Les Claypool said he’s never heard his band, Colonel Claypool’s Bucket of Bernie Brains, referred to as a “supergroup,” but definitely doesn’t mind the term. Still, CCBBB could certainly warrant this characterization, as the members all are well-known talents who have made indelible marks in music history — and will leave their mark on Chicago as well when the band plays Saturday at the Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine Ave.
The outfit, fronted by Primus bassist Claypool, is a four-piece jam monster that unexpectedly came together at the 2002 Bonnaroo Music Festival. Bernie Worrell, former keyboardist for Parliament-Funkadelic, solo guitarist Buckethead, and roving Primus drummer Brian “Brain” Mantia were supposed to play the festival with their band, Praxis, but other members of the band didn’t show up.
“Bucket and Brain were pretty bummed and wanted to play,” Claypool said. “So I said, ‘Well I’ll be there. Let’s just get together and do an improv set.’ We went up there and played and it went incredibly well, so we did a couple shows after that in the Bay area.”
Claypool emphasizes the improvisation of their music and the fact that there was no premeditation about the direction of the group.
“When we came together to record, we weren’t sure what we were going to make,” Claypool said. “The shows we had done prior (to the recording) were improvs and we had never rehearsed.”
The band began building songs around riffs provided by Worrell and Buckethead during their first performance as CCBBB. The result is their debut, “The Big Eyeball In The Sky,” released Tuesday. While some of the musicians have played together before, it is their diverse styles that give “Eyeball” its special flavor.
Claypool provides yet another variation of his unique style of bass playing, while Buckethead brings in experience from groups such as the latest assemblage of Guns N’ Roses. In CCBBB Buckethead’s guitar ranges from psychedelic to outright attention-stealing solos.
Brain’s career in Primus and Praxis familiarized him with CCBBB’s array of musical stylings, and consequently is aptly prepared to create a beat for even the most irregular of noises.
The band’s sound is completed with Worrell on keyboards, who brings back the finger skills that launched George Clinton to funk fame.
As for the album’s lyrics, Claypool’s inspiration often was politically driven.
“When I sat down to write these lyrics, it was right at the beginning of the Iraq invasion,” Claypool said. “It was very difficult to not go into the studio and write about what was going on and what I was feeling and talking about.”
“Junior” provides a scathing commentary on President George W. Bush, while the title track reflects Claypool’s displeasure with American media being controlled by a few select individuals.
“I was responding to the frustration I was having with the media outlets for quite a long time, especially during Iraq,” Claypool said. “I was watching foreign news and it was quite a bit different than what you would see on CNN or MSNBC.”
While some songs on “Eyeball” deal with serious themes, the record also plays silly, particularly on the epic, superhero-like saga, “Buckethead.”
Despite the recent album release, Les Claypool said CCBBB’s live show will not at all mirror their studio recording.
“We have songs to play, but from what I saw at rehearsal last night, we’re not going to stick real strong to the script,” Claypool said.
It is this unpredictable nature, in addition to the individual talent of each member, that Claypool said makes the group so solid.
“The thing about this band is any one or two or three guys could leave the stage and the show could still continue on strongly,” Claypool said. “My rig could blow up, I could catch on fire and the show would still be great, maybe even better.”
Weinberg senior Alex Niederman is a PLAY writer. He can be reached at [email protected].
