The band released two live recordings in 2001, "Live Frogs Set 1" and "Live Frogs Set 2". "Set 1" is a mix of covers and originals, including Thela hun Ginjeet (King Crimson) and Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd). "Set 2" is a live cover of the entire Pink Floyd album, "Animals". A studio album was also released in 2002 entitled "The Purple Onion".
All three albums were released on Les Claypool's Prawn Song Records, which is a play on Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label.
History
Claypool formed the band to play the Mountain Aire Festival, a jamband festival that takes place in Northern California on Memorial Day weekends each year. Its initial lineup featured MIRV on guitar, Skerik on saxophone, and both Jack Irons (ex-Pearl Jam and Red Hot Chili Peppers) and Primus' Tim Alexander on drums.
In August 2000, Claypool created a new line-up of the Frog Brigade and took it on a tour that fall. The band consisted of Jay Lane on drums and Todd Huth on guitar, who had worked with Claypool in Sausage (which in itself was a re-formation of the first line up of Primus), guitarist Eenor, who got a place in the band by winning a mail-order competition, Jeff Chimenti, the keyboardist from Ratdog (Jay Lane also has worked with Ratdog), and Skerik continuing on saxophone. This version of the band played a show consisting of two sets - the first filled with covers and songs from Claypool's previous bands, and a second set where the band would play all of the Pink Floyd album, Animals.
After this tour, the Brigade released two live recordings, both taken from the Autumn 2000 concerts by the band in San Francisco. Live Frogs, Vol. 1 contained material from the first, free-form set, and Live Frogs, Vol. 2 was a recording of the band performing Animals.
In the summer of 2001 the band comprised of Claypool, Skerik, Eenor and a new drummer, Paul Svena. Les began writing new material and they began playing single-set live shows. In 2002, Mike Dillon was added as a percussionist and the Frog Brigade recorded their only studio album to date, Purple Onion.
In 2003, Eenor left the band and guitarist Brian Kehoe joined. Throughout their touring schedule the band has changed drummers multiple times. The current drummer is Paulo Baldi.
In 2004 Claypool formed a new jamband, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, with guitarist Buckethead, keyboardist Bernie Worrell, and former Primus drummer Brian Mantia (aka Brain). This band had much the same genesis as the Frog Brigade; Formed to play at the Bonnaroo Festival of that year, it has since gone on the road, and recordings have become subsequent live albums.
As of Spring 2005, the Frog Brigade has not recorded any new material since Purple Onion, and the band has not gone on a major tour since Summer 2003, but has occasionally re-formed to play other one-off shows and music festivals. Claypool is currently undertaking a tour with Jay Lane, Gabby La La, Mike Dillon and Skerik as Les Claypool's Fancy Band.
Claypool currently plays with lots of people. He usually tours just as "Les Claypool" and plays with many different musicians and the many different instruments they play, both new and of his past. For example MIRV from the original frog brigade played with les at Bonnaroo '08 in a 4 piece with drums, a cello, MIRV on guitar and handsaw, and les on his many different types of basses. Later that night he was covering Tom Waits songs with members of gogol bordello. He plays an array of music and you truly never really know what you will see since the lineups is always evolving with different sounds. But the one thing you know you will always hear is the unique sounds Les can make. He also still whips out the classic lineups from time to time.
Dogs
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You gotta sleep on your toes, and when you're on the street
You gotta be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed
And then moving in silently, down wind and out of sight
You gotta strike when the moment is right without thinking
And after a while, you can work on points for style
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake
A certain look in the eye, and an easy smile
So that when they turn their backs on you
You'll get the chance to put the knife in
You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder
You know it's going to get harder, and harder, and harder as you get older
And in the end you'll pack, fly down south
Hide your head in the sand
Just another sad old man
All alone and dying of cancer
And when you loose control, you'll reap the harvest that you've sown
And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone
And it's too late to loose the weight you used to need to throw around
So have a good drown, as you go down alone
Dragged down by the stone
I gotta admit that I'm a little bit confused
Sometimes it seems to me as if I'm just being used
Gotta stay awake, gotta try and shake of this creeping malaise
If I don't stand my own ground, how can I find my way out of this maze
Deaf, dumb, and blind, you just keep on pretending
That everyone's expendable and no one had a real friend
And it seems to you the thing to do would be to isolate the winner
And you believe at heart, everyone's a killer
Who was born in a house full of pain
Who was trained not to spit in the fan
Who was told what to do by the man
Who was broken by trained personnel
Who was fitted with collar and chain
Who was given a seat in the stand
Who was breaking away from the pack
Who was only a stranger at home
Who was ground down in the end
Who was found dead on the phone
Who was dragged down by the stone
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade's song "Dogs" appears to be a commentary on the dehumanizing effects of society, specifically how it turns people against one another and makes them suspicious, paranoid, and ultimately lonely. The opening verses detail the qualities a person must possess to "get ahead" in this world, including being able to "pick out the easy meat" and "strike when the moment is right without thinking." However, the song also acknowledges the downside of this mentality, including the need to always be looking over one's shoulder, the fear of losing control, and the realization that everyone is a potential enemy. Ultimately, the song concludes with a description of a lonely, isolated old man dying of cancer, suggesting that this is the inevitable fate of those who have bought into the world's value system.
The second part of the song takes the form of a sort of dialogue between two people, one of whom is feeling disillusioned and questioning the status quo. The other person, however, is steadfast in their belief that everyone is ultimately out for themselves and that it's every man for himself in this world. This section of the song seems to be suggesting that even those who are aware of the damage that society does to us are often unable to resist its pull.
Overall, "Dogs" is a bleak and pessimistic song that reflects the band's disillusionment with modern society and its values.
