Primus (band)
Encyclopedia
Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California
, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool
, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde
and drummer Jay Lane
. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth
, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed the band at the end of 1988. Featuring LaLonde and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander
, Primus recorded their debut, Suck on This
in 1989, followed by four studio albums; Frizzle Fry
, Sailing the Seas of Cheese
, Pork Soda
, and Tales from the Punchbowl
. Alexander left the band in 1996, replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
, and Primus went on to record the original theme song for the TV show South Park
and two more albums, Brown Album
and Antipop
, before declaring a hiatus in 2000.
In 2003, Claypool and LaLonde reunited with Alexander and released a DVD/EP, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
, before touring sporadically through 2009. In 2010, it was announced that Lane had rejoined Primus, replacing Alexander, and the band released their eighth album, Green Naugahyde
, in 2011.
Primus are characterized by their irreverent, quirky approach to music. They have released some of their records on Claypool's Prawn Song Records
label
, the title of which is a parody of Led Zeppelin
's Swan Song
label.
in 1984 with singer and bassist Les Claypool
, guitarist Todd Huth
, and a LinnDrum
drum machine. The duo initially had trouble finding a drummer, until Claypool's friend Vince "Perm" Parker returned home from a stint in the army, and together the three of them recorded their first demo, financed by Claypool selling his car. Primate changed their name to Primus after "about a month" when they were approached by a group called The Primates threatening legal action over the similarity of their names. Parker was soon replaced by the band's second drummer, Peter Libby, who was himself replaced by Robbie Bean, before the band eventually settled on Tim "Curveball" Wright in 1986. After rising to local music scene stardom with their brand of funk metal fusion, reaching the point where they were "selling out Berkeley Square", Wright left Primus in the summer of 1988 to be replaced by Jay Lane
, drummer with the Freaky Executives
, who were "getting dicked around by their record company", as Claypool later described it.
After recording another demo, titled Sausage, Lane left Primus at the end of 1988 when "something good happened" with the Freaky Executives' record deal. Lane was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
, but Huth soon also left the band, wishing to dedicate more time to his family. With no guitarist and Mantia sidelined by a foot injury, Primus was put on hold briefly and Claypool rejoined his former band, Blind Illusion
, who at the time also featured one-time Joe Satriani
student and ex-Possessed
guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde
. Claypool recruited LaLonde to reform Primus together with Tim "Herb" Alexander
, drummer with the Arizona
-based group Major Lingo
, and a month later, the trio recorded their first album: Suck On This
, a live recording culled from two of their Berkeley concerts, funded by a loan from Claypool's father.
In 1990 the band released their first studio album, Frizzle Fry
, and released singles for "John the Fisherman
" and "Too Many Puppies
". With a music video featuring Kirk Hammett
, a studio album and a tour with Jane's Addiction
, Primus' popularity grew to the point where they attracted attention from Interscope Records
, who signed them in 1990.
. The album was supported by the singles "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
" and "Tommy the Cat
", both of which appeared on MTV. A third single, "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
", was also released but did not feature a video. The band appeared as contestants for the Battle of the Bands
in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and made music for a Beavis & Butthead tribute album with a song entitled "Poetry and Prose". With a major label behind them, Sailing the Seas of Cheese went gold. The band then toured in support of Rush
, U2
, Anthrax
, and Public Enemy.
After the release of Sailing the Seas of Cheese, in 1992 Primus released a cover song EP Miscellaneous Debris
, with their version of XTC
's "Making Plans for Nigel" receiving enough airplay to reach #30 on Billboard
's Modern Rock Tracks chart.
In 1993, Primus released Pork Soda
, which managed to debut at #7 on the Billboard Top 10. The album was darker than previous Primus efforts, dealing with murder, suicide, and alienation. The band has commented that prior to recording, they had been touring for nearly two solid years and were thus in a sombre mood. "My Name Is Mud
", "DMV", and "Mr. Krinkle" were singles, the latter made into a video featuring Claypool in a pig suit and tuxedo playing upright bass in an abandoned warehouse as a carnival of oddities parades behind him, including Claypool's wife and her twin sister. Claypool said he put his "heart and soul" into the video, but it received next to no airtime on MTV. In an interview with Guitar World
magazine, Claypool disparaged the channel's unwillingness to air the video, saying "it got played like six times."
Pork Soda was recorded at the bands rehearsal space in San Rafael. The band would subsequently record all of their albums at Les Claypool's home studio called Rancho Relaxo.
In 1993 Primus headlined the alternative rock
festival Lollapalooza
. They also made an appearance at the Woodstock '94
Music Festival. They were pelted with mud while they performed "My Name is Mud" (Claypool claims to still have mud in his speakers). About a minute into the song the band stopped playing, and Claypool said, "Well I opened a big-ass can of worms with that one, didn't I? The song is called 'My Name is Mud', but keep the mud to yourselves you son-of-a-bitch."
The band produced material frequently. In the previous four years they had released three albums, an EP, six music videos, and a home video. To top that all off, they toured with Rush
, who they consider to be one of their biggest influences.
During a lull in 1994, the early Primus lineup consisting of Claypool, Huth, and Lane reunited to record Riddles Are Abound Tonight under the band name Sausage
, named after the demo they had recorded together in 1988. Among the songs they recorded is an early version of "The Toys Go Winding Down", retitled "Toyz 1988". The video for the title track "Riddles Are Abound Tonight" featured the band in blue leotards performing on stationary bicycles.
In 1995 Primus released their fourth album, Tales from the Punchbowl
. It contained Primus's most successful single to date, the Grammy-nominated "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
". The song was accompanied by a video with the band members dressed up in cartoonish plastic cowboy costumes (similar to the suits worn in the then current Duracell battery commercials). The band was invited to perform on David Letterman
and Conan O'Brien
's shows. On the David Letterman show Primus appeared dressed in penguin tuxedos. Two other less successful singles, "Mrs. Blaileen
" and "Southbound Pachyderm
" (the latter of which featured a claymation video that received only minimal airplay on MTV) were also released.
In 1996 Claypool self-produced his first solo album entitled Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel Presents Highball with the Devil
. On this album many of the songs are done solely by Claypool himself. Claypool also employs the help of a number of other musicians. Experimental Bay Area guitarist M.I.R.V.
joined Claypool and others. Performances include a spoken word piece from Henry Rollins
on the song "Delicate Tendrils". This album was recorded at Claypool's home recording studio, Rancho Relaxo.
of Faith No More
, but in the end was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
of Limbomaniacs and Praxis
. Mantia was one of the many drummers Claypool auditioned for the original line-up of Primus before settling with Alexander – Mantia bowed out beforehand because of a foot injury.
With Mantia aboard, Primus was asked in 1996 to compose the theme song to South Park
after the show's creators Trey Parker
and Matt Stone
confessed to being big fans, as Claypool had been an early supporter of their Spirit of Christmas
short. Primus also later contributed to the Chef Aid
album with the song "Mephisto and Kevin".
Brown Album
was released in 1997 and supported by the singles "Shake Hands with Beef" and "Over the Falls". In 1998, the band headlined the inaugural Sno-Core tour with The Aquabats
, Long Beach Dub Allstars
and Blink 182. During this tour, Claypool broke his foot while snowboarding in Salt Lake City.
In late 1998, Primus released the Rhinoplasty EP, which features covers of acts like XTC
, The Police
and Peter Gabriel
. The EP also includes two live recordings of Primus, as well as bonus content accessed through a CD-ROM portion of the CD. It was shortly followed by the video release Videoplasty
.
