Description
Primus – Rhinoplasty – Double 180 Gram Vinyl Records
Primus’s Rhinoplasty, released on August 4, 1998, is a fascinating and characteristically bizarre entry in the band’s discography—a covers EP (though more like a short album at nearly 50 minutes) that showcases Primus’s surreal sense of humor, technical prowess, and genre-defying creativity. Known for their virtuosic musicianship, absurdist lyrics, and unmistakable sound—anchored by Les Claypool’s manic bass playing, Larry LaLonde’s angular guitar work, and Bryan “Brain” Mantia’s hyperactive drumming—Primus approached Rhinoplasty not as a novelty, but as a radical reimagining of other artists’ material through their warped musical lens.
Coming off the experimental and more groove-focused The Brown Album (1997), Rhinoplasty finds Primus letting loose, applying their freak-funk-metal aesthetic to a diverse range of songs. It’s not simply a tribute to their influences—it’s more like a musical funhouse mirror, where the familiar becomes freakishly unfamiliar.
The tracklist includes covers of iconic bands and artists such as Peter Gabriel, Stanley Clarke, XTC, and Metallica, and the interpretations are anything but straightforward. The EP opens with “Scissor Man” by XTC, which Primus turns into a jumpy, post-punk groove-fest full of eerie effects and syncopated rhythms. The band retains the song’s quirky, almost paranoid vibe, but pushes it into even more angular and dissonant territory.
One of the most ambitious pieces on the record is “The Family and the Fishing Net”, a deep cut from Peter Gabriel’s Security (1982). Primus stretches the track into a seven-minute fever dream, fully leaning into its dark, tribal rhythms and cryptic storytelling. Claypool’s theatrical vocal delivery adds a grotesque, almost nightmarish quality, turning the song into something that feels equal parts performance art and progressive rock homage.
Another standout is their take on Stanley Clarke’s “Silly Putty,” which serves as a showcase for Primus’s instrumental prowess. The band stretches out and plays with the funk-fusion foundation of the original, letting Les Claypool’s bass groove front and center, with Brain and LaLonde weaving around him with rhythmic agility and improvisational flair. It’s a nod to their jazz-fusion roots and a reminder that behind the oddball personas, these are serious players with serious chops.
Their cover of “The Thing That Should Not Be” by Metallica is a particularly curious case. Rather than playing it straight, Primus slows the tempo and adds their own brand of sludgy, menacing weirdness. It becomes more abstract and sinister, with Claypool’s vocals lending a sinister theatricality to the already ominous lyrics. The result is both a tribute and a twisted parody—a perfect example of how Primus treats covers as reinterpretations rather than replicas.
In addition to the studio covers, the album includes live recordings of several original Primus tracks, including “Tommy the Cat,” “Bob’s Party Time Lounge,” and “Hello Skinny/Constantinople” (a medley tribute to The Residents), adding to the EP’s eclectic, almost collage-like feel. These performances capture the band’s live energy, spontaneity, and willingness to blur the line between concert and controlled chaos.
Rhinoplasty was well-received for its inventive arrangements and unabashed weirdness. It reinforced the band’s identity as outsiders within the rock and metal scenes, unafraid to mock, honor, and completely deconstruct the sacred cows of popular music. For fans, it was a gift: not just a stopgap release between full-length albums, but a statement of artistic irreverence and musical versatility.
In the broader context of Primus’s career, Rhinoplasty is a curiosity and a cult favorite, beloved for how it captures the band’s balance of virtuosity and absurdity, respect and subversion. It’s not essential in the way that Sailing the Seas of Cheese or Frizzle Fry might be, but it is a perfect encapsulation of the band’s ethos: smart, strange, and completely unwilling to play it straight.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Scissor Man
The Family And The Fishing Net
Silly Putty
Amos Moses
Behind My Camel
Too Many Puppies
The Thing That Should Not Be
The Devil Went Down To Georgia
Tommy The Cat (Live)
Bob’s Party Time Lounge (Live)
