September 23, 2025 • 38 mins
Remember 2008? What do you mean, you'd rather not? Yeah, me either, but Les Claypool won't let us forget the person who helped define the year and the followers who molded themselves in her image, or something like that. Red State Girl is a curious track with a music video and a live performance on national TV to boot, so it qualifies for the lead track from Of Fungi and Foe, as well as the first track on the album not to be music created for another medium. It's an actual straightahead piece of music for music's sake.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Josh freaky.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
What a couple of dump shits.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hello Primates, You've found Primus Tracks. Congratulations. There are many
places to find Primus Tracks. This is probably the most interesting.
It's definitely the loudest. You can also find us at
Primus Tracks, on Instagram, threads, Facebook, and there's an email address.
It's Primus Tracks Pod at gmail dot com. Send all
(00:38):
breaking Primus news to Primus Tracks Pod at gmail dot com.
Also a request for Frankie to send you live shows.
Speaking of Frankie, I'm Josh. I'm one of the hosts
of Primus Tracks, as is Frankie. Come to you from
the thirty ninth floor of Primus Tracks Towers. Hey, Josh, Frankie,
what live shows have been most requested of you this week?
(01:00):
Because I know you get a lot of requests from
the good people.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
This week, we are collectively freaking out about a full
version of the last stop of the Austes ninety nine tour.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Yes, that's right, that made it to YouTube.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And it's amazing how the editing is just as frantic
as on the nineteen ninety five punch Hold video. It
seems like either it was the same cameraman or it
was a trend in the nineties.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It was definitely a trend in the nineties. The hyper
editing was much discussed, much criticized, and I don't know
that it ever went away. I think editors pulled back
a bit, but we still have just whipcrack editing to
this day.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You should edit one of our videos like that.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Well, first of all, it'll be a six minute episode.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Second of all, the poor listeners love whiplash and that
will remember nothing. It is important, of course, to have
some of that space for statements to breathe. I think
that extends to live music performances. Having three quarters of
a second on one person before it just smash cuts
(02:20):
to the next guy is a bit jarring, hopefully, I
really hope.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
My main my main takeaway from from that Ausfest video
is that brain really punished the drums back in the day.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yes, if you want video evidence of the power of
brain mantilla, go watch that full oz Fest set. He
is pounding that kit, it's shaking, it's i it looked
like it was going to fall apart in more than
one instance. Yeah, So to be brains tech in those
days must have been tough. Tim Sooyan knows all about it. Today, Frankie,
(03:00):
we are talking about Red Steak Girl. It is track
three from A Fungui and Foe, the two thousand and
nine Less Claypool album. This one checks in it two
minutes and fifty nine seconds. Just make it three, Just
make it three minutes. Come on girl, Yes, like one
more second at the end with girl and we're out
(03:20):
three minutes. People who like round numbers are happy we
have Less Claypool on upright bass, Mike Dilan on Tobless.
I believe that Sam Bess on cello. However, he is
not credited for cello on this track on your reissue
from the vinyl box set, nor from the scans I've
(03:42):
seen of the CD booklet from the original release. I
do not know if that's an oversight, but I would
assume it is because that certainly sounds like cello to
me on this track, and that seems to be backed
up by what we see in the music video. Yeah, okay,
so this one, Frankie for me, I did see this
(04:02):
one performed in two thousand and nine on the Fun
Guy tour. I will have to look it up. I'm
not entirely sure if they played this one when I
saw du It a Twang in twenty thirteen, but I'm
sure this one, being a more memorable tune from the record,
has quite a history.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
It was performed extensively by the Fung Guy Band between
their two active years on tour twenty nine and twenty ten.
It was strong enough also in terms of record promotion
that it got performed live at Jimmy Kimmel and a
(04:42):
music video was also created for the song. After the
Fung Guy Band, The Torch was passed on to duo
The Twang, whom also performed the song quite extensively throughout
twenty thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen, with the last performance to
date taking place ten years ago go at a Wang party.
(05:04):
So while Redskin Girl has not seen the light in
a decade, it did get performed quite consistently at its time.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Plenty of play a music video, judging from the dates
of Red State Girl and Boonville Stop being posted to YouTube,
it appears Red State Girl was the lead video and
it was posted April eight, two thousand and nine.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Yes, it's a performance video where the where Liz and
the band are playing the song wearing the same masks
they wore throughout the tour with quite a few close ups.
But the lyrics, it's The video is also accompanied by illustrations,
(05:50):
of course done by Liz of the lyrics, which parks
back a little because I mean, why NOA was animated,
But it kind of harks back to that, right, having
the characters that represent the lyrics.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yes, not fully rendered I'll say that again, not fully
digitally rendered images as they did for the Winona video.
These are straight sketches that were scanned and inserted. Yeah,
to me, this is the zero budget version of the
Winona video. You know, this is Less's own self release.
(06:32):
There's really not a budget for a video. So put
these guys in some kind of supply closet at the
Knights of Columbus with their costumes on, and press record
and then insert your own doodles of images from the lyrics,
and you got yourself a music video. I will say
the music video is worth a watch, particularly for the
(06:54):
facial expressions of Mike Dillon behind that freaky mask I
believe he brings the expression on. The masks that he
and Sam are wearing are obviously freaky enough, but Mike's
eyes and lower jaw really sell it for me as
he's playing the tables and Sam of course they're both
(07:17):
wearing their tuxes as well, Unless is looking pretty dapper
playing the upright bass. Very simple video, very simple production,
but fairly effective.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't know if we could say that it's because
of its time, because we know that Les polls from
here and there in terms of what's current or what's
relevant for the lyrics, and rarely, rarely do they date
because most of the of the topics are universal. But
(07:50):
this one, it's definitely of its time by the dimension
of Sarah Palin twice.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
On the lyrics. Yes, yeah, she's the connective device in
this track, which certainly dates it because her political career,
for all intents and purposes, ended a long time ago
as we're speaking about this in twenty twenty five, and
(08:17):
I don't even know if she's a footnote at this point.
She's certainly a political curio and perhaps pretended to some
of what we're seeing now, but it I don't know
that anybody truly, you know, would call her an important
historical figure. It just grounds it in the two thousand
and eight election season for me, and I feel when
(08:38):
I heard this song, I thought, well, that takes me back,
and I exactly, and it took me back to a
point in time where I have no nostalgia or any
kind of fond memories for the political climate or anything
of that nature. So it's it's a curious, curious time capsule, Frankie.
