Last year, many of us were surprised when Primus announced that drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander was leaving the band. It had happened before, but this time seemed different. Soon after, Primus announced that it would be holding the Interstellar Drum Derby in search for their new drummer. Over 6,000 drummers threw their hats into the ring, created audition videos, and vied for this prestigious gig. Ultimately, it came down to two drummers, and then, there was one. Shreveport, Louisianna’s John Hoffman is not an overnight success. His journey was not a straight line nor was it an easy ride. The Primus audition was a long and arduous process. But John feels that he spent his entire life preparing for this opportunity, and when the time came, he gave it his best with no illusions of grandeur. John spent his entire life honing his drumming skills working on the Louisianna music […]

May 2025 Issue