Les Claypool Announces New Claypool Lennon Delirium Album, Shares “Golden Egg of Empathy”

In December, Sean Ono Lennon revealed that he and Les Claypool were teaming up for another Claypool Lennon Delirium album, and now we have more details.

The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy, due May 1st, is an epic concept album that reflects on “morality, mortality, and the warnings of A.I.” It will be available digitally as well as on CD and vinyl, which will come with a 24-page comic book by longtime collaborator Rich Ragsdale. Each chapter of the comic is dedicated to a song, providing an extra dimension to the tale.

Claypool calls the new album the most intense work of his life.

“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,” shares Claypool. “The results are something Shiner and I are very proud of; a relevant concept piece accompanied by a colorful, phantasmic comic book.”

As previously reported, the album centers on the “Paperclip Dilemma,” which holds that giving an advanced computer system a mundane job, such as making paper clips, can lead it to take over the world. A press release delves deeper into the album’s story.

“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),” it explains. “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.”

Part of that story – and the comic’s artwork – is told in the band’s new single, “Golden Egg of Empathy,” which features guest vocals by WILLOW. The track kicks off with Claypool’s signature thumping and plucking, creating an elastic riff that evolves into a funky half-time groove as the band enters. He threads together harmonics and slippery slides between hammer-ons and pull-offs to build a restless, coiled energy. The mid-range forward, almost barking tone set in a minor key reinforces the song’s darker, psychedelic tension. It all anchors the narrative while feeling slightly unhinged – a hallmark of Claypool’s compositional style.

It also signals another Claypool classic album is just around the corner.

The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy is open to pre-order now on CD, vinyl and as a digital download (Apple Music, and Amazon Music). The Claypool Lennon Delirium will be on tour this summer as part of the Claypool Gold Tour, kicking off May 20th. See below for full dates.

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

Claypool Gold 2026 Tour Dates: