Little did we know that when Les Claypool was tapped to compose several songs for the Ninteno Wii video game, Mushroom Men, last year, the work would result in a spur of creativity, and ultimately a brand new-full length studio album. On March 17th, Les will unveil this album with the release of Of Fungi and Foe via Prawn Song Records. The record, which will serve as the followup to 2006′s Of Whale and Woe, will feature 11 tracks, highlighted by an expanded version of “Mushroom Men”, a selection originally featured in the aforementioned video game, as well as “jam session” with Gogol Bordello’s Eugene Hutz on “Bite Out Of Life”.

In support of the release, Claypool has tapped a slew of fellow musicians to take part in what is being billed as “The Oddity Faire – A Mutated Mini Fest”. If you’re confused, don’t worry, just know this. Beginning in early March, Claypool will head out on a month-long tour supported by the likes of O’Death, Saul Williams, DeVotchKa, Yard Dogs Road Show, and Secret Chiefs 3. So yeah, maybe calling it a “mini fest” isn’t that much of a stretch. Tickets for a number of these shows are available now via Ticketmaster.com.

Of Fungi and Foe Tracklist:
01. Mushroom Men
02. Amanitas
03. Red State Girl
04. Booneville Stomp
05. What Would Sir George Martin Do
06. you Can’t Tell Errol Anything
07. Bite Out Of Life (featuring Eugene Hutz)
08. Kazoo
09. Primed by 29
10. Pretty Little Song
11. Rosco

Les Claypool 2009 Tour Dates:
3/04 – San Diego, CA @ House Of Blues *
3/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ House Of Blues *^
3/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Palladium Mutaytor *^
3/08 – Lake Tahoe, NV @ Montbleu Theatre *^
3/10 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom *^
3/11 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo *^
3/13 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Depot ^!
3/14 – Denver, CO @ Fillmore *^!
3/16 – Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont ^!%
3/17 – St. Louis, MO @ Pageant ^!%
3/19 – Minneapolis, MN @ Myth ^!%
3/20 – Milwaukee, WI @Rave ^!%
3/21 – Chicago, IL @ Riviera ^!%
3/22 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora ^!%
3/24 – Toronto, ON @ The Guvernment ^!
3/26 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues ^!@
3/27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory ^!@
3/28 – New York, NY @Terminal 5 ^!@

* = w/ Yard Dogs Road Show
^ = w/ Saul Williams
! = w/ Secret Chief 3
@ = w/ O’Death
% = w/ DeVotchKa