Comedian Bill Burr has discussed what it was like playing drums with alt. metal legends Primus on his Monday Morning Podcast.
Burr was among a number of celebrity and musician cameos when Primus played the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on August 6. Across a 15 song setlist, the band invited the likes of South Park creator Matt Stone, musician Ty Segall and bassist MonoNeon, as well as Tool members Danny Carey and Justin Chancellor to perform songs with them.
"I've seen that band I don't even know how many times," Burr admits on the podcast. "Every time I see them, they just get better and better and better. They were on fire. It was face-melting stuff. I wish I'd took some mushrooms or something. But they let me sit in on one song and I couldn't."
Burr joined Primus on drums for Too Many Puppies from 1990's Frizzle Fry, with Justin Chancellor also joining in on the performance. In his podcast, Burr explains that he and his brothers used to try and play Primus songs when they were growing up.
"To just be looking up and seeing [bassist/vocalist Les Claypool], and then seeing [Primus guitarist] Ler looking back at me, smiling and everything. And John [Hoffman, drums who joined in February] was beyond cool. Oh, my God, he sounded amazing[...]. And, oh, by the way, Justin Chancellor from Tool was playing bass also, and then fucking Guitar Center me was up there. But I was psyched. I fucked up some of the changes."
Burr goes on to say that he'd never used in-ear monitors before, and says they malfunctioned during the performance.
"They were working, of course until I sat down. And then they weren’t. I could still hear the band, but I was just going, ‘What the fuck?’ So I messed up a couple of changes[...]. But it sounded… I think I pulled it off."
Elsewhere in the podcast, Burr explains how joining Primus has helped his stand-up.
"To do what I actually do for a living, when I walk on-stage it feels like I'm playing tee-ball," he says. "There's a life lesson there. Go out - that thing, that you're saying no to, not because you don't wanna do it but because you're afraid, just go, 'Yes!'"
"That's how I started my stand-up career, when I saw a phone number and it was for, you know, a talent contest to find Boston's funniest comedy student," he continues.
"I went home, set down my backpack from college and just picked up the phone in my parent's house and called the number because I knew if I didn't, I was gonna sit down and that fear was gonna take over, 'Maybe in the next contest'. Call up and do it now before you chicken out! I did it, and it was like, 'That's it, now the hourglass has been tipped over. When the sand runs out you go out onstage and whatever the fuck happens, happens and it doesn't fucking matter. It's not about doing well, it's just about having the balls to go up there. That's it! Give yourself permission to suck and then you're off and running. There you go. Did you ever think you'd be taking tips from somebody who went to summer school?"
Listen to the full podcast below.
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