After leaving Primus in 1996, Tim (don’t call him “Herb”) Alexander has reunited with bassist Les Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde to resurrect one of the most popular and cutting-edge rock acts of the ’90s. The bizarre, quirky, funk-laced material that Primus built their reputation on was a great vehicle for Alexander, as it drew attention to his abilities to blend rock and funk with a musically creative and authoritative technique.

The band returns with a new “uniquely Primus” five-song CD titled Animals Should Not Try To Act Like People. It also includes a DVD retrospective of the band’s twelve videos, including the 1992 Cheesy Home Video documentary and other tasty tidbits.

So what brought these confused and disturbed lost friends back together? “We had talked about doing a tour,” Tim says, “just to have some fun and see what the response would be. Then it turned into making this DVD and recording five new songs. It took a few years of just getting back in touch with each other.” Advertisement

When asked how it feels to be back in Primus after seven years, Alexander replies, “It’s like the movie Groundhog Day. Sometimes it feels like we never stopped, and the last seven years have been a dream.” Has the drummer’s attitude changed in regards to the way he approaches the new music? “I think I might be a little bit slower,” Tim jokes. “I’m old now.”
In comparing the new Primus compositions to the past catalog, Alexander states, “Since we’ve grown a bit, I don’t think the same things move us as individuals. We listen to different music than we used to, and that’s going to come out in our music.”

Mike Hai