(09:02):
It's not taking me back to the good old days.
It's not taking me back to my childhood's. It's taking
me to a time where I thought, the fuck is
going on in this country? And I will have to
give this country credit. Frankie. I have asked that question
every year since. So we're doing great. We're doing great here.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
What I find really interesting about the song is that
it is what I would describe as a character study.
And there's a sort of parallel with these lyrics and
something that Lis will explore with the Delirium, particularly in
(09:45):
a track from South of Reality called Easily Charmed by Fools.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Oh okay, I think I think I could see a
connection there because let me tell you about my connection,
because I I was connecting this to Vernon the Company
Man thematically, because it is these do tend to be
character studies. I think those two tracks are character studies.
Although I'm using the word caricature for Red Steak Girl
(10:14):
because these these people that he's describing are like the
carnival sketch version of this subset of the electorate. But
you're taking it in this in this different direction with
Easily Charmed by Fools. Interesting tell us about.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That, oh, because Easily Charmed by Fools has a contrast
like Verse one talks about the woman, Verse two talks
about the men, and verse three. I mean it could
it could easily be that both characters match there.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, okay, so in terms of structure, you're you're finding similarity.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, And you know, Liz said that Married the Ice
Cube had been the first love song he had ever written,
and I see Red State Girl as kind of a
love song in itself as well, because both characters in
the verses are practically made for each.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Other, right, Yes, I wrote in my notes. It seems
like the message here is these people find each other,
and it seems like they might really Yeah, love is
in the air here with Red Snaker.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It's really peculiar because on the second verse, the male
character it could easily be any of those blue collar
workers that Liz has been describing for years and using
in his narratives, and you know, it sounds like the
average Clipook character. But the female character in the first verse,
(11:51):
the Red State girl herself, that's quite I mean, it's
quite an interesting characters, at least from the description point
of because if we take the lyrics literally, then she
is quite a unusual contraption, right, a.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Contraption she certainly put together in quite a way. It
is interesting that he's mostly commenting upon her physical features,
as opposed to the guy who is mostly being drawn
by his poor economic decisions exactly, and not much about
what he looks like. So it does seem like there's
(12:32):
an inequitable distribution of commentary there. But when I look
at these lyrics as a whole, I do wonder if
if it is a caricature or if it's commentary on
you know, these people are participating in a self fulfilling
prophecy because they are idolizing someone and trying to taking
(12:58):
on those persona uh, to fill you know, to fulfill
that prophecy because this is, oh, this is who I am.
Like they've been in a way, they've been manipulated by
the you know, by the media coverage of this person
and what this person purports to believe and so on,
and they identify with it in so much a way
(13:19):
that they are altering themselves to fit that.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
But I think less. I think Les also touches upon
this socioeconomical aspect, which first verse by noting that she
has dirt under her fingernails.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Oh sure, Oh yeah, So I just took that to
mean that this is an unrefined person, and they both are,
you know, there are They're definitely not fancy people. I
think where I was going with that manipulation thing is
it reminds me of the lyrics in Big Eyeball in
the Sky about the girl that is going to the
(13:53):
bathroom to puter guts out, suffering from bolimia because of
what's being presented to her on TV and in magazines,
popular media. Right, So she is being manipulated by that.
You know, It's hard for me to tell if these people,
if that's the message here, if the two people in
Red State Girl are being manipulated by the cult of
Sarah Palin as it were, or fringe politics in general
(14:17):
at that time, or if he's just painting us a picture,
or is or is he criticizing them? I think you
could argue this a lot of different ways. Because he's
certainly not praising them, we can throw that one out.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I tend to go with option C. I think he's
just painting a picture. I think he's just describing two
of ball unusual characters in the record. I mean the
way that he describes Red State Girl, you know, with
the paint because it's not makeup, he said paint and
(14:58):
the hair flipped top in a tural. The the recycled bottles.
Of course, it makes it sound like some kind of
modern day contemporary bride of Frankenstein. It sounds like she
was put together with stuff that was found in the proximity.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
That's an interesting idea. I tend to think of it
as she's making herself up into this image of what
she thinks she ought to be. And same with the
guy too, like he's he's he's putting himself in this box.
They both are. But I do I suppose wonder. I
(15:39):
still wonder about why he's so obsessed with what this
girl looks like, and then how this guy behaves, and
and why it's not why he doesn't go after them
the same way. Yeah, so she's she's an unrefined person
with dirt under her finger, narels, lint between the toes.
Yeah right, you use the term, or you cited the
(16:01):
term paint above her eyeballs, powder on and up in
her nose.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
That's that's the drug use reference.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
That you bet.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
It's always always present in these kind of characters that Less.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Mentions, Yeah, you bet.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
And you know, I find the the second verse to
be very well written because Bless is rarely overt. As
you said, he describes. He doesn't judge, he doesn't criticize.
He doesn't praise either, but he describes in a way
that his words allow you to fill in blanks which
(16:37):
are not explicit in the lyrics. For instance, he likes
the redskins rather than for skins. So in a very
subtle way, Less has just described that this guy is homophobic.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Right, you could probably draw that line, yes, like, I'm
a red blooded American who watches football. Don't give me
any of that gay shit or you know whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
At eight he shot his very first squirrel. It doesn't
sound like he did that for sport, you know, given
the context of the lyrics, it sounds like he shot
a squirrel to eat it, right, That's.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
What it sounds like. To me, or at least that's
how he was getting cited in as a young guy.
That's a good question. I don't exactly know, but yeah,
I mean, squirrel's good eating. If you've got to, don't
ask me how I know that. Yeah, that second verses
is quite interesting, you know, the end of that first verse.
And as we said, Sarah Palin's the lynchpin here. But
(17:35):
at the end of that first verse, she's a self
proclaimed bona fide Red State girl, so she says she
is right. So there's there's an element of humus there,
I suppose. And then yeah, this guy likes the Redskins
rather than the Foreskins. I guess the irony there, that's
I guess that's another cultural touchdown that's changed because the
Washington Redskins, that football team, have changed their name in
(17:56):
the preceding years. And then the tattoo of the Budweise frogs.
