For those of you that aren’t aware Claypool has a new album called “Of Fungi and Foe” and it is by far his trippiest album to date. Of course the album is the tip of the iceberg. While on tour for the record Claypool has comprised what he dubbed “The Oddity Faire: A Mutated Mini Fest” a freaktastic celebration of fringe rock. “It is a show for the freaks by the freaks,” Claypool explains.
Based on videos circulating the Web invite fans into a twisted sideshow of the fantastic. Performers twirl from the ceiling as burlesque girls kick their heels in the air. Men dressed as animals play the cello and Asian dancers celebrate as if it were New Years. The Oddity Faire is what would happen if Lewis Carroll ever met Timothy Leary.
“I’ve been wanting to do my own festival since 1993. I played pretty much every fest but Lilith Fair and I wanted to do my own thing,” says Claypool. The show gives a true look inside Claypool’s head and the results are appropriately twisted.
“Some of it is a circus performance, “ Claypool explains of his traveling mini-festival “I like to think of it as sort of a mix between P.T. Barnum and Frank Zappa.” Joining him on the tour is a rotating list of bands ranging from O’Death and Saul Williams to Mutaytor and the Yard Dogs Road Show.
Although Claypool first went solo in 2006 with Whales and Woe he is no stranger to passion projects. Many fans will recognize his musical stylings from the “South Park” and “Robot Chicken” theme songs. It should come as no surprise that the bulk of his new album came from recordings he did for a stoner horror film and a trippy video game. “It’s a dark, creepy game,” says Claypool happily.
The game, called “Mushroom Men” involves an alien meteor that crashes to Earth awakening an entire race of militaristic mushrooms. To check out the game for yourself go to www.mushroommen.com. It really is as crazy as it sounds. With Claypool at the reigns it’s only a few steps away from a really solid Terry Gilliam film.
Now that Claypool has gone solo and become the ringmaster of his musical circus one has to wonder if he’s happy with the results. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as perfection, “ ponders Claypool “it’s all subjective in the end. If you satisfy yourself then you’ve reached perfection.”
Fans will be able to get a first hand look at Claypool’s magical mystery tour tomorrow night when they perform at the Riviera Theater. “Expect the unexpected,” Claypool says ominously. When it comes to Claypool we would expect nothing less.
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