Brussels

AB Main Hall

16-Jun

Primus

Netherlands

Utrecht

TivoliVredenburg

17-Jun

Primus

Germany

Hamburg

Docks

18-Jun

Primus

Denmark

Copenhagen

Copenhell 2015

21-Jun

Primus

Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Den Atelier

23-Jun

Primus

UK

London

Brixton O2 Academy

24-Jun

Primus

UK

Manchester

Manchester Apollo

25-Jun

Primus

UK

Birmingham

Brimingham O2 Academy

"The idea was to combine the Frog Brigade and Primus, and do this record,’ says Claypool of the new album. “I think, like a good portion of the planet, we were all pretty put off by the remake of the 'Willy Wonka' movie - the Tim Burton version. I really wanted to pay homage to a film [1971's 'Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,' starring Gene Wilder] that was very important to me as a kid and very influential to me musically. So that's what we did. And as opposed to just going in and recording the songs and playing them the way they are in the film, we twisted them up a bit...twisted them up a lot." Re-imagined classic track “Pure Imagination” recently premiered on Rolling Stone.

Of course, Claypool realised that it was risky business to adapt a cinematic classic that is so close to so many people’s hearts. And, naturally, he realised that it was dangerous waters to swim in the wake of Gene Wilder. The band pulls it off by making something that is truly their own without taking anything away from the movie. When asked about the fairly recent Tim Burton attempt at bringing the Roald Dahl story to the screen Claypool comments, “Look, I love me some Tim Burton, when he writes his own stuff, and I respect what Johnny Depp has done over the years. Hell, Ed Wood is one of my favourite films, but that (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) is just unwatchable and believe me I’ve tried...twice as a matter of fact,” Les continues, “Even my kids hated it”.

“Our project is an homage to Gene Wilder and David L. Wolper’s ‘Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory’ and the effect it had on me in my youth,” spouts Les, “Now we get to sell PRIMUS bars and hang out with demented Oompa Loompas. Plus to top it off, it gives me an excuse to wear a purple, velvet waistcoat and brown top hat for the next 18 months.”

Primus, Over the Electric Grapevine: Insight into Primus and the World of Les Claypool published by Akashic Books is available now. Here is the link to order: http://clubbastardo.shop.musictoday.com/Dept.aspx?cp=297_16607