Primus is an American rock band currently composed of singer and bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander.
The diversity of their sound has allowed Primus to gain a modest segment of fans from many different rock sub-genres. They are characterized by their irreverent approach to music. Primus release their records on Claypool's Prawn Song Records label, a parody of Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label. Primus began as Primate in El Sobrante, California during the mid-1980s with singer and bassist Les Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth. Claypool rounded out the band with a drum machine which they named Perm Parker. The band would go through many drummers throughout their early history, eventually settling on Jay Lane. When another band called "Primate" threatened legal action, the group decided to change their name. Claypool selected Primus instead after looking up the word directly next to "Primate" in a dictionary. The word is Latin, meaning "chief" or "first". After rising to local music scene stardom with their brand of funk metal fusion, Huth and Lane left in 1989 to pursue other projects. Claypool then recruited former Blind Illusion bandmate and one time Joe Satriani student Larry "Ler" LaLonde, and eclectic drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander. In fact, Claypool & LaLonde recorded & toured with the early thrash band Blind Illusion whose only album "The Sane Asylum" was released on Music For Nations. Larry LaLonde was previously a member of the seminal Death/Thrash Metal band Possessed, a fact which he likes to keep quiet today. Primus received praise from Testament's Alex Skolnick very early into their career. Tim Alexander is originally from Jerome, Arizona and was the drummer in Major Lingo. Primus continued to gain popularity and in 1989 released their first album, Suck on This, a live recording culled from two of their Berkeley concerts. The album was financed by Les' 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. It was during these early years that the catch phrase "Primus Sucks" was started. It began with people constantly stating to the band just how good they were. One day when someone told the band they were good, Claypool turned around and said "No, we suck" and from then on it stuck.
Musical style and influences
Primus' musical style is difficult to define. While the band is usually considered by critics to be funk metal or alternative metal, Primus has been called everything from "thrash-funk meets Don Knotts, Jr." to "alternative rock" to "the Freak Brothers set to music." Les Claypool himself once described their music as "psychedelic polka." Although not a thrash metal band, Primus was heavily associated with the Bay Area thrash scene in their early years. Opening for bands such as Testament and Exodus, whom Claypool almost joined, they picked up a following of fans from the scene as a result. Primus is the only band with its own ID3 genre tag, as extended by Winamp. Primus' influences include Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. Bands that have cited Primus as an influence include Deftones, Korn and Limp Bizkit.
Band members
Current members
* Les Claypool - bass, lead vocals (1984-2000, 2003-present)
* Larry "Ler" LaLonde - guitar, background vocals (1989-2000, 2003-present)
* Tim "Herb" Alexander - drums (1989-1996, 2003-present)
Former members
* Bryan "Brain" Mantia - drums (1989, 1996-2000)
* Todd Huth - guitar (1984-1989)
* Jay Lane - drums (1988)
Discography
* Suck on This (1989)
* Frizzle Fry (1990)
* Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991)
* Pork Soda (1993)
* Tales from the Punchbowl (1995)
* Brown Album (1997)
* Antipop (1999)
Awards
* 1991 - Sailing the Seas of Cheese - Platinum Album
* 1993 - Pork Soda - Platinum Album
* 1995 - Tales from the Punchbowl - 2x Platinum Album
Posts
0 comments