Did Les Claypool expect South Park to run for decades or war with presidents — to become an essential part of his own musical story? Did he think the creators of the show would become “very good friends?” He laughs. “We never thought it would get on television, let alone take over the world,” he tells Consequence.
The singer of Primus contributed the South Park opening credits song believing that just about nobody would hear it: “We only did it ’cause we thought it was cool.” But he hasn’t been fazed by Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s ongoing success, nor is he surprised that Season 27 brought the show back to near-record ratings.
“I think it’s pretty obvious why the world is watching them,” he says. “Because they’re one of the few entities out there that is taking pretty aggressive stabs at this administration. People love to watch stuff like that.
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“The thing about South Park is we never thought they’d get on television. And then they get on television and they’re incredibly successful. Then just when you think they’re starting to fade, they put out the South Park movie and it was huge. Totally reinvigorated their whole thing. So now comes [Season 27] and it’s reinvigorated them once again. So they just keep going and going and going.”
According to Claypool, Parker and Stone have “magical” chemistry, but “it’s just a couple of dudes goofing on each other the whole time. They’re just sitting there trying to make each other laugh. And it’s very endearing, but it’s also very goofy.”
“It’s an incredible thing to watch,” he continues. “Chemistry is a magical, magical thing. Whether it’s Lennon and McCartney, or Abbott and Costello, or Parker and Stone, it’s chemistry. Chemistry is a wonderful, wonderful thing.”
He adds, “ I’m very fortunate to have chemistry with Larry LaLonde in Primus. I’m very fortunate to have chemistry with Sean Lennon. You know, when you get that chemistry, it’s a wonderful thing.”
Over the years, Primus have become “very good friends with those guys,” according to Claypool. “They’re incredibly clever, thoughtful, rational, insightful people. It’s good to see people like that succeed.” Still, the friendship has come with a few notable downsides, including what Claypool calls “one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever experienced.”
After a Brooklyn gig, “Both Matt and Trey were backstage and my son was there and he was 12 or 13 at the time. They’re talking to my son and Family Guy comes up. My son’s talking about, ‘I was watching Family Guy.’ And so Trey says, ‘Ohhhh, Family Guy! Well, what do you think about South Park?’ And he says, ‘Well, I’m not allowed to watch South Park yet.’ And both Matt and Trey’s heads were on the same swivel. They looked right at me like, ‘What the fuck, dude?’ You know? So after that, my son was allowed to watch South Park.