Antipop
was released in 1999, and was the first album to feature heavy input from outside musicians and producers such as James Hetfield
from Metallica
, Tom Morello
from Rage Against the Machine
and Fred Durst
from Limp Bizkit
. The band toured in support of Antipop with Ozzfest
and Family Values Tour
. The band released a music video for the album's only single, "Lacquer Head", which was banned from MTV because of references to and depictions of drug use, despite the song's anti-drug message.
In 2000 Primus performed a cover of Black Sabbath
s song "N.I.B.
" featuring vocals by Ozzy Osbourne
. The track originally appeared on the album Nativity in Black II: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
. The single hit number two on the Billboard Modern Rock tracks, the band's highest charting single in nearly a decade. The track was also released as part of Ozzy's 2005 Prince of Darkness box set.
After touring to promote Antipop throughout 2000, Primus went on indefinite hiatus in 2001, citing studio mismanagement and general dissatisfaction. In 2011, Claypool elaborated on the band's decision to take a break, saying that:
During this hiatus, Alexander released two albums with the band Laundry and performed with Blue Man Group
, A Perfect Circle
, and Born Naked, among others. Claypool explored the jam band scene with Oysterhead
(featuring friend Trey Anastasio
of Phish
and Stewart Copeland
of The Police
) and his own Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade
(featuring both Huth and Lane). He also collaborated with Brain, Buckethead
and Bernie Worrell
in the group Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
. LaLonde joined Mantia to produce two experimental No Forcefield records, and tried unsuccessfully to start a recording studio.
, which Claypool described as the first DVD with supplementary music, as opposed to the contrary. The band staged a two month tour performing two sets per show, the second consisting of their 1991 release Sailing the Seas of Cheese
in its entirety. 2004 saw them continue touring, this time performing their 1990 release Frizzle Fry in its entirety. For these two tours, the band sold recordings directly recorded from the sound-board online. The performance in Chicago was videotaped and released as a DVD titled Hallucino-Genetics: Live 2004
.
In 2005 the band performed at Lollapalooza
and Vegoose
. Between Primus shows, Claypool created a new solo project called Les Claypool's Fancy Band
which, like other projects, occasionally used Primus songs.
A May 10, 2006 article in IGN
revealed that Primus had signed on with RedOctane
to allow the master recording
of John the Fisherman
to be used in Guitar Hero 2, a game for the PlayStation 2
and .
Primus performed on July 29, 2006 at the first annual Hedgpeth Festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
On October 17, 2006, Primus released both their first greatest hits CD They Can't All Be Zingers, as well as their third DVD Blame It on the Fish: an Abstract Look at the 2003 Primus Tour de Fromage. Containing live footage from the band's 2003 Tour de Fromage, interview segments and behind the scenes footage, the DVD includes a seventy minute feature film and ninety minutes of bonus material, including a thirty minute mockumentary
about the band in the year 2065. Blame it on the Fish was directed by Matthew J. Powers. They Can't All Be Zingers: The Best of Primus includes 16 digitally remastered songs that span the band's career.
In November 2006, Primus commenced another tour which concluded the following month. They played at a few festivals in 2008, including the Rothbury Festival (in Michigan), the Ottawa Blues Fest, the Quebec City Summer Fest, and the Outside Lands Festival (in San Francisco), followed by their first annual Oddity Faire tour in March, 2009. On November 24, 2009, Prawn Song re-released the band's first studio album, Frizzle Fry, on vinyl record
, along with some of Claypool's solo albums.
It was revealed in 2011 that Alexander lacked interest in continuing Primus, despite enthusiasm from LaLonde and Claypool. Claypool hinted that the band could have recorded with Alexander, but that "when we did readdress Primus in '03 and '06, it was more of a nostalgic thing. It was great at the time, but it just didn't have that creative spark as far as moving forward", and thus the reformation instead focused on touring.
on his official message board that former Primus drummer Jay Lane would be leaving his previous band Furthur
to rejoin Primus. On May 3, 2010 Primus announced a new tour with Gogol Bordello
, Wolfmother
, and The Dead Kenny G's. The press release for the tour revealed that the band were looking to "refine their chops before heading into the studio to record their first album of brand new music since 1999's Antipop." Correlating with this announcement, the Primus website was updated with an animation of an elevator with its twelfth floor featuring a stylized question mark, and a sign reading "Primus will be with you shortly", alluding to future plans. In 2011, Claypool elaborated on the band's decision to record an album, stating that "(Lane) coming back has just breathed life back into the project. We did some touring, and we decided, "Let's go make a record," because we were creating things on the road."
On August 5, 2010, Primus released June 2010 Rehearsal
, a free four-track rehearsal EP available for download on their official website. The EP consists of new recordings of previously released Primus songs featuring Jay Lane on drums.
Primus began their second annual Oddity Faire tour on September 14, 2010 with opening acts Portugal. The Man
, Split Lip Rayfield
, Mariachi El Bronx
, The New Orleans Bingo! Show
, Mucca Pazza
and Gogol Bordello
. The Squidling Brothers Circus Sideshow performers also entertained the crowd between bands on select dates. To promote this tour, Primus appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September. The Oddity Faire tour did not include dates in Primus' hometown, the San Francisco Bay Area, because for promotional purposes it was too near to the planned New Year's dates December 30 and 31 in Oakland.
Their song "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
" is included in the video game Rock Band 3
, which was released October 26, 2010.
In interviews conducted backstage at the Soundwave Festival in March 2011, Claypool said of the new Primus album "we've recorded it, we just need to polish it", and that the release date "should be around May or so". He also described the new material as being "very reminiscent of Frizzle Fry". In May, it was revealed that the album was complete and had been named Green Naugahyde
, though the release date was pushed back to July to avoid the holidays. On June 6, a press release was issued announcing that the album would be released by ATO Records
and Prawn Song
on September 13, 2011. A second press release was later issued announcing that the album would be released in Europe on September 12. On August 17, the track "Tragedy's a' Comin'" was made available to stream via the Spin
magazine website, followed by "HOINFODAMAN" on September 1 via the Rolling Stone
site. On September 8, the TV show South Park
made the entire album available for streaming to anybody who "likes" their Facebook
page, including "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers" as a bonus track.
Primus continue to tour throughout 2011, playing a number of dates in North America in May and June, including the Bonnaroo Music Festival
, followed by a tour of Europe from late June to mid July. They then return to America to play a few more music festivals leading into early August, including a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
in Denver, Colorado
with The Flaming Lips
, before embarking on a "major fall tour" in support of the new album.
-funk
meets Don Knotts
, Jr." to "the Freak Brothers
set to music", and has been variously termed alternative rock
, alternative metal
, funk metal
, and progressive metal
. MTV suggests that Primus is "a post-punk
Rush
spiked with the sensibility and humor of Frank Zappa
". Les Claypool
himself once described their music as "psychedelic
polka
." Primus is the only band with its own ID3
genre tag, as extended by Winamp
. Primus' influences include Frank Zappa
, Pink Floyd
, The Residents
, King Crimson
, XTC
and Rush
. Bands that have cited Primus as an influence include Deftones
, Korn
, Limp Bizkit
, Papa Roach
, Incubus
and Muse
.
Former members
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
, currently composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde
Larry LaLonde
Larry "Ler" LaLonde is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Jay Lane...
and drummer Jay Lane
Jay Lane
Jay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth
Todd Huth
Todd Richard Huth is an American guitarist. He is best known as an original member of the band Primus, along with bassist/lyricist Les Claypool....
