Les and Ler, Union Suit Fans

Larry “Ler” LaLonde performed in his union suit before Les Claypool regularly performed in his. LaLonde preferred white underwear while Claypool chose red.

The boys rocked the house with their band, Primus of San Francisco, California, featuring Claypool, bassist and vocalist, Tim “Herb” Alexander, drummer, and LaLonde, guitarist. Claypool formed the band with two other men in 1984. When those two departed in 1988, Alexander and LaLonde joined. In "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver," LaLonde demonstrated that he was an avid Union Suit Fan in the Limelight. 

Released in 1991, “Jerry” was the first single from the album, Sailing the Seas of Cheese. The song, written by Claypool, was based on a daredevil driving boy he knew in high school named Jerry. Jerry was a speedster, racing around town in his souped up auto. He sped around carving rubber doughnuts in congested teenage hangouts like the local dairy queen, around the high school, and up and down the main drag. He eventually met his end (at least in the song) wrapped around a telephone pole. Even as Claypool and LaLonde later performed frequently in their union suits, it is neither known nor documented whether Jerry ever drove around in his.

Here are some shots of LaLonde in his signature Union Suit: