Once again, esteemed journalist and rock historian Greg Prato brings his estimable literary skills in unwrapping the enigma of Primus. Led by visionary Les Claypool, the band is a unique amalgam of rock, metal, funk and alternative that has created a series of iconic albums including Suck on This, Frizzle Fry, Sailing the Seas of Cheese, Pork Soda, Tales From the Punchbowl, and others.

Here, Prato dissects the band's music in an oral history that includes interviews with Claypool, Tim Alexander, Stewart Copeland, Larry Lalonde, Geddy Lee, Tom Morello, Chad Smith, and many others. A rock 'n' roll detective capable of unearthing the most obscure fact, Prato's conversations are informed, enlightened and funny as hell. Here is an excerpt from Claypool himself:

I guess I had seen Metallica once. Metallica had played the Kabuki theater, and I'd gotten tickets. It was around Ride the Lightning. John Marshall was Kirk's tech - we all went to high school together. So I got these tickets to go see Metallica, and me and Todd went.

We had just come from hanging out at Live 105, with all these long trench coats on, my hair is all slicked back, and I've got these Stacy Adams shoes--I look like one of the guys from Morris Day and the Time.