Editing Les Claypool (section)

{{short description|American singer, bassist, and songwriter (born 1963)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Les Claypool
| image             = Soundwave Melbourne Friday 4th March 2011 (5508225441).jpg
| landscape         = yes
| caption           = Claypool performing in March 2011
| birth_name        = Leslie Edward Claypool
| alias             = Colonel Claypool
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1963|9|29}}
| birth_place       = [[Richmond, California]], U.S.
| origin            = [[El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, California|El Sobrante, California]], U.S.
| instrument        = {{flatlist|
* Bass guitar
* vocals
* [[double bass]]
* [[whamola]]
* [[drums]]
}}
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Alternative metal]]
* [[funk metal]]
* {{nowrap|[[funk rock]]}}
* [[progressive rock]]
* [[experimental rock]]
* [[thrash metal]]
}}
| occupation        = {{flatlist|
* Musician
* singer
* songwriter
* {{nowrap|record producer}}
* filmmaker
* author
}}
| spouse            = {{marriage|Chaney Claypool<br />|December 1995}}<ref name="Chaney">{{cite web |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/nin09h/primus-les-claypool-sails-into-matrimony |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401225402/https://www.mtv.com/news/nin09h/primus-les-claypool-sails-into-matrimony |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 1, 2024 |title=Primus' Les Claypool Sails Into Matrimony |website=[[MTV]] |date=December 2, 1995 |access-date=April 1, 2024}}</ref>
| years_active      = 1984–present
| current_member_of = {{flatlist|
* [[Primus (band)|Primus]]
* [[Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade]]
* [[Oysterhead]]
* {{nowrap|[[Duo de Twang]]}}
* {{nowrap|[[The Claypool Lennon Delirium]]}}
}}
| past_member_of    = {{flatlist| 
* [[Blind Illusion]]
* [[Sausage (band)|Sausage]]
* {{nowrap|[[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]]}}
* [[Les Claypool's Fancy Band]]
}}
| website           = {{URL|lesclaypool.com}}
}}

'''Leslie Edward Claypool''' (born September 29, 1963) is an American [[rock music|rock]] musician.  He is the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band [[Primus (band)|Primus]]. Listed as one of the greatest bassists of all time by [[Rolling Stone]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |last1=Vozick-Levinson |first1=Jonathan Bernstein, David Browne, Jon Dolan, Brenna Ehrlich, David Fear, Jon Freeman, Andy Greene, Kory Grow, Elias Leight, Angie Martoccio, Jason Newman, Rob Sheffield, Hank Shteamer, Simon |last2=Bernstein |first2=Jonathan |last3=Browne |first3=David |last4=Dolan |first4=Jon |last5=Ehrlich |first5=Brenna |last6=Fear |first6=David |last7=Freeman |first7=Jon |last8=Greene |first8=Andy |last9=Grow |first9=Kory |date=2020-07-01 |title=The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-greatest-bassists-of-all-time-1003022/ |access-date=2022-07-29 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |language=en-US}}</ref> his playing style mixes [[tapping]], [[flamenco]]-like strumming, [[whammy bar]] bends, and [[Slapping (music)|slapping]].

Outside of Primus, Claypool has also been involved in a number of side projects, including [[Supergroup (music)|supergroups]] such as [[Oysterhead]] (with [[Trey Anastasio]] and [[Stewart Copeland]]) and [[Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains]] (with [[Buckethead]], [[Bryan Mantia]], and [[Bernie Worrell]]). He also fronts the experimental rock projects [[Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade]] and [[Les Claypool's Fancy Band]]. He has self-produced and engineered several solo releases from his own studio, Rancho Relaxo, in California. In 2006, he wrote and directed the mockumentary ''[[Electric Apricot: Quest For Festeroo|Electric Apricot]]'' and released his debut novel ''[[South of the Pumphouse]]''. He formed musical duos [[Duo de Twang]] (with [[M.I.R.V.|Bryan Kehoe]]) and [[The Claypool Lennon Delirium]] (with [[Sean Lennon]]). He has also appeared in the TV show [[South Park]] in the intro and theme song.