, later joined by Lane, though the latter two departed the band at the end of 1988. Featuring LaLonde and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander
Tim Alexander
Tim "Herb" Alexander is an American musician, best known as the former drummer for the rock band Primus. Tim played on the Primus recordings Suck on This to Tales from the Punchbowl, before leaving the band in 1996, only to rejoin in 2003 for the EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People...
, Primus recorded their debut, Suck on This
Suck on This
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – bass guitar, vocals*Larry "Ler" LaLonde – guitars*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Bob Cock – producer*Howard Johnston – editing*Tim "Soya" Leroy – stage*Lauren Miller – sound...
in 1989, followed by four studio albums; Frizzle Fry
Frizzle Fry
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, electric fiddle bass, string bass, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, acoustic guitar*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Todd Huth – second acoustic guitar on "Toys"...
, Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Sailing the Seas of Cheese
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, string bass, six-string fretless bass, clarinet, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drums, water jugProduction*Chris Bellman – mastering...
, Pork Soda
Pork Soda
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – basses, mandolin, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Derek Featherstone – engineer*Leslie Gerard-Smith – project coordinator...
, and Tales from the Punchbowl
Tales from the Punchbowl
-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Daniel Gioffre describes the album as "unabashed prog rock... which even the thick dollops of irony that the band seeks to impart to its compositions are unable to mask completely." He also notes that "the high-energy angular rhythms that Primus is...
. Alexander left the band in 1996, replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
Bryan Mantia
Bryan "Brain" Mantia is a contemporary rock drummer. He has played with bands like Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Godflesh, and with other popular performers such as Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead...
, and Primus went on to record the original theme song for the TV show South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
and two more albums, Brown Album
Brown Album
- Personnel :* Les Claypool – bass, vocals* Larry LaLonde – guitar* Bryan "Brain" Mantia – drums* Produced by Primus* Engineered by Les Claypool* Production coordinator: Jill "Galaxy Queen" Rose* Studio assistant: Tim "Soya" Soylan-Critical reception:...
and Antipop
Antipop
Antipop is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Primus, released on October 19, 1999 before their hiatus in 2000-2003. It is also the last album with drummer Bryan Mantia....
, before declaring a hiatus in 2000.
In 2003, Claypool and LaLonde reunited with Alexander and released a DVD/EP, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People is a career-spanning retrospective DVD plus bonus EP by Primus, released on October 7, 2003. The title was inspired by a crayon-made story book written by guitarist Larry LaLonde's son, and the cover depicts a sculpture made by long-time Primus collaborator...
, before touring sporadically through 2009. In 2010, it was announced that Lane had rejoined Primus, replacing Alexander, and the band released their eighth album, Green Naugahyde
Green Naugahyde
Green Naugahyde is the seventh studio album by alternative rock group Primus, released by ATO Records and Prawn Song on September 12, 2011 in Europe, and on September 13, 2011 in the United States...
, in 2011.
Primus are characterized by their irreverent, quirky approach to music. They have released some of their records on Claypool's Prawn Song Records
Prawn Song Records
Prawn Song Records is the record label owned by Les Claypool of Primus. The name and logo are a parody of Led Zeppelin's famous label Swan Song Records.The label was created in 1989 for the initial limited release of the Primus live album Suck On This...
label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, the title of which is a parody of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's Swan Song
Swan Song Records
Swan Song Records was a record label launched by the English rock band Led Zeppelin on 10 May 1974. It was overseen by Led Zeppelin's manager Peter Grant and was a vehicle for the band to promote its own products as well as sign artists who found it difficult to win contracts with other major labels...
label.
The early years and Frizzle Fry (1984–1990)
Primus began as Primate in El Sobrante, CaliforniaEl Sobrante, California
El Sobrante is a census-designated place in Contra Costa County, California, United States. The population was 12,669 at the 2010 census...
in 1984 with singer and bassist Les Claypool
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
, guitarist Todd Huth
Todd Huth
Todd Richard Huth is an American guitarist. He is best known as an original member of the band Primus, along with bassist/lyricist Les Claypool....
, and a LinnDrum
LinnDrum
The LinnDrum is a drum machine manufactured by Linn Electronics. It was released in 1982 as a successor to the Linn LM-1. The LinnDrum has 15 drum sounds sampled from real drums, a sequencer for programming rhythm patterns and five trigger inputs....
drum machine. The duo initially had trouble finding a drummer, until Claypool's friend Vince "Perm" Parker returned home from a stint in the army, and together the three of them recorded their first demo, financed by Claypool selling his car. Primate changed their name to Primus after "about a month" when they were approached by a group called The Primates threatening legal action over the similarity of their names. Parker was soon replaced by the band's second drummer, Peter Libby, who was himself replaced by Robbie Bean, before the band eventually settled on Tim "Curveball" Wright in 1986. After rising to local music scene stardom with their brand of funk metal fusion, reaching the point where they were "selling out Berkeley Square", Wright left Primus in the summer of 1988 to be replaced by Jay Lane
Jay Lane
Jay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
, drummer with the Freaky Executives
Freaky Executives
The Freaky Executives were a 1980s ska funk musical group based in the Berkeley, California area. They were a winner of a "Bammie" . The band was founded by singer Piero Ornelas and Michael Maung...
, who were "getting dicked around by their record company", as Claypool later described it.
After recording another demo, titled Sausage, Lane left Primus at the end of 1988 when "something good happened" with the Freaky Executives' record deal. Lane was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
Bryan Mantia
Bryan "Brain" Mantia is a contemporary rock drummer. He has played with bands like Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Godflesh, and with other popular performers such as Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead...
, but Huth soon also left the band, wishing to dedicate more time to his family. With no guitarist and Mantia sidelined by a foot injury, Primus was put on hold briefly and Claypool rejoined his former band, Blind Illusion
Blind Illusion
Blind Illusion is an American progressive thrash metal band from Richmond, California. Formed in 1979 by lead guitarist and main songwriter Marc Biedermann, the band had an extremely unstable lineup and went through several stylistic changes during their time...
, who at the time also featured one-time Joe Satriani
Joe Satriani
Joseph "Joe" Satriani is an American instrumental rock guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, with multiple Grammy Award nominations...
student and ex-Possessed
Possessed (band)
Possessed is an American death metal band, originally formed in 1983. Noted for their fast style of playing and Jeff Becerra's guttural vocals, they are routinely called the first band in the death metal genre...
guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde
Larry LaLonde
Larry "Ler" LaLonde is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Jay Lane...
. Claypool recruited LaLonde to reform Primus together with Tim "Herb" Alexander
Tim Alexander
Tim "Herb" Alexander is an American musician, best known as the former drummer for the rock band Primus. Tim played on the Primus recordings Suck on This to Tales from the Punchbowl, before leaving the band in 1996, only to rejoin in 2003 for the EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People...
, drummer with the Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
-based group Major Lingo
Major Lingo
Major Lingo is a band from Jerome, Arizona, founded in 1982, and still active today. Current band members include original members Tony Bruno on slide guitar and John Ziegler on rhythm guitar and vocals; and more recent additions Sally Stricker on bass and vocals, and Steve Botterweg on drums and...
, and a month later, the trio recorded their first album: Suck On This
Suck on This
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – bass guitar, vocals*Larry "Ler" LaLonde – guitars*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Bob Cock – producer*Howard Johnston – editing*Tim "Soya" Leroy – stage*Lauren Miller – sound...
, a live recording culled from two of their Berkeley concerts, funded by a loan from Claypool's father.
In 1990 the band released their first studio album, Frizzle Fry
Frizzle Fry
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, electric fiddle bass, string bass, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, acoustic guitar*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Todd Huth – second acoustic guitar on "Toys"...
