Riff Lords: Ler LaLonde From Primus

In this episode of Riff Lords, Ler LaLonde digs deep and breaks down the riffs of Primus classics like “Jerry Was a Race Car Driver,” “Groundhog’s Day,” “The Heckler,” “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,” “Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers,” “The Exorcist,” and the “South Park Theme Song.” Ler began his Riff Lord journey at the tender age of 12 when one of his middle school buddies talked him into attending a concert. Not just any concert, it was none other than prog-rock immortals Rush. For an encore, Ler got to see the mighty Van Halen up close and personal. And that was all it took. Not long after these two seminal experiences, Ler got his first electric guitar, and there was no turning back. Not only was he inspired by Eddie, Randy Rhoads, and Yngwie Malmsteen, his guitar teacher also had a bit of an influence on him; a dude by the name of Joe Satriani…yes Professor Satchafunkilus himself! He joined a bay area Thrash band called Possessed and became well-acquainted with other notable Bay Area metal monsters like Slayer and Metallica. All this exposure to such a variety of artists and influences helped Ler develop an eclectic playing style and further ignited his musical curiosity. By the time he joined Primus, he was more than up for the challenge of playing in a band that afforded him an incredible amount of creative freedom. Ler and bandmate Les Claypool helped Primus become a regular fixture on major tours and festival circuits throughout the 80s and 90s. Their style could be characterized as quirky, funky, and irreverent, but whatever you call it, you can’t ignore it. In 2019 Primus took to the road with their thrash metal cohorts Slayer and are currently gearing up for a novel tour called Tribute to Kings, where they choose an album from an artist or band they admire and cover it live. Fittingly, the first tour is an homage to Rush’s “Farewell to Kings” album which will be played in its entirety. For more information about Ler, Primus, or the Tribute to Kings tour, be sure to check out their website http://www.primusville.com/ Listen to Primus on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/64mPnRMMeudAet0E62ypkx