That is another piece of pop culture that lies in
the past at this point. They were insanely popular at
the time. And then the Sears tools since he can't
afford snap on, that's that's a bit more of an
esoteric joke. But if you know your tool brands, now
(18:19):
we're getting into the poverty there, right, So now he's
making these socioeconomic pieces of commentary. Spent you know, spend
his money on a pedigree hunting dog and as opposed
to making a better financial decision. And then that poor
man stuck in a poor man's body is an interesting one.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
That yeah, that one is interesting because people usually altered
the phrase to reflect a contrast, right.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Yeah, but rich man stuck in a poor man's body.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
For it exactly exactly, But this is a poor man
stuck in a poor man's body. And I don't I
don't believe it refers exclusively to his financial situation. I
think it refers to his perspective, his tastes, everything about
his persona in general. What you see is what you
get with this character basically.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Right, you put him in any other situation, he's still
gonna act like this.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It makes me think of the movie Trading Places.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
He will he spent his money in a pedigree hunting
dog because he wants to keep hunting squirrels, I guess, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
And it kind of points to some of the stereotypical
cycle of poverty commentaries out there about you know, if
you give a you give a poor person money, it disappears.
You could argue there's a grain of truth to that,
because people who don't know how to manage their money
soon lose it, uh, and those who can manage their
(19:40):
money hold on to it. So there's there's something to that.
I've read. I've read a lot of great papers and
essays on that, and I'm not gonna bore everybody on,
you know, on the psychology behind this and the and
the socioeconomic what have you. Uh. But then we get
to this and this is where we get back to
that idolatry. So you know, she wants to grow up
(20:03):
to be Sarah Palin. He's got a naked picture of
Sarah Palin, and so there's some subtexts there about how
we are sexualizing our politicians at this point too, in
two thousand and eight, and I think that's been ramped
up ever since. It's weird. I don't like it. They gross.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I mean, they did take that perspective to the limit.
I don't know if you recall a music video that
Eminem made back in the day were Lisa Ann portrayed
Sarah Palin. Lisa Ann was a very or ease I
have no idea, but she was a very prolific, high
(20:42):
profile on demand porn star in the United States, and
she portrayed Sarah Palin for an eminem music video and
kind of made that portrayal mainstream that way. But she
also portrayed her in adult films several times.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
I believe Oh okay, yes there was there was a
parody pornographic film.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yes, yes, it wasn't it wasn't just just the guy
in these lyrics. I think there was demand out there
in the real world for a fulfilling that's Sarah Palin fantasy, oh.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Without question, and people lapped it up because it's a
base thing. It secks right, it sells very well, and
people took advantage of that. And then so coming back
to these lyrics, yeah, I think that's I think that's
being hinted at here right with the naked picture of
Sarah Palin and and the girl saying she wants to
grow up to be Sarah Palin.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Do you think both of these characters will meet each
other at a state fair?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I had a state fair, maybe just a tractor supply.
They'll have a meet cute. You never know. This is well,
let's let's get our sequel. You know, it's twenty twenty five.
Let's let's get the sequel. Where they've been, They've met,
(22:05):
they've courted, perhaps they've married. Let's let's hear where they
are now. But they certainly do sound made for each other.
And I think that's the point. I still think Less
is punching down here to a degree. He's not ridiculing
these people, because, like you said, he's he's it's a
character study.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, he rarely does that.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I just I do feel like he's not being very
complimentary though it's very easy to you know, look at
this picture that he paints and go and judge these folks,
you know, and there's there's obviously things beyond their control
that are putting them in this position. But they're also
(22:45):
you know, allowing themselves to get caught up in this
image building here. So there's I think I can even
I think I could even have a degree of sympathy
for these characters. And I will also say this is
not the life I would live. First of all, being
a Washington football fan, what the hell is your problem, dude,
Go Bills. We haven't even talked about the instrumentation yet.
(23:09):
Frankie this is uh, you know, from an instrumentation standpoint.
I know we're only on the third track. This is
one of my favorites on the record so far. I
think as from an instrumentation standpoint, this blows out the
first two. It's so groovy, uh and a little hypnotic
even I'm I'm a bit a fan of this one
(23:31):
from an instrumental standpoint. Let's hear some of this groovy
stuff here on the upright dive bombs pretty fun.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
She got bugger, thick nails, she got lid down between
her doze, she got paid above her pie balls made
powder hot, and in her.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Nose, she got Oh. He makes sure we hear the
on and up because that's a good joke. The that
vocal delivery, too, is unusual with that really low register.
So we're getting a bit of a curveball there from him,
hunt curveball, get it.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
And the the other thing is that that upright lick
is pretty neat. That's it's a little unusual for him too,
And so this is, uh, this thing's kind of groovy.
And then so I mentioned Vernon earlier, Frankie that sounded
more like a beat poem or something. You would see
performed at a at a you know, at a beat
(24:49):
bar or a bookshop or what have you. This one, too,
I think, is of a similar vein to me, and
I think it's in part because of the topless that
Mike Dia is bringing to the four, but in concert
with what's going on on the upright, this really kind
of has that that sound to me as well.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Dony, I agree.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
So I wouldn't be surprised to hear somebody performing this,
but when they're busking on the corner or playing at
the coffee shop, it does kind of have that vibe
to it. And the other thing is it doesn't really overstay.
It's welcome. With being about three minutes long. We get
our intro, we get our verse, a little more instrumentation,
(25:41):
second verse, and then we get that pretty fun you
know bow bitty bowboo part and off we go, which
is also I mean, once again there's a false stop
in a Less Claypool song shocker, but instead of resuming
with the instrumentation, he gives us that bow batty bow
bow and off we go. Fun stuff. Pretty interesting, Frankie,
(26:02):
I really like the instrumentation, the lyrics a little a
little too specific.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
It's not forgot the twang version.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, let's go to that one. So, as we've noted,
this was re recorded for four foot shack, they do
a twang, starts almost tentatively. I think I like hearing
(26:45):
it on the doughbro too.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
She got hurt under her fingernail.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
There's that Sandman. Let's move forward and hear how it
sounds later on. Come on, Keyo. I think what I
(27:13):
like about this duo version is I can hear that
baseline more clearly, and it's more articulated on the doughbro.
There it is. That was my favorite part. I think
that's my favorite part of the twang part, that modeled
thing that Kyo does. And then it starts to take
(27:33):
us out there at the end into the last thirty seconds.
So we actually have two versions to talk about that
Frankie with the instrumentation at any rate, So of course
I have to posit to you, Twang or Fung Guy?
Which version? Oh, without hesitation, Frankie says, twang. All right,
what about the twang version?
