Oysterhead is an American rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool of Primus, guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police, with both Claypool and Anastasio providing vocals. The band's eclectic sound has been described as "alt-funk fusion".Jon Wiederhorn Three Oysterheads Are Better Than One mtv.com, Oct 5 2001, Diakses 11 February 2009David Holmberg Palladium comes alive with Oysterhead’s unique blend dailybruin.ucla.edu, October 29, 2001, Diakses 11 February 2009
In April 2000 Superfly Presents asked Claypool to assemble a band to perform during New Orleans Jazz Fest. Claypool contacted Anastasio and together they agreed on a mutual hero, Copeland.Neva Chonin out of its shell: Oysterhead unites three very different musical visions to create a unique sound sfgate.com, October 24, 2001, Retrieved February 11, 2009 Oysterhead was originally intended to be a singular live performance at New Orleans Saenger TheatreMike Powers Frogs & Oysters: A Les Claypool Interview jambase.com, 1/26/01, Retrieved January 26, 2008 on May 4, 2000. The band compiled a set of almost entirely original material for the show, practicing at Muskegon's Frauenthal Theatre. Tickets were scalped for up to $2,000 each; audience members included Francis Ford Coppola and Matt Groening. The band toured in 2001 and was scheduled to tour in 2020. Both times it has toured it has been interrupted due to significant disasters, in 2001 due to the September 11 attacks and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Oysterhead played at The Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA in July 2021.
The Grand Pecking Order In 2001, Oysterhead reformed to record and release an album entitled The Grand Pecking Order, which featured nine new tracks in addition to four songs originally debuted in New Orleans.. Chart Attack, October 23, 2001 By: Debbie Bento The album was released on October 2, 2001, and was supported by a North American tour, spanning from October 21 to November 18, 2001, accompanied by North Mississippi Allstars, Drums & Tuba, The Cancer Conspiracy, Lake Trout, Mark Ribot y Los Cubanos Postizos and New Orleans Klezmer Allstars. Two pre-tour warm-up shows had been booked at Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut for September 14, 2001 and the Irving Plaza in New York City, New York (as part of CMJ Music Marathon) for September 15, 2001, but were cancelled in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Oysterhead's 2001 tour saw the debut of the Matterhorn, a guitar played by Trey Anastasio featuring a full-size deer antler. On November 15, 2001, the band performed the song "Oz Is Ever Floating" on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Reformation at Bonnaroo On June 16, 2006, Oysterhead reunited to perform a two-hour set at the Bonnaroo Music Festival. The band performed music from The Grand Pecking Order during the set.
Reformation in 2019 In October 2019, Oysterhead created social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter and announced they would play two reunion shows in February 2020 at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.
While the band went on to schedule additional 2020 tour dates in California and at several US festivals, only the two Colorado dates were performed before the other dates were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Oysterhead resumed touring in 2021.
When asked in March 2022 if the band planned to record a second album, Claypool said it was unclear: "We always talk about it when we're sitting around, but all three of us are so busy. We haven't really found the time to do it. It's an undertaking. You've got three guys that are all alpha dogs in the same room. It's more of an undertaking I think, but who knows. I've been talking to Stewart lately about trying to get together and just start jamming on some shit and see what happens."
List of performances +LocationVenueDate2000 New Orleans, LASaenger Theater05/04/20002001 New Haven, CT Toad's Place 09/13/2001 New York, NY Irving Plaza 09/15/2001 Westford, VT The Barn 09/15/2001 Seattle, WAThe Paramount10/21/2001 Vancouver, BCOrpheum Theatre10/23/2001 Salem, ORSalem Armory10/24/2001 Berkeley, CAGreek Theatre10/26/2001 Los Angeles, CAHollywood Palladium10/27/2001 Denver, COThe Fillmore10/30/200110/31/2001 Chicago, ILAragon Ballroom11/02/2001 West Lafayette, INElliot Hall of Music11/03/2001 Ann Arbor, MIHill Auditorium11/04/2001 Cleveland, OHCleveland State Theatre11/06/2001 Toronto, ONMassey Hall11/07/2001 Utica, NYUtica Memorial Auditorium11/09/2001 Lowell, MATsongas Arena11/10/2001 Camden, NJTweeter Center11/11/2001 New York, NYRoseland Ballroom11/13/200111/14/2001 Studio 6A, NBC Studios 11/15/2001 Washington, DCDAR Constitution Hall11/16/2001 Asheville, NCAsheville Civic Center11/17/2001 Gainesville, FLO'Connell Center11/18/20012006 Manchester, TNBonnaroo Music Festival06/16/20062020 Broomfield, CO1stBank Center02/14/202002/15/2020 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre 04/17/2020 Stanford, CA Frost Amphitheater 04/18/2020 Chicago, ILAragon Ballroom 04/22/2020 04/23/2020 Atlanta, GACentennial Olympic Park 04/24/2020 04/25/2020 04/26/2020 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival 06/13/2020 Scranton, PA Scranton Peach Festival 07/04/2020 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival (1st reschedule) 09/26/20202021 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre 04/17/2021 Manchester, TN Bonnaroo Music Festival (2nd reschedule) 06/18/2021 Scranton, PA Scranton Peach Festival 07/03/20212022 Atlanta, GACentennial Olympic Park 05/01/2022KeyCanceled due to September 11 AttacksCanceled due to COVID-19 pandemicPostponed due to COVID-19 pandemicMake-up showTelevision onlyPrivate performance
Discography
The Grand Pecking Order (2001) 2020/02/14 Broomfield, CO (2020) (Live album) 2020/02/15 Broomfield, CO (2020) (Live album)
References
External links Oysterhead's official website