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.
Lights in the Sky
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Probably shouldn't try and leave town tonight
I've got a dollar bill, you've got a fire
It's damn good to be alive
Look up, look out, look in and see
I do believe there's somebody eyeballin' me
If I move to the left, do you move to the right?
No matter where I jump I'm still locked in their sights
The lights in the sky keep calling my name...
They're calling my name. I think they're coming for me
Calling my name...
Calling my name...
They're calling my name...
Calling my name...
They're coming for me.
The Les Claypool Frog Brigade's song "Lights in the Sky" is a poetic account of a paranoid dude on the brink of insanity. The song's protagonist seems to be trapped within a claustrophobic, threatening environment, with no sense of escape. The opening verses suggest that the character is "propped up" and "dropped out" but "rest up right" - an indication of his disturbed state of mind. It seems he's aware that leaving town at night is not the best idea, perhaps because he feels he's being followed, hunted, or watched.
The second stanza offers a semblance of hope. The singer realizes that he's lucky to be alive and tries to soak up the moment. However, the feeling of being constantly watched doesn't leave him. He suspects that someone's "eyeballin'" him, which cranks up his paranoia. He's almost desperate to break free from this scenario, but every move he makes seems futile. The chorus highlights this feeling of being trapped, with the lights in the sky calling out his name. The repetition of "calling my name" is both haunting and disorienting, driving home the claustrophobic atmosphere of the song.
The song finishes on an ominous note, with the singer realizing that the threat is very real - "they're coming for me." It's an intensely emotional ending that leaves the listener feeling like they've been right there with him, sharing in his panic and paranoia. Overall, "Lights in the Sky" is a well-crafted piece of songwriting that manages to convey the sense of constantly being watched, followed or hunted, leaving the listener both tense and unsettled.
Line by Line Meaning
Propped up, dropped out, rest up right
I am sitting comfortably, having dropped out of regular society, and just resting upright.
Probably shouldn't try and leave town tonight
It might not be a good idea to leave the town tonight.
I've got a dollar bill, you've got a fire
I have some money, and you have some warmth and light.
It's damn good to be alive
It feels great just to be alive.
Look up, look out, look in and see
Take a look around you, be aware of your surroundings, and also look within yourself.
I do believe there's somebody eyeballin' me
I have a feeling that someone is watching me closely.
If I move to the left, do you move to the right?
If I change my position, will you change yours in a way that blocks me?
No matter where I jump I'm still locked in their sights
Even if I try to escape, I am still being closely watched and tracked.
The lights in the sky keep calling my name...
I am being beckoned by mysterious lights in the sky.
They're calling my name. I think they're coming for me
I believe the lights are calling me and coming to get me.
Calling my name...
The lights are still calling my name.
Calling my name...
The lights are insistently calling my name.
They're calling my name...
The lights are still calling out to me.
Calling my name...
The lights continue to call my name.
They're coming for me.
I am convinced that the lights are indeed coming to take me away.
Contributed by Samantha F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.