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Because I really like how I mean, like you mentioned
the Fung Guy version. The original version is very lush
in its instrumentation. But what I really like about the
Twang version is that it was up to Keiho to
fill up all that space that was available beyond the baseline,
(28:16):
and I think I think he did a great job.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yes, his frequency bandwidth there is a bit compressed as
far as the sound of his guitar, but he's doing
some cool stuff in that upper register for sure. I
don't know if I'm with you on that one, because
the tables on the original version always grabbed me and
that it gave it that beat quality. So I think
(28:41):
I'm gonna stick with the original version, although I do
like the pulse of the Twang version. Well, here's another
question I have to ask you, Frankie. Because this music
is not rooted in a mushroom video game or a
pig movie, it's hard to call it Fungi or Foe definitively.
(29:01):
But where would you place it on the Fungi Fox continuum?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Well?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Will thematically? Yeah, it is not part of the of
the of the record's history. To put it some way,
I think that sound wise it fits writing the song
is at home on that record.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Does it have a real fung guy sound to you
or faux sound?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
It does? Yeah, I think it has a faux sound
for sure.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
Interesting, a bit broody, I suppose, with that interesting upright
lick and the topless all right.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yeah, And of.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Course, depending on your politics the characters, they might sound
like fun guys or they might sound like your faux.
So it's up to you, dear listener. I would say
that we've talked about it enough that beautiful Dirge could
(29:58):
only be one thing. It is time Frankie for Prime
Maates Takes. If you would like your take on the
track up for discussion, read right here on the podcast.
All you have to do is go to Patreon dot
com ford slash Primus Tracks. There are many ways to
support Josh f for Frankie over there. The universal constant
as far as rewards as they're called, which I hate
(30:18):
calling them, is Primeates Takes our pal Jesse Culton. Frankie
says on the subject of Red State Girl Les Claypool
done recorded a bop, a cheeky jaunty diddy if you will,
the slithering bassline, the funky cello, the bouncy tobless It's
a great time. Ethan from Kentucky, a newer entrant into
(30:40):
the halls of Prime Matron dumb I suppose, says I'm torn.
I listened to this album one time a year ago
and wasn't a fan. Now that I'm giving in another shot,
I'm starting to come around. That being said, this song
Red City Girl is one of my favorites, but if
(31:00):
I'm being honest, I still prefer Duo de twang versions yep.
Frankie has an ally Eric and Australia, who has been
bright and bubbly of late, says Red State is the
first past track for me, and he calls it a
faux track for that reason, unfortunately not as dated as
(31:24):
it should be. I do love his vocal gymnastics in here.
I don't know how you could date that track any
further unless you call it Red State Girl two thousand
and eight whatever. Jordan Kahn Frankie, our resident fish expert,
said Red State is fae wish less would get back
into political songwriting these days. Interesting take. Jordan, Considering how
(31:45):
people felt about Kaspirainoia, our pal John Shreeve says Red
Steak Girl is like Hula with the lights out. I
love that description, Thank you, John. John. Always this has
really interesting descriptions of the music, and I appreciate them.
He says, like feeling that sweet release only to find
(32:06):
out it was at the use of a relative. If
that means what I think it does, that's disturbing, dark, silly,
and less, making his feelings more whimsical than the usual
direct statements. Come on, Josh, this album slaps all right, John, okay,
all right, I hear you, and Mickey Waters, Frankie says,
(32:27):
Red State Girl is a bit dated with the Paleine reference,
but still one of my favorites. However, I think I
prefer the duo to twang version. For those of you
not watching on videos, Frankie just made a gesture indicating
that he is victorious. A lot of twang lovers out there, Frankie.
And now it is time for Frankie's favorite part of
(32:47):
the show, Live cuts from a Gem Vehicle Live cuts
for the Gem Vehicle Live cuts.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
F what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Oh, I'll tell you what's going on. It's live cuts time.
Today we have from Frankie's vault two cuts of Red
State Girl. All right, Our first Red State Girl live
cut has no metadata on it. So this is Frankie's
box set called a Fungi in Foe bonus tracks which
(33:16):
you will see released on the twenty fifth anniversary of
Them Fungi and Foe in twenty thirty four bank On
It Remix remaster bonus tracks handpicked by Frankie Berestein.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Actually Red Skin Spread, Snap State, His Bundy.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Remind pretty straightforward. This is a five minute version. I
don't know if there's crowd noise on one end or another, Frankie,
but I can't. I don't know if they jam this
out to you.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I believe they stretch the outro a little and the
song goes faster.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Oh, we'll forward a bit to your timecode and see
if that happens. There's pallo ah. Okay, so we get
(35:01):
a nice, more up tempo cello solo there. Excellent.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Yeah, there you go. They created a coda for the
live version. We'll call it that, just like Vernon, Right.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Just like Vernon. That's why they're linked. I knew it
somewhere in the back of my mind. That's why let's
hear do it a twang and give us some Red
State Girl from soundcheck. Now, this is available on YouTube
as well.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Right, Yes, it's a brilliant performance.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Really great video quality to this one too. As Lesson
Keyho are just set up in a studio, slapping away
at their instruments. I'm sorry, thumping and plucking away at
their instruments. Keo is muting so much stuff it almost
(36:14):
sounds like he's playing meekly. It's very interest but it
helps with the atmospherics. For sure.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
He's got a naked picture of their uh.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
Pale looking for a sel proclaimed Bonafie, Red eight Girl,
Let's move it ahead here, picking up the intensity.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Okay, I'm willing to make this caveat Frankie. If I
was going to hear Red State Girl live, I think
I'd rather hear it from Do It a Twang? Yes,
no offense to the fun Guy band. That way, I
get the best of both worlds. I get that fung
guy studio and I get that twang live. Why not? Yep,
(37:30):
sounds pretty good. I just like hearing Keyhoe play guitar,
especially when the pickups work, unlike at Sacramento when he
came out with a zach Wyald guitar and they had
to make a last minute substitute for Amos Moses Bobout
parting thoughts Frankie on Red State.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Girl, Curious Little Number in the grand scheme of the
Les Claypool Vast catalog.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
It is an interesting one, quite overt in its imagery.
Would it be canceled if it was released in twenty
twenty five? Don't know, don't care. Red State Girl, I
self proclaim that you've been tracked. Next time, Frankie, get
your stomp and shoes on. We're going to bone Bill Primates, primatrons,
(38:16):
people of Earth, Red State Girls, Blue State Boys, and
everyone in between. Thank you all so much for listening.
Later days, Willa Mace
It's Josh freaky.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
What a couple of dump shits.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Hello Primates, You've found Primus Tracks. Congratulations. There are many
places to find Primus Tracks. This is probably the most interesting.
