Photo Courtesy of ultimateclassicrock.com
While Primus drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander recovers from open heart surgery, Tool drummer Danny Carey will sit in with Primus for several show dates in September. Carey will join Primus in Denver and Chicago for the Riot Fest, as well as for an after party at the Concord Music Hall of Chicago on September 13th. Alexander suffered a heart attack last month which lead to the necessary surgery. The decision to keep the scheduled show dates came as a way to give Alexander some relief financially.
Primus frontman Les Claypool explained their choice of sub drummer to Rolling Stone, saying, “The mighty Tim ‘Herb’ Alexander is a polyrhythmic Viking of extreme and unique talent so the one person that we thought could step into his shoes and do it justice is the one and only Mr. Danny Carey.” It works both ways, actually. Alexander has played in the bands A Perfect Circle and Puscifer with Tool’s singer, Maynard Keenan. Claypool went on to elaborate, “Whereas Herb is the stockey, Easter Island-faced, boulder of a drumming human, at nearer to seven feet, Danny Carey is the mighty redwood tree of percussion; towering over his kit like a golden-haired noble sequoia.”
The bass-heavy, alternative rock group actually sound quite excited about the temporary change in lineup. Claypool says, “I can’t wait to see that menacing grin of Danny’s shine out as we pound our way through ‘Here Come the Bastards’ and ‘Those Damned Blue-Collar Tweekers.’ He’s a dear old friend and we are extremely excited to have him aboard, and I would wager we are equally if not more intrigued than most by what kind of sounds are going to come out of the three of us once we actually get in a room together and do more than just consume fancy booze.” Alexander is expected to be back on the drum throne in no time, however, as Primus plans for him to play for the Chocolate Factory tour, starting in October. This tour is in support of their upcoming album Primus & the Chocolate Factory with the Fungi Ensemble, due to drop on October 21st.