Adam Gates - Years With Primus

Years With Primus

Gates is notable as a close friend and a road crew member of the funk metal band Primus. He has appeared in a few of the band's videos, including "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver", "My Name Is Mud", and "Cheesy Home Video". As "Bob Cock" he often made cameo appearances at the band's live shows, usually dressed up as something or someone, e.g. in a chicken suit or as George W. Bush). Gates also had a Primus-related band called "Bob Cock and the Yellow Sock," although Les usually ended up playing the shows because "Bob Cock couldn't make it tonight". It has also been noted that Bob's middle initial is "C" for Cock.

Bob Cock is mentioned in several Primus recordings. In Primus's cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar", unlike the original, "That is really what we think - and by the way, which one's Pink?", the Primus version states, "Of the town you are the talk, and who the hell's this guy they call Bob Cock?" He is also mentioned at the beginning of a live performance of "Groundhog's Day" from the album Suck on This. Before beginning the song, Les Claypool says "Hey hey, Bob Cock here!" A clip of this is also inserted at the end of the same song on the album Frizzle Fry, with heavy delay added.

In the late 90s, Gates killed off the "Cock" character with rumors of a cocaine overdose and a bizarre gerbilling accident in Mexico. On the DVD that accompanies Primus's Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People EP, there is an extra (accessible by entering "7" in the attic) where Bob C. Cock is in heaven (blue backdrop with clouds and a Britney Spears Calendar) doing drugs with Jesus. Gates is credited on the DVD.

Recently, Gates returned as Bob Cock at Primus's New Year's Eve Freak Out. Presumably, he faked his death.