Primus
Primus performing in Chicago in 2014. Left to right: Larry "Ler" LaLonde, Danny Carey (Tool), and Les Claypool
Background information
Origin	El Sobrante, California, U.S.
Genres	Alternative metal funk metal experimental rock progressive rock
Works	Primus discography
Years active	1984–2000 2003–present
Labels	Caroline Interscope Atlantic Prawn Song ATO MapleMusic
Spinoffs	The Claypool Lennon Delirium Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains Les Claypool and the Holy Mackerel Les Claypool's Frog Brigade Oysterhead Sausage
Spinoff of	Blind Illusion Possessed
Members	Les Claypool Larry LaLonde John Hoffman
Past members	Todd Huth Vince Parker Mark Edgar Peter Libby Robbie Bean Tim Wright Jay Lane Bryan "Brain" Mantia Tim Alexander
Website	primusville.com

Primus (/ˈpraɪmʌs/ PRY-mus) is an American rock band formed in El Sobrante, California in 1984. As of March 2025, the band is composed of bassist/vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, and drummer John Hoffman. Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by drummer Jay Lane, though the latter two had departed by the beginning of the band's recording career in 1989, replaced by LaLonde and Tim "Herb" Alexander respectively.

The "classic" lineup of Claypool, LaLonde and Alexander debuted with the live album Suck on This, which was self-released in 1989 on Claypool's label Prawn Song and reissued a year later by Caroline Records. Caroline also released Primus' debut studio album Frizzle Fry (1990), which was critically well received, and its underground success led to interest from major record labels. Their second studio album and major-label debut Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991), released through Interscope Records, launched the band into mainstream exposure, supported by their first charting single "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" and receiving platinum certification within a decade after its release.^[1] Primus repeated its success with their next two albums, Pork Soda (1993) and Tales from the Punchbowl (1995), both charting in the top ten on the Billboard 200,^[2] and being certified platinum and gold respectively by the RIAA.^[1] Pork Soda featured the band's top ten hit on the Billboard rock chart, "My Name Is Mud",^[3] while Tales from the Punchbowl's lead single "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver" holds the distinction of being the band's only song to chart anywhere outside of North America.^[4]

Alexander left the band in 1996^[5] and was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia, with whom Primus recorded two more studio albums – Brown Album (1997) and Antipop (1999) – as well as the covers EP Rhinoplasty (1998) and the original theme song for the TV show South Park. The band went on hiatus in 2000 but resumed activity in 2003, reuniting with Alexander for the EP/DVD Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People and touring sporadically throughout the 2000s before Alexander left a second time in 2010. Lane rejoined the band and appeared on their seventh studio album – and first in twelve years – Green Naugahyde (2011). Following Lane's departure in 2013, Alexander returned to the band once again and Primus would record two more albums with him – Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble (2014) and The Desaturating Seven (2017) – as well as the EP Conspiranoid (2022). Alexander announced his third departure from the band in October 2024,^[6] and was replaced four months later by John Hoffman.^[7]

Primus is characterized by its irreverent, quirky approach to music distinguished by Claypool's bass-centric songwriting and eccentric lyrical themes, which extends into their music videos and promotional artwork, which often incorporates Stop Motion Animation. The band's musical style, which draws influences from progressive rock, metal, funk, and psychedelic music, has been noted as difficult to categorize and is most frequently described by critics as funk metal, a label the band has rejected. In 1993, Robert Christgau remarked: "[Primus is] quite possibly the strangest top-10 band ever, and good for them."^[8]