, and released singles for "John the Fisherman
John the Fisherman
"John the Fisherman" is the first single by the alternative rock band Primus, released first live in 1989 on Suck on This, then re-released a year later, this time studio recorded, on Frizzle Fry....
" and "Too Many Puppies
Too Many Puppies
"Too Many Puppies" is a single from the band Primus and the second single from their 1990 studio debut album Frizzle Fry. It was the first Primus song bassist and lead singer Les Claypool ever composed...
". With a music video featuring Kirk Hammett
Kirk Hammett
Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and a songwriter in the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, Hammett was ranked 11th on Rolling Stones list of The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
, a studio album and a tour with Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction is an American alternative rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985. The band's original line-up featured Perry Farrell , Dave Navarro , Eric Avery and Stephen Perkins . After breaking up in 1991, Jane's Addiction briefly reunited in 1997 and again in 2001, both times...
, Primus' popularity grew to the point where they attracted attention from Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
, who signed them in 1990.
Seas of Cheese, Pork Soda and Punchbowl (1991–1996)
Primus' major label debut was the album Sailing the Seas of CheeseSailing the Seas of Cheese
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, string bass, six-string fretless bass, clarinet, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drums, water jugProduction*Chris Bellman – mastering...
. The album was supported by the singles "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
"Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" is the first single of Primus's 1991 album Sailing the Seas of Cheese. The song tells the stories of two characters, Jerry, an ill-fated race car driver who collides with a telephone pole while driving intoxicated and Captain Pierce, a retired fireman.-Composition and...
" and "Tommy the Cat
Tommy the Cat
"Tommy the Cat" is a song by the funk metal band Primus, first released in 1989 on their live first album, Suck on This. The studio version was released on their third album, Sailing the Seas of Cheese....
", both of which appeared on MTV. A third single, "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers
Those Damned Blue Collar Tweekers
"Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers" is the third single off Primus's 1991 album Sailing the Seas of Cheese. Unlike its preceding singles "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" and "Tommy the Cat", "Tweekers" did not feature an accompanying video...
", was also released but did not feature a video. The band appeared as contestants for the Battle of the Bands
Battle of the Bands
Battle of Bands is a contest in which two or more bands compete for the title of "best band". The winner is determined by a panel of judges, the general response of the audience, or a combination. The winning band usually receives a prize in addition to bragging rights. Traditionally, battles of...
in Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey and made music for a Beavis & Butthead tribute album with a song entitled "Poetry and Prose". With a major label behind them, Sailing the Seas of Cheese went gold. The band then toured in support of Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, and Public Enemy.
After the release of Sailing the Seas of Cheese, in 1992 Primus released a cover song EP Miscellaneous Debris
Miscellaneous Debris
-Credits:*Les Claypool - bass guitar, vocals*Larry "Ler" LaLonde - guitars, synthesizer*Tim "Herb" Alexander - drums, percussion-Singles:Billboard...
, with their version of XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
's "Making Plans for Nigel" receiving enough airplay to reach #30 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Modern Rock Tracks chart.
In 1993, Primus released Pork Soda
Pork Soda
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – basses, mandolin, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Derek Featherstone – engineer*Leslie Gerard-Smith – project coordinator...
, which managed to debut at #7 on the Billboard Top 10. The album was darker than previous Primus efforts, dealing with murder, suicide, and alienation. The band has commented that prior to recording, they had been touring for nearly two solid years and were thus in a sombre mood. "My Name Is Mud
My Name Is Mud
"My Name Is Mud" is a song by alternative rock/metal band Primus and is the first single from the 1993 album Pork Soda. The lyrics are written from the point of view of a blue-collar man, Alowishus Devadander Abercrombie, who has murdered his friend after an argument...
", "DMV", and "Mr. Krinkle" were singles, the latter made into a video featuring Claypool in a pig suit and tuxedo playing upright bass in an abandoned warehouse as a carnival of oddities parades behind him, including Claypool's wife and her twin sister. Claypool said he put his "heart and soul" into the video, but it received next to no airtime on MTV. In an interview with Guitar World
Guitar World
Guitar World is a monthly music magazine devoted to guitarists. It contains original interviews, album and gear reviews and guitar and bass tablature of approximately five songs each month. The magazine is published 13 times per year...
magazine, Claypool disparaged the channel's unwillingness to air the video, saying "it got played like six times."
Pork Soda was recorded at the bands rehearsal space in San Rafael. The band would subsequently record all of their albums at Les Claypool's home studio called Rancho Relaxo.
In 1993 Primus headlined the alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
festival Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
. They also made an appearance at the Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94
Woodstock '94, often called the "commercial Woodstock" or "Mudstock", was a music festival organized to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock Festival of 1969...
Music Festival. They were pelted with mud while they performed "My Name is Mud" (Claypool claims to still have mud in his speakers). About a minute into the song the band stopped playing, and Claypool said, "Well I opened a big-ass can of worms with that one, didn't I? The song is called 'My Name is Mud', but keep the mud to yourselves you son-of-a-bitch."
The band produced material frequently. In the previous four years they had released three albums, an EP, six music videos, and a home video. To top that all off, they toured with Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
, who they consider to be one of their biggest influences.
During a lull in 1994, the early Primus lineup consisting of Claypool, Huth, and Lane reunited to record Riddles Are Abound Tonight under the band name Sausage
Sausage (band)
-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Bret Love compared the album to Primus' output favourably in some respects, describing Sausage as "a tighter, more focused groove machine" with a "more accessible sound", but also noted that the lack of "instrumental virtuosity, strange time...
, named after the demo they had recorded together in 1988. Among the songs they recorded is an early version of "The Toys Go Winding Down", retitled "Toyz 1988". The video for the title track "Riddles Are Abound Tonight" featured the band in blue leotards performing on stationary bicycles.
In 1995 Primus released their fourth album, Tales from the Punchbowl
Tales from the Punchbowl
-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Daniel Gioffre describes the album as "unabashed prog rock... which even the thick dollops of irony that the band seeks to impart to its compositions are unable to mask completely." He also notes that "the high-energy angular rhythms that Primus is...
. It contained Primus's most successful single to date, the Grammy-nominated "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
Wynona's Big Brown Beaver
"Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" is the first single off Primus's 1995 album Tales from the Punchbowl.-Music and lyrics:The song epitomizes Primus's musical eccentricities, whereby the group's signature funk metal stylings are comically inflected with a sound vaguely reminiscent of bluegrass and...
". The song was accompanied by a video with the band members dressed up in cartoonish plastic cowboy costumes (similar to the suits worn in the then current Duracell battery commercials). The band was invited to perform on David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
and Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
's shows. On the David Letterman show Primus appeared dressed in penguin tuxedos. Two other less successful singles, "Mrs. Blaileen
Mrs. Blaileen
"Mrs. Blaileen" is a song by Primus from their 1995 album Tales from the Punchbowl. The song is a mix of heavy metal, progressive rock, and funk, and features a rapidly alternating bass line, constantly switching between low notes and higher chords....
" and "Southbound Pachyderm
Southbound Pachyderm
"Southbound Pachyderm" is a song by Primus, from their album Tales from the Punchbowl.-Track listing:# "Southbound Pachyderm " - 4:00# "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" - 4:24# "Jerry Was A Race Car Driver" - 3:11...
" (the latter of which featured a claymation video that received only minimal airplay on MTV) were also released.
