PRIMUS: TIM ALEXANDER IS OUT, JAY LANE RETURNS

I saw on the Primusville facebook page (a fan site) that longtime Primus drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander has left the band, for the second time. The guy he originally replaced when he first joined, Jay Lane, is back. Jay also played with Les Claypool in Sausage (which was essentially a reunion of early Primus members Les, Jay and guitarist Todd Huth) and he's played in some of Les' many backing bands. So, now Primus is Les, Jay and Larry "Ler" LaLonde.

I didn't know that Primus was active enough for anyone to join or re-join.  I think the way this news came to light was via Phil Lesh. Jay Lane had been playing in Further, a sort of Grateful Dead-tribute band that includes Dead principals Lesh and Bob Weir: Lane had played with Bob Weir in Ratdog as well. (I think Les may have introduced them: Les played on original Ratdog bassist Rob Wasserman's Trios album and introduced Jay to Rob). Anyway, Phil mentioned on a "Philzone" message board that Jay was leaving Further because he had the opportunity to rejoin Primus. So, I guess that means we can look forward to new Primus... something. I'm sure a tour, but I wonder if they will record again.

Meanwhile, I think Tim Alexander is working with Tool's Maynard James Keenan on his Puscifier project.  I think Tim was originally the drummer in A Perfect Circle.

TODAY ON OUTQ: MORE OF THE CHRIS CORNELL DISCUSSION (PLUS OTHER '90S ARTISTS)

I’ve gotten some feedback from people, both here on No Expiration, in my email box, and in person, about my posts about Chris Cornell’s solo music. I now have three songs, courtesy of iTunes: “Ground Zero,” “Scream” and “Watch Out.” I am starting to like them. Of course it is different from what Chris has done before, but he has the right to try something new.

So that will be the first topic on tomorrow’s OutQ show. As much as Chris wouldn’t like the theme, I’m going with it: ‘90s icons making new music. I’m also talking about Chris’ former Audioslave bandmate Tom Morello, who has just released his second album as The Nightwatchman. When Tom went from Rage/Audioslave to solo acoustic stuff, that was quite a change also, but one people seemed more accepting of (even if The Nightwatchman isn't nearly as popular as the bands he has been in). On his new album, The Fabled City, he rocks a bit more, but it is still really different from Rage/Audioslave. I like, but don’t yet love, his Nightwatchman stuff, but I think he’ll be doing it for decades to come, and I’m sure he’ll keep improving.

I’ll also be talking about Tom’s sometime Rage Against The Machine bandmate, Zack de la Rocha, and his new band, One Day As A Lion. I like their self-titled EP, I don’t love it. It features Zack on keyboards and vocals, but yet sounds very Rage-y.

I’m also talking about Tool/A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan’s Puscifier project, which is kind of funny. Most of it is electro-funk/R&B, but he also does some country. Maynard, who has also done stand-up comedy and who owns a winery, is a tough guy to pin down, and I think he likes it that way. Puscifer is nothing like Tool/APC. And finally, The Gutter Twins have just released a digital EP, Adorata, with covers of songs by Jose Gonzalez, Primal Scream and Eleven. Pretty cool stuff.