[UPDATE 5/15/23]: Les Claypool announced on Monday that saxophonist Skerik will not appear with the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for the start of the band’s extensive 2023 Summer of Green Tour as he continues to recover from a shoulder injury. The band, which has not performed live in 20 years, will rely on a rotating cast of “random ‘special’ guests” until Skerik is cleared to return to the Frog Brigade’s ranks. The injury previously forced Skerik to pull out of his various scheduled gigs during New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
As Claypool noted in a social media post, “FROG DOWN!! FROG DOWN!! As Colonel of this here Fearless Flying Frog Brigade it falls upon me to inform all of you ‘frog-heads’ of the unfortunate setback to one of our troops. The mighty ‘horn-honking’ Skerik has sustained a shoulder injury which is keeping him away from his Brigade duties for the time being. It is a mighty blow to the Brigade but, like good frog troopers, we are forging on with all dispatch. It is our hope that Lt. Skirackington, as he is known amongst the troops, will be back in the ranks and armed with his horn soon. Until then we will be hosting random ‘special’ guests to enhance the Frog Brigade, Summer of Green experience.”
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will kick off its reunion tour—featuring nightly performances of Pink Floyd‘s Animals—this week with shows in Stateline, NV (5/16–17), Napa, CA (5/19), Santa Cruz, CA (5/20), and San Diego, CA (5/21). For a complete list of upcoming Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade tour dates, head here. Scroll down for more information on the band’s history, the new lineup, the 2023 tour, and more.
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[1/31/23]: After a 20-year break, Les Claypool is set to reconvene his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade for an extensive 2023 outing billed as the Summer of Green Tour. Each night on the 41-date tour will feature a complete live performance of Pink Floyd classic Animals, which was previously captured on the Frog Brigade’s two-part 2001 live album, Live Frogs.
The band lineup for the Summer of Green will feature a mix of Frog Brigade vets, family ties, and other Claypool collaborators. Guitarist Sean Lennon (the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Les’ counterpart in The Claypool Lennon Delirium), keyboardist Harry Waters (the son of Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters), and drummer Paulo Baldi (of The Claypool Lennon Delirium and CAKE) will make their maiden Frog Brigade flights in 2023, while returning members Mike Dillon (percussion) and Skerik (horns) will bring seasoned Claypool know-how along with continued creative momentum from their recent Bastard Jazz improv sessions.
Select June performances will include a co-headlining set with Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew’s Remain In Light tour, which finds the Talking Heads members performing songs from a monumental period of the band’s history with Cool Cool Cool as their backing band. Additional supporting acts at select dates throughout the tour include Fishbone, Neal Francis, Budos Band, W.I.T.C.H., and Moon Duo.
“In an age of calibrated chaos, moral constipation, and conspiranoia, it is reassuring to know that certain frogs can and do fly,” Claypool said along with the tour’s announcement.
Formed by Claypool in the summer of 2000 during a hiatus from Primus, the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade made its debut appearance at the Mountain Aire Festival before embarking on several celebrated U.S. tours. Described by Les himself as “kind of a King Crimson meets Pink Floyd meets Frank Zappa type thing,” the band released two live albums in 2001, as well as a studio album, Purple Onion, in 2002. The Fearless Flying Frog Brigade’s last performance took place on May 10th, 2003.
On Wednesday, May 17th, 20 years and one week after that last show, Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade will take to the sky once again in Stateline, NV. The tour will circle the country from there throughout May, June, and July, making stops in various notable markets and headlining a number of summer music festivals including Chillicothe, IL’s Summer Camp Music Festival (5/27), Oak Hill, WV’s Mountain Music Festival (6/3), and Scranton, PA’s The Peach Music Festival (7/1).
Related: Fred Armisen Welcomes Les Claypool At First Night Of ‘Comedy For Bass Players’ [Video]
“Let’s put it this way … I think, with Primus and without, I’ve played every music festival in the last ten years, except Lilith Fair,” Claypool commented on his unique yet expansive cross-section of styles and fanbases. “You could say I’m the guy who doesn’t fit in anywhere, but a little bit everywhere.”
Les Claypool may have waited 20 years to reconvene the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, but he has never stopped churning out new ideas. In addition to touring heavily as part of Primus’s A Tribute to Kings trek and taking part in the South Park 25th anniversary shows at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Claypool has played gigs with a number of his live creations in the last few years, from Bastard Jazz to The Claypool Lennon Delirium to Oysterhead.
A limited pre-sale for the Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade Summer of Green Tour 2023 will begin on Wednesday, February 1st at 10:00 a.m. local venue time using the code WHAMOLA. General public on-sale will follow on Friday, February 3rd at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Click below for a full list of upcoming Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade Summer of Green 2023 tour dates. For complete ticketing details, head here.