In 1996 Claypool self-produced his first solo album entitled Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel Presents Highball with the Devil
Highball with the Devil
Highball with the Devil is a studio album by Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel, released in 1996. "Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel" is Claypool's first solo effort; many of the instruments on the album are played by Claypool himself including guitar, most of the drums and vocals as well as all...
. On this album many of the songs are done solely by Claypool himself. Claypool also employs the help of a number of other musicians. Experimental Bay Area guitarist M.I.R.V.
M.I.R.V.
M.I.R.V. is a band based in the San Francisco, California, Bay Area. Founded in 1994, it initially consisted of the band's namesake guitarist and singer Marc "Mirv" Haggard, bassist Craig McFarland, drummer Jeff Gomes, and guitarist Bryan Kehoe, who also contributed vocals and keyboards...
joined Claypool and others. Performances include a spoken word piece from Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins
Henry Rollins is an American singer-songwriter, spoken word artist, writer, comedian, publisher, actor, and radio DJ....
on the song "Delicate Tendrils". This album was recorded at Claypool's home recording studio, Rancho Relaxo.
Brown Album, Antipop and hiatus (1997–2002)
Disturbed by their sudden fame, Primus gradually began to disown "Wynona". It would not be long before Claypool stated that they would stop playing it altogether. Nonetheless, Alexander left the band in 1996. Rumored replacements for Alexander included Mike BordinMike Bordin
Mike Bordin is the co-founder and drummer of rock band Faith No More. He is also known for playing with Ozzy Osbourne. As a left-handed drummer, he notably plays with a right-handed kit with his ride cymbal on the left...
of Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
, but in the end was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia
Bryan Mantia
Bryan "Brain" Mantia is a contemporary rock drummer. He has played with bands like Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Godflesh, and with other popular performers such as Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead...
of Limbomaniacs and Praxis
Praxis (band)
Praxis was the name of an ever-changing musical project, led by prolific producer Bill Laswell. Praxis combine elements of different musical genres such as funk, jazz, hip-hop and heavy metal into highly improvised music...
. Mantia was one of the many drummers Claypool auditioned for the original line-up of Primus before settling with Alexander – Mantia bowed out beforehand because of a foot injury.
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
after the show's creators Trey Parker
Trey Parker
Trey Parker is an American animator, screenwriter, director, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of the television series South Park along with his creative partner and best friend Matt Stone.Parker started his film career in 1992, making a holiday short...
and Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Matthew Richard "Matt" Stone is an American screenwriter, producer, voice artist, musician and actor, best known for being the co-creator of South Park along with creative partner and best friend, Trey Parker....
confessed to being big fans, as Claypool had been an early supporter of their Spirit of Christmas
The Spirit of Christmas (short film)
The Spirit of Christmas is the name of two different animated short films made by Trey Parker and Matt Stone. They are notable for being precursors to the animated series South Park. To differentiate the two, they are often referred to as Jesus vs. Frosty and Jesus vs. Santa .- Jesus vs. Frosty...
short. Primus also later contributed to the Chef Aid
Chef Aid: The South Park Album
-Episode reference:- Singles :* "Chocolate Salty Balls "CD1# "Chocolate Salty Balls " - Performed By Chef# "Oh Holy Night" - Performed By Eric Cartman...
album with the song "Mephisto and Kevin".
Brown Album
Brown Album
- Personnel :* Les Claypool – bass, vocals* Larry LaLonde – guitar* Bryan "Brain" Mantia – drums* Produced by Primus* Engineered by Les Claypool* Production coordinator: Jill "Galaxy Queen" Rose* Studio assistant: Tim "Soya" Soylan-Critical reception:...
was released in 1997 and supported by the singles "Shake Hands with Beef" and "Over the Falls". In 1998, the band headlined the inaugural Sno-Core tour with The Aquabats
The Aquabats
The Aquabats are an American rock band formed in 1994 in Orange County, California. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally. They are best known for their mythology, in which they claim to be superheroes on a quest to save the world from evil through music...
, Long Beach Dub Allstars
Long Beach Dub Allstars
The Long Beach Dub Allstars were a dub reggae/ska/rock band formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2002.-History:Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh met in childhood and later started their first garage punk band, consisting of drums, bass and vocals. They later formed Sublime with Brad Nowell...
and Blink 182. During this tour, Claypool broke his foot while snowboarding in Salt Lake City.
In late 1998, Primus released the Rhinoplasty EP, which features covers of acts like XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
and Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
. The EP also includes two live recordings of Primus, as well as bonus content accessed through a CD-ROM portion of the CD. It was shortly followed by the video release Videoplasty
Videoplasty
Videoplasty is the third home video by Primus, following 1993's Cheesy Home Video and the fan club exclusive Horrible Swill. Videoplasty was released at the end of 1998 to compliment to the band's recent covers EP Rhinoplasty, and is composed mostly of highlights from a live show performed on...
.
Antipop
Antipop
Antipop is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Primus, released on October 19, 1999 before their hiatus in 2000-2003. It is also the last album with drummer Bryan Mantia....
was released in 1999, and was the first album to feature heavy input from outside musicians and producers such as James Hetfield
James Hetfield
James Alan Hetfield is the rhythm guitarist, co-founder, main songwriter, and lead vocalist for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Hetfield co-founded Metallica in October 1981 after answering a classified advertisement by drummer Lars Ulrich in the Los Angeles newspaper The Recycler,...
from Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Tom Morello
Tom Morello
Thomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
from Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
and Fred Durst
Fred Durst
William Frederick "Fred" Durst is an American musician, director, producer and actor, well known as the frontman of the band Limp Bizkit.-Early life:...
from Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
. The band toured in support of Antipop with Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
and Family Values Tour
Family Values Tour
The Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
. The band released a music video for the album's only single, "Lacquer Head", which was banned from MTV because of references to and depictions of drug use, despite the song's anti-drug message.
In 2000 Primus performed a cover of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
s song "N.I.B.
N.I.B.
"N.I.B." is a song released by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It first appeared as the fourth track on the band's 1970 eponymous debut album, Black Sabbath. The lyrics are in the first person from the point of view of Lucifer...
" featuring vocals by Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
. The track originally appeared on the album Nativity in Black II: A Tribute to Black Sabbath
Nativity in Black
Nativity in Black is the name of two Black Sabbath tribute albums that came out in the 1990s and 2000s. The albums were recorded with various heavy metal bands paying tribute to Black Sabbath for their influence on the heavy metal genre of rock music....
. The single hit number two on the Billboard Modern Rock tracks, the band's highest charting single in nearly a decade. The track was also released as part of Ozzy's 2005 Prince of Darkness box set.
After touring to promote Antipop throughout 2000, Primus went on indefinite hiatus in 2001, citing studio mismanagement and general dissatisfaction. In 2011, Claypool elaborated on the band's decision to take a break, saying that:
"The end of the Nineties was an unhappy Primus camp. I hit a creative stagnation that wasn't helping us forward, and the personal elements, it just was time to stop. And I had been asked for many years, "How long can Primus go on?" And I always said, "I'll do it until it's not fun anymore." And it just wasn't fun anymore on many different levels."
During this hiatus, Alexander released two albums with the band Laundry and performed with Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group is an organization founded by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton. The organization produces theatrical shows and concerts featuring popular music, comedy and multimedia; recorded music and scores for film and television; television appearances for shows such as The Tonight...
, A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle
A Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
, and Born Naked, among others. Claypool explored the jam band scene with Oysterhead
Oysterhead
Oysterhead is an alternative rock supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool of Primus, guitarist Trey Anastasio of Phish and drummer Stewart Copeland of The Police, with all three providing vocals...