Line by Line Meaning
You gotta be crazy, you gotta have a real need
In order to succeed you need to have the courage and a strong desire to do so.
You gotta sleep on your toes, and when you're on the street
You must be alert and aware of everything that's going on around you so that you're not caught off guard.
You gotta be able to pick out the easy meat with your eyes closed
You must have a keen sense of judgment and the ability to discern who is vulnerable and easy to take advantage of.
And then moving in silently, down wind and out of sight
Once you have identified your target, you must approach carefully and undetected to ensure success.
You gotta strike when the moment is right without thinking
You must act decisively and without hesitation when the opportunity arises.
And after a while, you can work on points for style
Once you have mastered the art of being a successful predator, you can focus on the finer details such as appearances and social skills.
Like the club tie, and the firm handshake
These are examples of the social skills that can help you manipulate and deceive people.
A certain look in the eye, and an easy smile
These are other examples of the social skills that can help you manipulate and deceive people.
You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to
To be successful, you must earn the trust of the people you deceive, so that they are more likely to believe your lies.
So that when they turn their backs on you
This is the inevitable consequence of deceiving people; they will eventually discover the truth.
You'll get the chance to put the knife in
Once people have turned on you, you have the opportunity to exact revenge on them.
You gotta keep one eye looking over your shoulder
Success attracts enemies, so one must always be vigilant and wary of others.
You know it's going to get harder, and harder, and harder as you get older
The longer you succeed, the more difficult it becomes to maintain your position and avoid getting caught.
And in the end you'll pack, fly down south
When you finally get caught, your only option will be to flee and start anew somewhere else.
Hide your head in the sand
This is a metaphor for trying to escape from your problems and responsibilities.
Just another sad old man
This is the ultimate fate of someone who has lived a life of deceit and manipulation.
All alone and dying of cancer
This is a metaphor for the loneliness and despair that comes with a life of deception.
And when you loose control, you'll reap the harvest that you've sown
If you lose your grip on your deception, you will suffer the consequences of your actions.
And as the fear grows, the bad blood slows and turns to stone
As your fear grows, the relationships you've destroyed become permanent and there is no going back.
And it's too late to loose the weight you used to need to throw around
Once you've reached a certain point of corruption, it's impossible to undo the damage you've caused.
So have a good drown, as you go down alone
This is a metaphor for the downfall of someone who has lived a life of deceit and manipulation.
Dragged down by the stone
This is a metaphor for the weight of one's own actions that eventually lead to their downfall.
I gotta admit that I'm a little bit confused
This is an acknowledgement of the confusion and moral ambiguity that comes with living a life of deception.
Sometimes it seems to me as if I'm just being used
This is the realization that one's life of deception has made them just another pawn in someone else's game.
Gotta stay awake, gotta try and shake of this creeping malaise
One must continue to be vigilant and resist the temptation to become lazy or complacent.
If I don't stand my own ground, how can I find my way out of this maze
If one doesn't maintain their integrity and personal values, they will become lost and never find their way out.
Deaf, dumb, and blind, you just keep on pretending
This is a description of the state of mind that comes with a life of deception.
That everyone's expendable and no one had a real friend
This is the belief that develops when one has lived a life of manipulating and using others for personal gain.
And it seems to you the thing to do would be to isolate the winner
In the world of deceit, success is everything, and the only way to achieve it is to eliminate all competition.
And you believe at heart, everyone's a killer
This is the ultimate result of a life lived devoid of personal values and morals.
Who was born in a house full of pain
This is the beginning of the description of a person who has lived a life of pain and suffering.
Who was trained not to spit in the fan
This is a metaphor for being taught to hold back one's true feelings and emotions.
Who was told what to do by the man
This is a reference to the role that authority figures play in shaping the lives of those who are subjected to their influence.
Who was broken by trained personnel
This is another reference to the way that authority figures use their power to dominate and control those beneath them.
Who was fitted with collar and chain
This is a metaphor for the way that societal conventions and expectations can suppress individuality and creativity.
Who was given a seat in the stand
This is a reference to being an observer of life rather than an active participant in it.
Who was breaking away from the pack
This is a sign of rebellion against the norm and a desire to break free from societal constraints.
Who was only a stranger at home
This is a reference to feeling isolated and disconnected from one's family and community.
Who was ground down in the end
This is the ultimate fate of someone who rebels against society's norms and values.
Who was found dead on the phone
This is a metaphor for the emotional death that comes from living a life devoid of purpose and meaning.
Who was dragged down by the stone
This is a metaphor for the weight of one's own actions that eventually lead to their downfall.
Contributed by Connor J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Patrick Moran
No doubt. This IS fuckin badass. My favorite Floyd album being interpreted by one of my favorite musicians and all time incredible bassist Mr. Claypool. The result is not disappointing
Therover311
So good. They nailed it.
Claudia Ordonez-Lleonart
Amazing cover!! almost as good as the original!
Carl V. Dupre
Some of the best tribute material out there. Claypool already sounds a little like Waters but puts his stamp on it. And the back up band is impeccable, esp the guitarists. Top notch start to finish
Ryan Martin
The synthesizers have never sounded better! Fucking amazing
pachhss
donde puedo descargar el disco completo porque es dificil encontrarlo en mexico!!! excelente cover del animals
Joe Horizon
This is pretty fucking badass right here.
RyKells
Just so great.
pundzsu
5:23 - Az egyik legjobb gitárszóló amit valaha hallottam!
DarkStar NFA
OMG LES IS THE FUCKING MAN. The frog brigade did so amazing covering Pink Floyd. Les sounds eerily similar to Roger Waters. I love the cover of sheep they did