It's definitely the loudest. You can also find us at
Primus Tracks, on Instagram, threads, Facebook, and there's an email address.
It's Primus Tracks Pod at gmail dot com. Send all
(00:38):
breaking Primus news to Primus Tracks Pod at gmail dot com.
Also a request for Frankie to send you live shows.
Speaking of Frankie, I'm Josh. I'm one of the hosts
of Primus Tracks, as is Frankie. Come to you from
the thirty ninth floor of Primus Tracks Towers. Hey, Josh, Frankie,
what live shows have been most requested of you this week?
(01:00):
Because I know you get a lot of requests from
the good people.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
This week, we are collectively freaking out about a full
version of the last stop of the Austes ninety nine tour.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Yes, that's right, that made it to YouTube.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
And it's amazing how the editing is just as frantic
as on the nineteen ninety five punch Hold video. It
seems like either it was the same cameraman or it
was a trend in the nineties.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It was definitely a trend in the nineties. The hyper
editing was much discussed, much criticized, and I don't know
that it ever went away. I think editors pulled back
a bit, but we still have just whipcrack editing to
this day.
Speaker 2 (01:49):
You should edit one of our videos like that.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Well, first of all, it'll be a six minute episode.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
Second of all, the poor listeners love whiplash and that
will remember nothing. It is important, of course, to have
some of that space for statements to breathe. I think
that extends to live music performances. Having three quarters of
a second on one person before it just smash cuts
(02:20):
to the next guy is a bit jarring, hopefully, I
really hope.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
My main my main takeaway from from that Ausfest video
is that brain really punished the drums back in the day.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yes, if you want video evidence of the power of
brain mantilla, go watch that full oz Fest set. He
is pounding that kit, it's shaking, it's i it looked
like it was going to fall apart in more than
one instance. Yeah, So to be brains tech in those
days must have been tough. Tim Sooyan knows all about it. Today, Frankie,
(03:00):
we are talking about Red Steak Girl. It is track
three from A Fungui and Foe, the two thousand and
nine Less Claypool album. This one checks in it two
minutes and fifty nine seconds. Just make it three, Just
make it three minutes. Come on girl, Yes, like one
more second at the end with girl and we're out
(03:20):
three minutes. People who like round numbers are happy we
have Less Claypool on upright bass, Mike Dilan on Tobless.
I believe that Sam Bess on cello. However, he is
not credited for cello on this track on your reissue
from the vinyl box set, nor from the scans I've
(03:42):
seen of the CD booklet from the original release. I
do not know if that's an oversight, but I would
assume it is because that certainly sounds like cello to
me on this track, and that seems to be backed
up by what we see in the music video. Yeah, okay,
so this one, Frankie for me, I did see this
(04:02):
one performed in two thousand and nine on the Fun
Guy tour. I will have to look it up. I'm
not entirely sure if they played this one when I
saw du It a Twang in twenty thirteen, but I'm
sure this one, being a more memorable tune from the record,
has quite a history.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
It was performed extensively by the Fung Guy Band between
their two active years on tour twenty nine and twenty ten.
It was strong enough also in terms of record promotion
that it got performed live at Jimmy Kimmel and a
(04:42):
music video was also created for the song. After the
Fung Guy Band, The Torch was passed on to duo
The Twang, whom also performed the song quite extensively throughout
twenty thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen, with the last performance to
date taking place ten years ago go at a Wang party.
(05:04):
So while Redskin Girl has not seen the light in
a decade, it did get performed quite consistently at its time.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Plenty of play a music video, judging from the dates
of Red State Girl and Boonville Stop being posted to YouTube,
it appears Red State Girl was the lead video and
it was posted April eight, two thousand and nine.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
Yes, it's a performance video where the where Liz and
the band are playing the song wearing the same masks
they wore throughout the tour with quite a few close ups.
But the lyrics, it's The video is also accompanied by illustrations,
(05:50):
of course done by Liz of the lyrics, which parks
back a little because I mean, why NOA was animated,
But it kind of harks back to that, right, having
the characters that represent the lyrics.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Yes, not fully rendered I'll say that again, not fully
digitally rendered images as they did for the Winona video.
These are straight sketches that were scanned and inserted. Yeah,
to me, this is the zero budget version of the
Winona video. You know, this is Less's own self release.
(06:32):
There's really not a budget for a video. So put
these guys in some kind of supply closet at the
Knights of Columbus with their costumes on, and press record
and then insert your own doodles of images from the lyrics,
and you got yourself a music video. I will say
the music video is worth a watch, particularly for the
(06:54):
facial expressions of Mike Dillon behind that freaky mask I
believe he brings the expression on. The masks that he
and Sam are wearing are obviously freaky enough, but Mike's
eyes and lower jaw really sell it for me as
he's playing the tables and Sam of course they're both
(07:17):
wearing their tuxes as well, Unless is looking pretty dapper
playing the upright bass. Very simple video, very simple production,
but fairly effective.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I don't know if we could say that it's because
of its time, because we know that Les polls from
here and there in terms of what's current or what's
relevant for the lyrics, and rarely, rarely do they date
because most of the of the topics are universal. But
(07:50):
this one, it's definitely of its time by the dimension
of Sarah Palin twice.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
On the lyrics. Yes, yeah, she's the connective device in
this track, which certainly dates it because her political career,
for all intents and purposes, ended a long time ago
as we're speaking about this in twenty twenty five, and
(08:17):
I don't even know if she's a footnote at this point.
She's certainly a political curio and perhaps pretended to some
of what we're seeing now, but it I don't know
that anybody truly, you know, would call her an important
historical figure. It just grounds it in the two thousand
and eight election season for me, and I feel when
(08:38):
I heard this song, I thought, well, that takes me back,
and I exactly, and it took me back to a
point in time where I have no nostalgia or any
kind of fond memories for the political climate or anything
of that nature. So it's it's a curious, curious time capsule, Frankie.
(09:02):
It's not taking me back to the good old days.
It's not taking me back to my childhood's. It's taking
me to a time where I thought, the fuck is
going on in this country? And I will have to
give this country credit. Frankie. I have asked that question
every year since. So we're doing great. We're doing great here.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
What I find really interesting about the song is that
it is what I would describe as a character study.
And there's a sort of parallel with these lyrics and
something that Lis will explore with the Delirium, particularly in
(09:45):
a track from South of Reality called Easily Charmed by Fools.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Oh okay, I think I think I could see a
connection there because let me tell you about my connection,
because I I was connecting this to Vernon the Company
Man thematically, because it is these do tend to be
character studies. I think those two tracks are character studies.