(featuring friend Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
of Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
and Stewart Copeland
Stewart Copeland
Stewart Armstrong Copeland is an American musician, best known as the drummer for the band The Police. During the group's extended hiatus from the mid-1980s to 2007, he played in other bands and composed soundtracks...
of The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
) and his own Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade
Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade
Colonel Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade is one of many musical projects involving Primus bassist Les Claypool. The original band was formed in summer 2000 and consisted of: Les Claypool , Todd Huth , Jay Lane , Jeff Chimenti , Skerik , and Eenor...
(featuring both Huth and Lane). He also collaborated with Brain, Buckethead
Buckethead
Brian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
and Bernie Worrell
Bernie Worrell
George Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic...
in the group Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains
Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains was an experimental supergroup featuring bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Buckethead, keyboardist Bernie Worrell and drummer Bryan "Brain" Mantia.-History:...
. LaLonde joined Mantia to produce two experimental No Forcefield records, and tried unsuccessfully to start a recording studio.
Reformation (2003–2009)
In late 2003, Primus reunited with Tim Alexander on drums to record a five track EP. Released alongside a DVD containing the band's music videos and clips from live performances, the resulting package was titled Animals Should Not Try to Act Like PeopleAnimals Should Not Try to Act Like People
Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People is a career-spanning retrospective DVD plus bonus EP by Primus, released on October 7, 2003. The title was inspired by a crayon-made story book written by guitarist Larry LaLonde's son, and the cover depicts a sculpture made by long-time Primus collaborator...
, which Claypool described as the first DVD with supplementary music, as opposed to the contrary. The band staged a two month tour performing two sets per show, the second consisting of their 1991 release Sailing the Seas of Cheese
Sailing the Seas of Cheese
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, string bass, six-string fretless bass, clarinet, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drums, water jugProduction*Chris Bellman – mastering...
in its entirety. 2004 saw them continue touring, this time performing their 1990 release Frizzle Fry in its entirety. For these two tours, the band sold recordings directly recorded from the sound-board online. The performance in Chicago was videotaped and released as a DVD titled Hallucino-Genetics: Live 2004
Hallucino-Genetics
-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – bass, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar*Tim Alexander – drumsProduction*Zoltron – producer*David Lefkowitz – management*Jesse Rice – project coordinatorMedia...
.
In 2005 the band performed at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
and Vegoose
Vegoose
Vegoose was an annual Halloween music and arts festival that took place in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unlike the Bonnaroo Music Festival — put on by the same organizers, Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment — Vegoose does not offer on-site camping...
. Between Primus shows, Claypool created a new solo project called Les Claypool's Fancy Band
Les Claypool's Fancy Band
Les Claypool's Fancy Band was a lineup of musicians on tour with Les Claypool from 2005 to 2008. The band consisted of Claypool on bass, Skerik on tenor and baritone saxophone, Mike Dillon on vibraphone, marimba, tabla, cuíca and percussion, Gabby La La on sitar, ukulele and theremin and Paulo...
which, like other projects, occasionally used Primus songs.
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
revealed that Primus had signed on with RedOctane
RedOctane
RedOctane was an American electronic entertainment company perhaps best known for producing the Guitar Hero series beginning in November 2005. RedOctane became a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision in 2006...
to allow the master recording
Master recording
A multitrack recording master tape, disk or computer files on which productions are developed for later mixing, is known as the multi-track master, while the tape, disk or computer files holding a mix is called a mixed master.It is standard practice to make a copy of a master recording, known as...
of John the Fisherman
John the Fisherman
"John the Fisherman" is the first single by the alternative rock band Primus, released first live in 1989 on Suck on This, then re-released a year later, this time studio recorded, on Frizzle Fry....
to be used in Guitar Hero 2, a game for the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and .
Primus performed on July 29, 2006 at the first annual Hedgpeth Festival in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.
On October 17, 2006, Primus released both their first greatest hits CD They Can't All Be Zingers, as well as their third DVD Blame It on the Fish: an Abstract Look at the 2003 Primus Tour de Fromage. Containing live footage from the band's 2003 Tour de Fromage, interview segments and behind the scenes footage, the DVD includes a seventy minute feature film and ninety minutes of bonus material, including a thirty minute mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
about the band in the year 2065. Blame it on the Fish was directed by Matthew J. Powers. They Can't All Be Zingers: The Best of Primus includes 16 digitally remastered songs that span the band's career.
In November 2006, Primus commenced another tour which concluded the following month. They played at a few festivals in 2008, including the Rothbury Festival (in Michigan), the Ottawa Blues Fest, the Quebec City Summer Fest, and the Outside Lands Festival (in San Francisco), followed by their first annual Oddity Faire tour in March, 2009. On November 24, 2009, Prawn Song re-released the band's first studio album, Frizzle Fry, on vinyl record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, along with some of Claypool's solo albums.
It was revealed in 2011 that Alexander lacked interest in continuing Primus, despite enthusiasm from LaLonde and Claypool. Claypool hinted that the band could have recorded with Alexander, but that "when we did readdress Primus in '03 and '06, it was more of a nostalgic thing. It was great at the time, but it just didn't have that creative spark as far as moving forward", and thus the reformation instead focused on touring.
Green Naugahyde (2010–present)
On March 18, 2010 it was announced by Phil LeshPhil Lesh
Phillip Chapman Lesh is a musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career....
on his official message board that former Primus drummer Jay Lane would be leaving his previous band Furthur
Furthur (band)
Furthur is a rock band founded in 2009 by former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh. The original lineup also included John Kadlecik of the Dark Star Orchestra on lead guitar, Jeff Chimenti of RatDog on keyboards, Jay Lane of RatDog on percussion, and Joe Russo of the Benevento/Russo Duo...
to rejoin Primus. On May 3, 2010 Primus announced a new tour with Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello is a Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, formed in 1999 and known for theatrical stage shows and persistent touring.Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music...
, Wolfmother
Wolfmother
Wolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
, and The Dead Kenny G's. The press release for the tour revealed that the band were looking to "refine their chops before heading into the studio to record their first album of brand new music since 1999's Antipop." Correlating with this announcement, the Primus website was updated with an animation of an elevator with its twelfth floor featuring a stylized question mark, and a sign reading "Primus will be with you shortly", alluding to future plans. In 2011, Claypool elaborated on the band's decision to record an album, stating that "(Lane) coming back has just breathed life back into the project. We did some touring, and we decided, "Let's go make a record," because we were creating things on the road."
On August 5, 2010, Primus released June 2010 Rehearsal
June 2010 Rehearsal
June 2010 Rehearsal is an extended play by alternative rock band Primus released on August 5, 2010 worldwide. The EP has been released digitally from Primus' official website for free...
, a free four-track rehearsal EP available for download on their official website. The EP consists of new recordings of previously released Primus songs featuring Jay Lane on drums.
Primus began their second annual Oddity Faire tour on September 14, 2010 with opening acts Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man
Portugal. The Man is an American psychedelic rock band based in Portland, Oregon, but originally from Wasilla, Alaska. The group released their first two albums with Fearless Records. They also released material on their own imprint Approaching AIRballoons through indie label Equal Vision Records...
, Split Lip Rayfield
Split Lip Rayfield
Split Lip Rayfield is a vocal and acoustic instrumental group from Wichita, Kansas. Though they are sometimes classified as a bluegrass, alt-country or cowpunk band, their music draws on a wide array of influences.-History:...
, Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx is the fourth studio album by the Los Angeles rock band The Bronx, released on September 1, 2009 through Swami Records in the United States and Wichita Recordings in the United Kingdom. It marks a divergence from the band's usual hardcore punk and hard rock sound in favor of a...
