PRIMUS has announced John Hoffman as the band’s new drummer.Four months after the abrupt exit of longtime drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander, PRIMUS bassist/vocalist Les Claypool introduced the band’s latest addition in an Instagram post. “Hoffington!!! Welcome aboard!,” Les wrote.PRIMUS put out an open call for a new drummer in November, followed by over 5,000 applications and five days of an “interstellar drum derby”. At the time, PRIMUS was “seeking a well-mannered, affable individual with original sensibility and aesthetic, possessing a desire to open new doors in the creative world.” The band went on to say that “flashy chops are wonderful, but groove, pocket, and the ability to listen, react, and contribute to the musical conversation is a must.”⁠Hoffman, who is based in Shreveport, Louisiana, had documented his process of preparing to audition on social media, and afterwards he wrote: “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity. I came and did my thing the way I do it. It went as well as I could have hoped. Maynard James Keenan was sitting directly in front of me and watched my entire audition. He gave me this towel. It’s been one of the most incredible days of my life. I love you all. We did this. #primusdrumaudition #primus”.On December 30, PRIMUS played the first concert since Alexander’s departure at the Fox Theater in Oakland, California. Sitting behind the drums for the show was Bryan “Brain” Mantia, who previously played with PRIMUS when Alexander originally left the band in 1996.In light of Alexander’s latest departure, PRIMUS also enlisted musicians from frontman Les Claypool’s side projects, THE HOLY MACKEREL and FROG BRIGADE, to perform during last night’s performance.With Mantia, PRIMUS recorded two 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”.In November, Alexander shared a letter with Rolling Stone magazine explaining his decision to leave the band.”A lot of times, you do something you love for a long time, and sometimes the passion turns into a job, and sometimes that job doesn’t feel like it’s your being anymore,” he said.He reflected on the impact his decision had on his physical, mental and family life.”When I discovered that I’m struggling with all these things, I had to sit and think about exactly what am I doing,” Alexander said. “I don’t think I’ve ever chosen my path in life, I think I’ve just always thought ‘I’m a drummer, I’m just gonna do music,’ and things came to me, accepting whatever happens.”The news of his departure was initially shared on October 29 by his now-former bandmates, who claimed that they received an e-mail from him nearly two weeks earlier saying he had “lost his passion for playing.”Alexander joined PRIMUS in 1989 and left in 1996, then rejoined when they reformed in 2003. He exited the group again in 2010 but returned in 2013.For TOOL’s “Live In The Sand” destination festival, PRIMUS will be joined by the latter band’s Danny Carey.In July 2016, Alexander revealed that he suffered a second heart attack after he previously endured a similar health scare in 2014.A decade ago, Les Claypool’s plan to reform the “classic” PRIMUS lineup — with Alexander and guitarist Larry Lalonde — was put on hold when Alexander suffered his first heart attack, a “minor” attack that resulted in the drummer requiring triple bypass surgery. To fulfill its touring obligations, PRIMUS recruited Carey to fill in for a few dates. Three months after open-heart surgery, Alexander rejoined PRIMUS on the road.[embedded content][embedded content]