Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, Primus bassist Les Claypool, and drummer Stewart Copeland, formerly of The Police, performed together for the first time as OYSTERHEAD on Thursday, May 4th, 2000 at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans.
OYSTERHEAD formed when New Orleans-based promoter Superfly Productions approached Claypool about putting a group together for a special one-time concert. Claypool contacted Anastasio, with whom he had been interested in collaborating with since first sitting in with Phish in 1994. Stewart Copeland, who produced a track on Primus' latest release Antipop, was also asked to join the group. The trio made a surprise appearance during a Primus concert at the University of Vermont in Burlington on February 21.
"The Grand Pecking Order," the debut album from these three monsters of music emerged fully formed on October 2, 2001, on Elektra Records. The group conquered the country live for four weeks in October and November.
