Primus

Formed in 1984 in El Sobrante in the San Francisco Bay, Primus was built around bassist and singer Les Claypool, who was soon joined in the classic lineup by guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Tim Alexander. The trio emerged from the Californian underground with a hard-to-classify rock sound that blends alternative metal, funk metal, experimental rock and progressive touches, driven by a prominent bass, angular rhythms and a taste for melodic shifts as well as absurd or dark storytelling. After the live album Suck on This in 1989, Primus released Frizzle Fry in 1990 and followed with Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991), Pork Soda (1993) and Tales from the Punchbowl (1995), records that firmly established the band's identity. They went on to release Brown Album (1997) and Antipop (1999) before pausing in the early 2000s. Returning in 2003, Primus resumed regular touring, underwent several drummer changes and pursued new projects including Green Naugahyde (2011), Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble (2014), The Desaturating Seven (2017) and the EP Conspiranoid (2022). In 2025 Primus added John Hoffman on drums alongside Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde.