90s avant-garde funk metal outfit Primus is in a frantic search for a new drummer after longtime percussionist, Tim Alexander, abruptly stepped down from the band in late October, ending an impressive 35 year run. In preparation for their upcoming appearance in the Dominican Republic alt-rock music festival, Live in the Sand, which is set to take place in early March, the band is holding digital auditions for a new percussion player to take Alexander’s place. According to current members Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde, the band is in search for a drummer who has the chops to play Primus’ notoriously complex and difficult to perform catalog, while also being a “well-mannered, affable individual with original sensibility and aesthetic.”
Alexander said in an official statement regarding his departure that “Stepping away from Primus has been one of the most challenging decisions of my life…When I first joined Primus, I was 24 years old. I’m almost 60 now and not just a drummer, but also a husband and a dad. Being a drummer for almost four decades has taken its toll on my body…My body hurts. My hands hurt. My back hurts.”
We asked Morgan Hill, drummer of 46 years, his thoughts on Tim Alexander leaving the band. He told us that drumming is a very physical activity, and there’s a lot of wear and tear on specific parts of your body. “It’s not surprising to me that Alexander is experiencing these issues,” Hill said. “I have arthritis in my hi-hat foot as well as in my hands. It’s unavoidable as a drummer, especially later in life. Alexander is certainly not the only drummer who’s experiencing this.”
This is, however, not the first time Alexander has parted ways with the band, as there has reportedly always been an underlying tension between Alexander and the rest of Primus. Alexander, perversely left the band in 1996 after the band’s fourth studio album Tales from the Punchbowl, despite it being commercially and financially successful. Tales from the Punchbowl was the second and final Primus album to go gold, peaking at number eight in the Billboard 200. The album, similar to Primus’ previous work, features humorous lyrics and song titles that poke fun at everything from celebrities to farm animals. The band has always indulged in the silly side, even being credited as writing and performing all iterations of the South Park theme song. This juxtaposition of serious musical and technical skill along with silly lyrics and vocals is in part what the band is most known for. Allegedly, Alexander was sick of not being taken seriously, and felt the band was becoming too cartoony. This was further cemented when vocalist Les Claypool began to cheekily start every live show with the tagline, “Hello, we’re Primus and we suck.”
During Alexander’s first absence, drummer Bryan Mantia took over, with the band releasing The Brown Album in 1997, and Antipop in 1999. The band subsequently took a brief break in 2000 allowing Claypool to focus on his side projects with LaLonde and Mantia forming their own band called No Forcefield, in the meantime. Primus returned three years later with Alexander back as the drummer, however, this didn’t last for very long as Alexander left the band for a second time in 2010, again citing “creative differences” as the reason behind his decision. Alexander returned once more in 2013 with no albums being released during his 3-year hiatus.
Most recently, Primus held their annual New Year’s Eve live show, marking the first concert post departure of Tim Alexander. Mantia acted as the drummer for the show, surprising long-time fans; however, he’s not planning to remain a permanent member. In response to Alexander’s sudden withdrawal from the band, the year’s countdown show acted as a celebration of the different side projects Les Claypool has had throughout the years and the musicians he has collaborated with along the way. The Bands Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel and Frog Brigade performed alongside the other members of Primus, who even performed an extended instrumental version of the South Park theme song.
There is only a few short months until the Live in the Sand festival takes place, and it’s still up in the air on who Primus’ new drummer will be.