, The New Orleans Bingo! Show
The New Orleans Bingo! Show
The New Orleans Bingo! Show is an interactive theatrical cabaret and musical band from New Orleans, Louisiana. The show features original music by New Orleans singer and songwriter Clint Maedgen who created the show in 2002. The show also features original short films, comedic skits and a live game...
, Mucca Pazza
Mucca Pazza
Mucca Pazza is a 30 piece self-described "circus punk marching band" based in Chicago. The band, whose name comes from the Italian for "crazy cow," has been performing in and around the Chicago area for over seven years. Their repertoire ranges from Balkan-brass to covers of 60's television show...
and Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello
Gogol Bordello is a Gypsy punk band from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, formed in 1999 and known for theatrical stage shows and persistent touring.Much of the band's sound is inspired by Gypsy music...
. The Squidling Brothers Circus Sideshow performers also entertained the crowd between bands on select dates. To promote this tour, Primus appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September. The Oddity Faire tour did not include dates in Primus' hometown, the San Francisco Bay Area, because for promotional purposes it was too near to the planned New Year's dates December 30 and 31 in Oakland.
Their song "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
Jerry Was a Race Car Driver
"Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" is the first single of Primus's 1991 album Sailing the Seas of Cheese. The song tells the stories of two characters, Jerry, an ill-fated race car driver who collides with a telephone pole while driving intoxicated and Captain Pierce, a retired fireman.-Composition and...
" is included in the video game Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3
Rock Band 3 is a music video game, developed by Harmonix Music Systems. The game was initially published and distributed by MTV Games and Electronic Arts, respectively, with Mad Catz taking over both roles a year later. It is the third main game in the Rock Band series...
, which was released October 26, 2010.
In interviews conducted backstage at the Soundwave Festival in March 2011, Claypool said of the new Primus album "we've recorded it, we just need to polish it", and that the release date "should be around May or so". He also described the new material as being "very reminiscent of Frizzle Fry". In May, it was revealed that the album was complete and had been named Green Naugahyde
Green Naugahyde
Green Naugahyde is the seventh studio album by alternative rock group Primus, released by ATO Records and Prawn Song on September 12, 2011 in Europe, and on September 13, 2011 in the United States...
, though the release date was pushed back to July to avoid the holidays. On June 6, a press release was issued announcing that the album would be released by ATO Records
ATO Records
According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records...
and Prawn Song
Prawn Song Records
Prawn Song Records is the record label owned by Les Claypool of Primus. The name and logo are a parody of Led Zeppelin's famous label Swan Song Records.The label was created in 1989 for the initial limited release of the Primus live album Suck On This...
on September 13, 2011. A second press release was later issued announcing that the album would be released in Europe on September 12. On August 17, the track "Tragedy's a' Comin'" was made available to stream via the Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
magazine website, followed by "HOINFODAMAN" on September 1 via the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
site. On September 8, the TV show South Park
South Park
South Park is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language, surreal, satirical, and dark humor that lampoons a wide range of topics...
made the entire album available for streaming to anybody who "likes" their Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page, including "Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers" as a bonus track.
Primus continue to tour throughout 2011, playing a number of dates in North America in May and June, including the Bonnaroo Music Festival
Bonnaroo Music Festival
The Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is an annual four day music festival created and produced by Superfly Productions and AC Entertainment, held at Great Stage Park on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. It hosted its tenth annual event June 9–12, 2011...
, followed by a tour of Europe from late June to mid July. They then return to America to play a few more music festivals leading into early August, including a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is a rock structure near Morrison, Colorado, where concerts are given in the open-air amphitheatre. There is a large, tilted, disc-shaped rock behind the stage, a huge vertical rock angled outwards from stage right, several large outcrops angled outwards from stage left and a...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
with The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, before embarking on a "major fall tour" in support of the new album.
Musical style and influences
Primus' musical style is difficult to define. Primus has been called everything from "thrashThrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
-funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
meets Don Knotts
Don Knotts
Jesse Donald "Don" Knotts was an American comedic actor best known for his portrayal of Barney Fife on the 1960s television sitcom The Andy Griffith Show, a role which earned him five Emmy Awards...
, Jr." to "the Freak Brothers
Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers
The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers are a trio of underground comic strip characters created by the U.S. artist Gilbert Shelton. The Freak Brothers first appeared in The Rag, an underground newspaper published in Austin, Texas, beginning in May 1968; and were regularly reprinted in underground papers...
set to music", and has been variously termed alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, alternative metal
Alternative metal
Alternative metal is a genre of alternative rock and heavy metal that gained popularity in the early 1990s. Most notably, alternative metal bands are characterized by heavy guitar riffs and experimental approaches to heavy music.-Origins:...
, funk metal
Funk metal
Funk metal is a subgenre of funk rock that fuses elements of heavy metal and funk. Allmusic has claimed that "funk metal evolved in the mid-'80s when alternative bands like the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Infectious Grooves, Mordred and Fishbone began playing the hybrid with a stronger...
, and progressive metal
Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
. MTV suggests that Primus is "a post-punk
Post-punk
Post-punk is a rock music movement with its roots in the late 1970s, following on the heels of the initial punk rock explosion of the mid-1970s. The genre retains its roots in the punk movement but is more introverted, complex and experimental...
Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
spiked with the sensibility and humor of Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
". Les Claypool
Les Claypool
Leslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
himself once described their music as "psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
polka
Polka
The polka is a Central European dance and also a genre of dance music familiar throughout Europe and the Americas. It originated in the middle of the 19th century in Bohemia...
." Primus is the only band with its own ID3
ID3
ID3 is a metadata container most often used in conjunction with the MP3 audio file format. It allows information such as the title, artist, album, track number, and other information about the file to be stored in the file itself....
genre tag, as extended by Winamp
Winamp
Winamp is a media player for Windows-based PCs and Android devices, written by Nullsoft, now a subsidiary of AOL. It is proprietary freeware/shareware, multi-format, extensible with plug-ins and skins, and is noted for its graphical sound visualization, playlist, and media library features.Winamp...
. Primus' influences include Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, The Residents
The Residents
The Residents is an American art collective best known for avant-garde music and multimedia works. The first official release under the name of The Residents was in 1972, and the group has since released over sixty albums, numerous music videos and short films, three CD-ROM projects and ten DVDs....
, King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
, XTC
XTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
and Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
. Bands that have cited Primus as an influence include Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
, Korn
Korn
Korn is an American nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993. The current band line up includes four members: Jonathan Davis, James "Munky" Shaffer, Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu, and Ray Luzier. The band was formed as an expansion of L.A.P.D.The band released their first demo album,...
, Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit
Limp Bizkit is an American rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. Formed in 1995, the group's lineup consists of Fred Durst , Wes Borland , Sam Rivers , John Otto and DJ Lethal . The band achieved mainstream success with their second studio album Significant Other, released in 1999...
, Papa Roach
Papa Roach
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
, Incubus
Incubus (band)
Incubus is an American rock band from Calabasas, California. The band was formed in 1991 by vocalist Brandon Boyd, lead guitarist Mike Einziger, and drummer Jose Pasillas while enrolled in high school and later expanded to include bassist Alex "Dirk Lance" Katunich, and Gavin "DJ Lyfe" Koppell;...
and Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
.
Band members
Current members- Les ClaypoolLes ClaypoolLeslie Edward "Les" Claypool is an American musician and writer, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist in the band Primus. Claypool's playing style on the electric bass mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends and slapping.Claypool has also self produced and engineered his...
