The Claypool Lennon Delirium Announce New Album 'The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy'
Friday, 27 February 2026
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Jay Blakesburg
The Claypool Lennon Delirium, the project of Les Claypool of Primus and Sean Ono Lennon, have announced their third album.
Titled 'The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy', the 14-song A.I.-themed concept record is set for release through ATO Records on May 1 alongside a 24-page comic book illustrated by long-time collaborator Rich Ragsdale.
Recorded at Claypool's Rancho Relaxo studio in Sonoma County and Lennon's studio, The Farm, in upstate New York, the follow-up to 2019's 'South Of Reality' combines a sprawling narrative with the band's trademark mix of theatrics and psychedelic prog-rock. Here’s more on its concept from a press release:
"Set in the once-glorious land of Cliptopia, where a sentient A.I. known as Cliptron and his army of robots are resourcing everything, then turning it all into Clipnex brand paperclips, the album follows young artist Hippard O. Campus Jr. as he rebels against his father, Hippard Sr. (owner of the CLIPNEX corporation and creator of CLIPTRON). With help from salty sea-dog Colonel O’Coren, Hipp embarks on a fantastical adventure to stop Cliptron’s cold, chrome heart from converting the world, humans included, into paperclips.
Hipp’s quest leads across the sea to the Isle of Lucidity, where the all-wise Ministry of Manatees guide him to the Great Parrot-Ox, whose Golden Egg of Empathy is the only thing that can bring understanding and emotion to Cliptron."
Commenting on the project, the band's most bizarre yet, Claypool said: "'The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy' was over three years in the making and was the most labor intensive recording I have ever been involved in. The results are something Shiner and I are very proud of; a relevant concept piece accompanied by a colorful, phantasmic comic book."
Lennon added: "It's a cautionary tale of what could be in store for humanity if we continue to favor machines over men. It is a tale of a technocracy eclipsed by paperclips; a young man destined to unravel the fabric of his father’s folly, and a sacred feathered Goddess (played by WILLOW), who holds the egg-shaped key to their future."
Alongside the announcement, the duo have shared a spacey, funk-tinged new single, The Golden Egg of Empathy featuring WILLOW, which serves up some hefty bass slaps. It follows on from the record's first single, WAP (What a Predicament), which dropped in January.
The Claypool Lennon Delirium will tour the US from May to July alongside two of Claypool's other projects, Primus and Les Claypool's Flying Frog Brigade. Head here for details.
In related news, Primus will also play a series UK shows in August, including a headline slot at ArcTanGent festival. Tickets for all dates are on sale now.
'The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy' tracklist:
1. Pro-Log
2. WAP (What a Predicament)
3. The Wake Up Call
4. Meat Machines
5. Troll Bait
6. Simplest of Deeds
7. Heart of Chrome
8. Through the Horizon
9. Mantra of the Manatee
10. The Golden Egg of Empathy feat. WILLOW
11. Cliptopia
12. Cliptron Scuttle
13. Melody of Entropy
14. It’s a Wrap
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