Although I'm using the word caricature for Red Steak Girl
(10:14):
because these these people that he's describing are like the
carnival sketch version of this subset of the electorate. But
you're taking it in this in this different direction with
Easily Charmed by Fools. Interesting tell us about.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
That, oh, because Easily Charmed by Fools has a contrast
like Verse one talks about the woman, Verse two talks
about the men, and verse three. I mean it could
it could easily be that both characters match there.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah, okay, so in terms of structure, you're you're finding similarity.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
Yes, And you know, Liz said that Married the Ice
Cube had been the first love song he had ever written,
and I see Red State Girl as kind of a
love song in itself as well, because both characters in
the verses are practically made for each.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
Other, right, Yes, I wrote in my notes. It seems
like the message here is these people find each other,
and it seems like they might really Yeah, love is
in the air here with Red Snaker.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
It's really peculiar because on the second verse, the male
character it could easily be any of those blue collar
workers that Liz has been describing for years and using
in his narratives, and you know, it sounds like the
average Clipook character. But the female character in the first verse,
(11:51):
the Red State girl herself, that's quite I mean, it's
quite an interesting characters, at least from the description point
of because if we take the lyrics literally, then she
is quite a unusual contraption, right, a.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
Contraption she certainly put together in quite a way. It
is interesting that he's mostly commenting upon her physical features,
as opposed to the guy who is mostly being drawn
by his poor economic decisions exactly, and not much about
what he looks like. So it does seem like there's
(12:32):
an inequitable distribution of commentary there. But when I look
at these lyrics as a whole, I do wonder if
if it is a caricature or if it's commentary on
you know, these people are participating in a self fulfilling
prophecy because they are idolizing someone and trying to taking
(12:58):
on those persona uh, to fill you know, to fulfill
that prophecy because this is, oh, this is who I am.
Like they've been in a way, they've been manipulated by
the you know, by the media coverage of this person
and what this person purports to believe and so on,
and they identify with it in so much a way
(13:19):
that they are altering themselves to fit that.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
But I think less. I think Les also touches upon
this socioeconomical aspect, which first verse by noting that she
has dirt under her fingernails.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Oh sure, Oh yeah, So I just took that to
mean that this is an unrefined person, and they both are,
you know, there are They're definitely not fancy people. I
think where I was going with that manipulation thing is
it reminds me of the lyrics in Big Eyeball in
the Sky about the girl that is going to the
(13:53):
bathroom to puter guts out, suffering from bolimia because of
what's being presented to her on TV and in magazines,
popular media. Right, So she is being manipulated by that.
You know, It's hard for me to tell if these people,
if that's the message here, if the two people in
Red State Girl are being manipulated by the cult of
Sarah Palin as it were, or fringe politics in general
(14:17):
at that time, or if he's just painting us a picture,
or is or is he criticizing them? I think you
could argue this a lot of different ways. Because he's
certainly not praising them, we can throw that one out.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
I tend to go with option C. I think he's
just painting a picture. I think he's just describing two
of ball unusual characters in the record. I mean the
way that he describes Red State Girl, you know, with
the paint because it's not makeup, he said paint and
(14:58):
the hair flipped top in a tural. The the recycled bottles.
Of course, it makes it sound like some kind of
modern day contemporary bride of Frankenstein. It sounds like she
was put together with stuff that was found in the proximity.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
That's an interesting idea. I tend to think of it
as she's making herself up into this image of what
she thinks she ought to be. And same with the
guy too, like he's he's he's putting himself in this box.
They both are. But I do I suppose wonder. I
(15:39):
still wonder about why he's so obsessed with what this
girl looks like, and then how this guy behaves, and
and why it's not why he doesn't go after them
the same way. Yeah, so she's she's an unrefined person
with dirt under her finger, narels, lint between the toes.
Yeah right, you use the term, or you cited the
(16:01):
term paint above her eyeballs, powder on and up in
her nose.
Speaker 2 (16:06):
That's that's the drug use reference.
Speaker 1 (16:08):
That you bet.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
It's always always present in these kind of characters that Less.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
Mentions, Yeah, you bet.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
And you know, I find the the second verse to
be very well written because Bless is rarely overt. As
you said, he describes. He doesn't judge, he doesn't criticize.
He doesn't praise either, but he describes in a way
that his words allow you to fill in blanks which
(16:37):
are not explicit in the lyrics. For instance, he likes
the redskins rather than for skins. So in a very
subtle way, Less has just described that this guy is homophobic.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
Right, you could probably draw that line, yes, like, I'm
a red blooded American who watches football. Don't give me
any of that gay shit or you know whatever.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
At eight he shot his very first squirrel. It doesn't
sound like he did that for sport, you know, given
the context of the lyrics, it sounds like he shot
a squirrel to eat it, right, That's.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
What it sounds like. To me, or at least that's
how he was getting cited in as a young guy.
That's a good question. I don't exactly know, but yeah,
I mean, squirrel's good eating. If you've got to, don't
ask me how I know that. Yeah, that second verses
is quite interesting, you know, the end of that first verse.
And as we said, Sarah Palin's the lynchpin here. But
(17:35):
at the end of that first verse, she's a self
proclaimed bona fide Red State girl, so she says she
is right. So there's there's an element of humus there,
I suppose. And then yeah, this guy likes the Redskins
rather than the Foreskins. I guess the irony there, that's
I guess that's another cultural touchdown that's changed because the
Washington Redskins, that football team, have changed their name in
(17:56):
the preceding years. And then the tattoo of the Budweise frogs.
That is another piece of pop culture that lies in
the past at this point. They were insanely popular at
the time. And then the Sears tools since he can't
afford snap on, that's that's a bit more of an
esoteric joke. But if you know your tool brands, now
(18:19):
we're getting into the poverty there, right, So now he's
making these socioeconomic pieces of commentary. Spent you know, spend
his money on a pedigree hunting dog and as opposed
to making a better financial decision. And then that poor
man stuck in a poor man's body is an interesting one.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
That yeah, that one is interesting because people usually altered
the phrase to reflect a contrast, right.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
Yeah, but rich man stuck in a poor man's body.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
For it exactly exactly, But this is a poor man
stuck in a poor man's body. And I don't I
don't believe it refers exclusively to his financial situation. I
think it refers to his perspective, his tastes, everything about
his persona in general. What you see is what you
get with this character basically.