– lead vocals, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1984–2000, 2003–present) - Larry "Ler" LaLondeLarry LaLondeLarry "Ler" LaLonde is a guitarist who currently plays in Primus along with Les Claypool and Jay Lane...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, backing vocals (1989–2000, 2003–present) - Jay LaneJay LaneJay Lane is an American drummer from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is currently a member of Primus, as well as Bob Weir's RatDog, Scaring the Children with Weir and Rob Wasserman, and the hip hop/jazz fusion group Alphabet Soup. In 2002, Lane was named "drummer of the year" by the California...
– drums, backing vocals (1988, 2010–present)
Former members
- Todd HuthTodd HuthTodd Richard Huth is an American guitarist. He is best known as an original member of the band Primus, along with bassist/lyricist Les Claypool....
– guitar (1984–1989) - Vince "Perm" Parker – drums (1984)
- Peter Libby – drums (1984–1985)
- Robbie Bean – drums (1985–1986)
- Tim "Curveball" Wright – drums (1986–1988)
- Tim "Herb" AlexanderTim AlexanderTim "Herb" Alexander is an American musician, best known as the former drummer for the rock band Primus. Tim played on the Primus recordings Suck on This to Tales from the Punchbowl, before leaving the band in 1996, only to rejoin in 2003 for the EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People...
– drums (1989–1996, 2003–2010) - Bryan "Brain" MantiaBryan MantiaBryan "Brain" Mantia is a contemporary rock drummer. He has played with bands like Primus, Guns N' Roses, Praxis and Godflesh, and with other popular performers such as Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Bootsy Collins and Buckethead...
– drums (1996–2000)
Discography
- Suck On ThisSuck on This-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – bass guitar, vocals*Larry "Ler" LaLonde – guitars*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Bob Cock – producer*Howard Johnston – editing*Tim "Soya" Leroy – stage*Lauren Miller – sound...
(1989) - Frizzle FryFrizzle Fry-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, electric fiddle bass, string bass, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, acoustic guitar*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Todd Huth – second acoustic guitar on "Toys"...
(1990) - Sailing the Seas of CheeseSailing the Seas of Cheese-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, string bass, six-string fretless bass, clarinet, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drums, water jugProduction*Chris Bellman – mastering...
(1991) - Miscellaneous DebrisMiscellaneous Debris-Credits:*Les Claypool - bass guitar, vocals*Larry "Ler" LaLonde - guitars, synthesizer*Tim "Herb" Alexander - drums, percussion-Singles:Billboard...
(1992) - Pork SodaPork Soda-Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – basses, mandolin, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Derek Featherstone – engineer*Leslie Gerard-Smith – project coordinator...
(1993) - Tales from the PunchbowlTales from the Punchbowl-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Daniel Gioffre describes the album as "unabashed prog rock... which even the thick dollops of irony that the band seeks to impart to its compositions are unable to mask completely." He also notes that "the high-energy angular rhythms that Primus is...
(1995) - Brown AlbumBrown Album- Personnel :* Les Claypool – bass, vocals* Larry LaLonde – guitar* Bryan "Brain" Mantia – drums* Produced by Primus* Engineered by Les Claypool* Production coordinator: Jill "Galaxy Queen" Rose* Studio assistant: Tim "Soya" Soylan-Critical reception:...
(1997) - RhinoplastyRhinoplasty (album)-Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine describes the EP as "another small treasure for fans." He notes that "the band hasn't chosen any surprising covers" but "makes up for it with great performances" and "startling arrangements that are often unpredictable",...
(1998) - AntipopAntipopAntipop is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Primus, released on October 19, 1999 before their hiatus in 2000-2003. It is also the last album with drummer Bryan Mantia....
(1999) - Animals Should Not Try to Act Like PeopleAnimals Should Not Try to Act Like PeopleAnimals Should Not Try to Act Like People is a career-spanning retrospective DVD plus bonus EP by Primus, released on October 7, 2003. The title was inspired by a crayon-made story book written by guitarist Larry LaLonde's son, and the cover depicts a sculpture made by long-time Primus collaborator...
(2003) - They Can't All Be Zingers (2006)
- June 2010 RehearsalJune 2010 RehearsalJune 2010 Rehearsal is an extended play by alternative rock band Primus released on August 5, 2010 worldwide. The EP has been released digitally from Primus' official website for free...
(2010) - Green NaugahydeGreen NaugahydeGreen Naugahyde is the seventh studio album by alternative rock group Primus, released by ATO Records and Prawn Song on September 12, 2011 in Europe, and on September 13, 2011 in the United States...
(2011)
Tours
- Roll the Bones TourRoll the Bones TourRush's Roll the Bones Tour was in support of the band's studio album Roll the Bones. The tour kicked off October 25, 1991 at the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario and culminated on June 28, 1992 at the World Music Theater in Tinley Park, Illinois...
(1992) - Zoo TV TourZoo TV TourThe Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993...
(1992) - LollapaloozaLollapaloozaLollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
(1993) - Liquid Pig Tour (1993)
- Counterparts TourCounterparts TourRush's Counterparts Tour was in support of the band's studio album Counterparts. The tour kicked off January 22, 1994 at the Civic Center in Pensacola, Florida and culminated on May 7, 1994 at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario...
(1994) - Punchbowl Tour (1995)
- Southbound Pachyderm Tour (1996)
- Brown Tour (1997)
- H.O.R.D.E.H.O.R.D.E.Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere or H.O.R.D.E. Festival was a touring summer rock music festival originated by the musical group Blues Traveler in 1992. In addition to travelling headliners, the festival gave exposure to bands, charities, and organizations from the local area of the...
Tour (1997) - SnoCore TourSnoCore TourThe SnoCore Tour, occasionally typeset as Sno-Core, is an annual festival tour of the United States. It features performances by some of the most popular groups largely of the alternative rock and metal spectrum...
(1998) - OzzfestOzzfestOzzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
(1999) - Family Values TourFamily Values TourThe Family Values Tour was created by the band Korn in 1998 to be an annual rock & rap tour.The tour began in 1998 and would take the year off in 2000, due to heavy competition from other tours, such as the Anger Management Tour and the Summer Sanitarium Tour. After a four year hiatus, the Family...
(1999) - Antipop Tour (1999–2000)
- Tour de Fromage (2003–2004)
- Hallucino-Genetics Tour (2004)
- unnamed 2006 tour
- The Oddity Faire: A Mutated Mini-Fest (2009)
- unnamed summer 2010 tour
- The Oddity Faire Tour (2010)
- Primus World Tour (2011)
- Guinea Pig Tour (2011)
- Green Naugahyde Tour (2011)
Awards
| Album | Year | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Sailing the Seas of Cheese Sailing the Seas of Cheese -Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – electric bass, string bass, six-string fretless bass, clarinet, vocals*Larry LaLonde – electric guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drums, water jugProduction*Chris Bellman – mastering... |
1991 | Platinum Album |
| Pork Soda Pork Soda -Personnel:Primus*Les Claypool – basses, mandolin, vocals*Larry LaLonde – guitar, six-string banjo*Tim "Herb" Alexander – drumsProduction*Derek Featherstone – engineer*Leslie Gerard-Smith – project coordinator... |
1993 | Platinum Album |
| Tales from the Punchbowl Tales from the Punchbowl -Critical reception:In his review for Allmusic, Daniel Gioffre describes the album as "unabashed prog rock... which even the thick dollops of irony that the band seeks to impart to its compositions are unable to mask completely." He also notes that "the high-energy angular rhythms that Primus is... |
1995 | Gold Album |
External links
- Primus official website