CLAYPOOL LENNON DELIRIUM

"The Great Parrot Ox and The Golden Egg of Empathy" (Ato Records; 2026)

Reviewed by Snidermann

Les Claypool is probably the hardest working musician in rock today. One band cannot contain him. He has Primus, Claypool Lennon Delirium (including this release, "The Great Parrot Ox and The Golden Egg of Empathy") and Colonel Les Claypool’s Fearless Frog Brigade. As this is written, there is a tour going on with all of the above bands on one stage. Talk about a glutton for punishment! Claypool must be on stage for a solid three hours per night.

In Claypool Lennon Delirium, Les is working with Sean Ono Lennon (son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono). This music is pure weird shit, I have to say. It's full of strange and twisted images about the human condition, the downfalls of technology, and man’s drive for creating art.

If anyone is familiar with Les Claypool’s bass and vocal style, this release is fully loaded with just what you would expect. Now, saying that, his musical style is familiar; however, you never know what to expect when listening to a Claypool recording. That is one of the things I like about his music, the overall strangeness and surprise of the music. Claypool Lennon Delirium and "The Great Parrot Ox and The Golden Egg of Empathy" is one very interesting release and, along with that,  it is also great fun.

For more information, check out https://www.theclaypoollennondelirium.com/.

"Monolith of Phobos" (Ato Records; 2016)

Reviewed by Snidermann

When I first heard Primus, I did not get it. It took me some time, but finally, when I did, I was all in. I actually got to see Les Claypool during his "Of Fungi and Foe" tour back about ten years ago.

Les Claypool is a musician who likes to keep busy with multiple bands. His bands are Primus, Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade and The Claypool Lennon Delirium and all those bands are going on tour, together, in 2026. That means Les will not be leaving the stage for the entire night! What a fricken show that would be.

I am reviewing the Claypool Lennon Delirium and their 2016 record "Monolith of Phobos." Let me just start with this: When they say "delirium," they fricken mean it. The guitarist is Sean Ono Lennon (son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono) and he does a great job (of course, because Les Claypool would not play with anyone who did not hold their own weight). The songs are weird and deal with some heavy subjects such as government oversight, social media and the OxyContin epidemic of the mid-2000s — among other shit of that era. There is even a song about Michael Jackson’s chimpanzee, Bubbles, of all the damn things.

This is classic Claypool with all the outstanding musicianship and weirdness that we have all come to expect from him. It's a lot of fun and I can't wait to listen to the other releases by this band.

For more information, check out https://www.theclaypoollennondelirium.com/.

Rating Guide:

A classic. This record will kick your ass.

Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.

So-so. You've heard better.

Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.

Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.

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