Speaker 1 (19:03):
Right, you put him in any other situation, he's still
gonna act like this.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It makes me think of the movie Trading Places.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
He will he spent his money in a pedigree hunting
dog because he wants to keep hunting squirrels, I guess, yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:19):
And it kind of points to some of the stereotypical
cycle of poverty commentaries out there about you know, if
you give a you give a poor person money, it disappears.
You could argue there's a grain of truth to that,
because people who don't know how to manage their money
soon lose it, uh, and those who can manage their
(19:40):
money hold on to it. So there's there's something to that.
I've read. I've read a lot of great papers and
essays on that, and I'm not gonna bore everybody on,
you know, on the psychology behind this and the and
the socioeconomic what have you. Uh. But then we get
to this and this is where we get back to
that idolatry. So you know, she wants to grow up
(20:03):
to be Sarah Palin. He's got a naked picture of
Sarah Palin, and so there's some subtexts there about how
we are sexualizing our politicians at this point too, in
two thousand and eight, and I think that's been ramped
up ever since. It's weird. I don't like it. They gross.
Speaker 2 (20:20):
I mean, they did take that perspective to the limit.
I don't know if you recall a music video that
Eminem made back in the day were Lisa Ann portrayed
Sarah Palin. Lisa Ann was a very or ease I
have no idea, but she was a very prolific, high
(20:42):
profile on demand porn star in the United States, and
she portrayed Sarah Palin for an eminem music video and
kind of made that portrayal mainstream that way. But she
also portrayed her in adult films several times.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
I believe Oh okay, yes there was there was a
parody pornographic film.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yes, yes, it wasn't it wasn't just just the guy
in these lyrics. I think there was demand out there
in the real world for a fulfilling that's Sarah Palin fantasy, oh.
Speaker 1 (21:17):
Without question, and people lapped it up because it's a
base thing. It secks right, it sells very well, and
people took advantage of that. And then so coming back
to these lyrics, yeah, I think that's I think that's
being hinted at here right with the naked picture of
Sarah Palin and and the girl saying she wants to
grow up to be Sarah Palin.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Do you think both of these characters will meet each
other at a state fair?
Speaker 1 (21:43):
I had a state fair, maybe just a tractor supply.
They'll have a meet cute. You never know. This is well,
let's let's get our sequel. You know, it's twenty twenty five.
Let's let's get the sequel. Where they've been, They've met,
(22:05):
they've courted, perhaps they've married. Let's let's hear where they
are now. But they certainly do sound made for each other.
And I think that's the point. I still think Less
is punching down here to a degree. He's not ridiculing
these people, because, like you said, he's he's it's a
character study.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
Yeah, he rarely does that.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I just I do feel like he's not being very
complimentary though it's very easy to you know, look at
this picture that he paints and go and judge these folks,
you know, and there's there's obviously things beyond their control
that are putting them in this position. But they're also
(22:45):
you know, allowing themselves to get caught up in this
image building here. So there's I think I can even
I think I could even have a degree of sympathy
for these characters. And I will also say this is
not the life I would live. First of all, being
a Washington football fan, what the hell is your problem, dude,
Go Bills. We haven't even talked about the instrumentation yet.
(23:09):
Frankie this is uh, you know, from an instrumentation standpoint.
I know we're only on the third track. This is
one of my favorites on the record so far. I
think as from an instrumentation standpoint, this blows out the
first two. It's so groovy, uh and a little hypnotic
even I'm I'm a bit a fan of this one
(23:31):
from an instrumental standpoint. Let's hear some of this groovy
stuff here on the upright dive bombs pretty fun.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
She got bugger, thick nails, she got lid down between
her doze, she got paid above her pie balls made
powder hot, and in her.
Speaker 1 (24:11):
Nose, she got Oh. He makes sure we hear the
on and up because that's a good joke. The that
vocal delivery, too, is unusual with that really low register.
So we're getting a bit of a curveball there from him,
hunt curveball, get it.
Speaker 3 (24:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (24:28):
And the the other thing is that that upright lick
is pretty neat. That's it's a little unusual for him too,
And so this is, uh, this thing's kind of groovy.
And then so I mentioned Vernon earlier, Frankie that sounded
more like a beat poem or something. You would see
performed at a at a you know, at a beat
(24:49):
bar or a bookshop or what have you. This one, too,
I think, is of a similar vein to me, and
I think it's in part because of the topless that
Mike Dia is bringing to the four, but in concert
with what's going on on the upright, this really kind
of has that that sound to me as well.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Dony, I agree.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
So I wouldn't be surprised to hear somebody performing this,
but when they're busking on the corner or playing at
the coffee shop, it does kind of have that vibe
to it. And the other thing is it doesn't really overstay.
It's welcome. With being about three minutes long. We get
our intro, we get our verse, a little more instrumentation,
(25:41):
second verse, and then we get that pretty fun you
know bow bitty bowboo part and off we go, which
is also I mean, once again there's a false stop
in a Less Claypool song shocker, but instead of resuming
with the instrumentation, he gives us that bow batty bow
bow and off we go. Fun stuff. Pretty interesting, Frankie,
(26:02):
I really like the instrumentation, the lyrics a little a
little too specific.
Speaker 2 (26:09):
It's not forgot the twang version.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah, let's go to that one. So, as we've noted,
this was re recorded for four foot shack, they do
a twang, starts almost tentatively. I think I like hearing
(26:45):
it on the doughbro too.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
She got hurt under her fingernail.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
There's that Sandman. Let's move forward and hear how it
sounds later on. Come on, Keyo. I think what I
(27:13):
like about this duo version is I can hear that
baseline more clearly, and it's more articulated on the doughbro.
There it is. That was my favorite part. I think
that's my favorite part of the twang part, that modeled
thing that Kyo does. And then it starts to take
(27:33):
us out there at the end into the last thirty seconds.
So we actually have two versions to talk about that
Frankie with the instrumentation at any rate, So of course
I have to posit to you, Twang or Fung Guy?
Which version? Oh, without hesitation, Frankie says, twang. All right,
what about the twang version?
Speaker 2 (27:55):
Because I really like how I mean, like you mentioned
the Fung Guy version. The original version is very lush
in its instrumentation. But what I really like about the
Twang version is that it was up to Keiho to
fill up all that space that was available beyond the baseline,
(28:16):
and I think I think he did a great job.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Yes, his frequency bandwidth there is a bit compressed as
far as the sound of his guitar, but he's doing
some cool stuff in that upper register for sure. I
don't know if I'm with you on that one, because
the tables on the original version always grabbed me and
that it gave it that beat quality. So I think
(28:41):
I'm gonna stick with the original version, although I do
like the pulse of the Twang version. Well, here's another
question I have to ask you, Frankie. Because this music
is not rooted in a mushroom video game or a
pig movie, it's hard to call it Fungi or Foe definitively.
(29:01):
But where would you place it on the Fungi Fox continuum?
Speaker 3 (29:05):
Well?
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Will thematically? Yeah, it is not part of the of
the of the record's history. To put it some way,
I think that sound wise it fits writing the song
is at home on that record.
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Does it have a real fung guy sound to you
or faux sound?
Speaker 2 (29:25):
It does? Yeah, I think it has a faux sound
for sure.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
Interesting, a bit broody, I suppose, with that interesting upright
lick and the topless all right.
Speaker 2 (29:36):
Yeah, And of.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
Course, depending on your politics the characters, they might sound
like fun guys or they might sound like your faux.
So it's up to you, dear listener. I would say
that we've talked about it enough that beautiful Dirge could
(29:58):
only be one thing. It is time Frankie for Prime
Maates Takes. If you would like your take on the
track up for discussion, read right here on the podcast.
All you have to do is go to Patreon dot
com ford slash Primus Tracks. There are many ways to
support Josh f for Frankie over there. The universal constant
as far as rewards as they're called, which I hate
(30:18):
calling them, is Primeates Takes our pal Jesse Culton. Frankie
says on the subject of Red State Girl Les Claypool
done recorded a bop, a cheeky jaunty diddy if you will,
the slithering bassline, the funky cello, the bouncy tobless It's
a great time. Ethan from Kentucky, a newer entrant into
(30:40):
the halls of Prime Matron dumb I suppose, says I'm torn.
I listened to this album one time a year ago
and wasn't a fan. Now that I'm giving in another shot,
I'm starting to come around. That being said, this song
Red City Girl is one of my favorites, but if
(31:00):
I'm being honest, I still prefer Duo de twang versions yep.
Frankie has an ally Eric and Australia, who has been
bright and bubbly of late, says Red State is the
first past track for me, and he calls it a
faux track for that reason, unfortunately not as dated as
(31:24):
it should be. I do love his vocal gymnastics in here.
I don't know how you could date that track any
further unless you call it Red State Girl two thousand
and eight whatever. Jordan Kahn Frankie, our resident fish expert,
said Red State is fae wish less would get back
into political songwriting these days. Interesting take. Jordan, Considering how
(31:45):
people felt about Kaspirainoia, our pal John Shreeve says Red
Steak Girl is like Hula with the lights out. I
love that description, Thank you, John. John. Always this has
really interesting descriptions of the music, and I appreciate them.
He says, like feeling that sweet release only to find
(32:06):
out it was at the use of a relative. If
that means what I think it does, that's disturbing, dark, silly,
and less, making his feelings more whimsical than the usual
direct statements. Come on, Josh, this album slaps all right, John, okay,
all right, I hear you, and Mickey Waters, Frankie says,
(32:27):
Red State Girl is a bit dated with the Paleine reference,
but still one of my favorites. However, I think I
prefer the duo to twang version. For those of you
not watching on videos, Frankie just made a gesture indicating
that he is victorious. A lot of twang lovers out there, Frankie.
And now it is time for Frankie's favorite part of
(32:47):
the show, Live cuts from a Gem Vehicle Live cuts
for the Gem Vehicle Live cuts.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
F what's going on here?
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Oh, I'll tell you what's going on. It's live cuts time.
Today we have from Frankie's vault two cuts of Red
State Girl. All right, Our first Red State Girl live
cut has no metadata on it. So this is Frankie's
box set called a Fungi in Foe bonus tracks which
(33:16):
you will see released on the twenty fifth anniversary of
Them Fungi and Foe in twenty thirty four bank On
It Remix remaster bonus tracks handpicked by Frankie Berestein.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
Actually Red Skin Spread, Snap State, His Bundy.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
Remind pretty straightforward. This is a five minute version. I
don't know if there's crowd noise on one end or another, Frankie,
but I can't. I don't know if they jam this
out to you.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
I believe they stretch the outro a little and the
song goes faster.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Oh, we'll forward a bit to your timecode and see
if that happens. There's pallo ah. Okay, so we get
(35:01):
a nice, more up tempo cello solo there. Excellent.
Speaker 2 (35:07):
Yeah, there you go. They created a coda for the
live version. We'll call it that, just like Vernon, Right.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Just like Vernon. That's why they're linked. I knew it
somewhere in the back of my mind. That's why let's
hear do it a twang and give us some Red
State Girl from soundcheck. Now, this is available on YouTube
as well.
Speaker 2 (35:30):
Right, Yes, it's a brilliant performance.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Really great video quality to this one too. As Lesson
Keyho are just set up in a studio, slapping away
at their instruments. I'm sorry, thumping and plucking away at
their instruments. Keo is muting so much stuff it almost
(36:14):
sounds like he's playing meekly. It's very interest but it
helps with the atmospherics. For sure.
Speaker 3 (36:21):
He's got a naked picture of their uh.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
Pale looking for a sel proclaimed Bonafie, Red eight Girl,
Let's move it ahead here, picking up the intensity.
Speaker 1 (37:08):
Okay, I'm willing to make this caveat Frankie. If I
was going to hear Red State Girl live, I think
I'd rather hear it from Do It a Twang? Yes,
no offense to the fun Guy band. That way, I
get the best of both worlds. I get that fung
guy studio and I get that twang live. Why not? Yep,
(37:30):
sounds pretty good. I just like hearing Keyhoe play guitar,
especially when the pickups work, unlike at Sacramento when he
came out with a zach Wyald guitar and they had
to make a last minute substitute for Amos Moses Bobout
parting thoughts Frankie on Red State.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
Girl, Curious Little Number in the grand scheme of the
Les Claypool Vast catalog.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
It is an interesting one, quite overt in its imagery.
Would it be canceled if it was released in twenty
twenty five? Don't know, don't care. Red State Girl, I
self proclaim that you've been tracked. Next time, Frankie, get
your stomp and shoes on. We're going to bone Bill Primates, primatrons,
(38:16):
people of Earth, Red State Girls, Blue State Boys, and
everyone in between. Thank you all so much for listening.
Later days, Willa Mace
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