Former Primus drummer Tim “Herb” Alexander opened up about his choice to step away from the band in a new interview with Rolling Stone following the band’s announcement of his departure—a decision his bandmates said came as “a complete shock” despite it being his third time exiting the group. In the announcement, Primus attributed his exit to a “loss of passion for playing,” but Alexander’s perspective reveals a much more nuanced story.

“I know there are a lot of questions about why I quit PRIMUS and feel it’s important to share my story — for myself as well as our fans,” Alexander explained before elaborating on his difficult decision. “Stepping away from PRIMUS has been one of the most challenging decisions of my life,” he said, “but ultimately, it came down to love — for myself, my family, and the life I want to create moving forward. I chose a path of love.”

He went on to address his “loss of passion for playing,” writing, “I did say that. But I also said: ‘All of these tours left me feeling empty. My body hurts constantly.’ This context is important. I also told them they deserve someone who wants to be there. And I meant it. As far as ‘abruptly’ goes, I suppose there’s never the perfect time to leave something you’ve been a part of for so long. Bands have their own inner workings and are a relationship. Sometimes it doesn’t feel balanced, and sometimes it doesn’t work out.”

He continued:

Over the past months, I’ve been in a place of deep healing and intensive mental health rehabilitation, learning to confront struggles I’ve carried for years. In this period of solitude, I’ve started to see with new clarity what no longer serves me, the people and situations that do not support my well-being, and the parts of my life I need to let go of to find peace and stability.

When I first joined PRIMUS, I was 24 years old. I’m almost 60 now and not just a drummer, but also a husband and a dad. Being a drummer for almost four decades has taken its toll on my body. As I said previously, my body hurts. My hands hurt. My back hurts. Ten years ago, I had open heart surgery and am still dealing with the aftermath.

For so many years of my life, I slept, breathed, and lived the music, giving it everything I had — and often at the expense of both my physical and mental health. Drumming is a strenuous profession — and coupled with touring and performing, it can be exhausting on every level. But I love drumming and always will. Just as I will always hold so much love and appreciation for our fans, the music we made, the places we went, and everything I learned along the way.

When we were coming up as young musicians, it was a different world than it is today. There wasn’t a focus on how this life affected us — it just wasn’t talked about — and I think we lost a lot of amazing musicians over the years because of that. I no longer feel the need to hide the fact that for the last year, I wasn’t happy and was in a dark place emotionally. I desperately missed my family while on tour and felt very lonely.

My decision to leave the band was rooted in a deep need to prioritize my mental and physical health. I want to give my family the presence and energy they deserve and take care of myself in a way that allows me to thrive.

I view this next chapter as a positive, fresh beginning that can hopefully inspire others to speak and live their own truths, even when it’s hard. I wish the band continued success; and to the fans who have stood by me, I want to thank you for your compassion and words of kindness. Your support has been a source of strength for me, and while I’m closing this chapter, I’m excited to explore a new path forward — one grounded in love, respect, and health.

This marks Herb’s third departure from Primus in 30 years. From the band’s inception in 1984 by Claypool, guitarist Todd Huth, and drummer Vince “Perm” Parker to the formation of the band’s most well-known lineup (Les/Ler/Herb) in 1989, the Primus drum stool operated like a revolving door. During that time, the band cycled through Peter Libby, Robbie Bean, Tim Wright, Jay Lane, and Bryan Mantia on drums before finally landing on Herb.

Alexander first left Primus in 1996, a parting of ways that Claypool described at the time as being “like a marriage that just slowly decayed to an end.” After Primus returned from a hiatus in 2003, Herb once again joined the band. In 2010, Herb was replaced by Jay Lane when the latter left Grateful Dead offshoot Furthur to rejoin Primus.

In a 2011 Rolling Stone interview, Claypool expressed that the post-hiatus Primus was essentially a nostalgia act and that Herb was resistant to recording the new music that became 2011’s Green Naugahyde. At the time, Claypool said, “Larry LaLonde was very passionate about doing Primus again. Unfortunately, Tim Alexander wasn’t as passionate. It was still the element of this creative stagnation.”

In 2013, Lane departed Primus to focus on touring with Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir‘s band, RatDog. Alexander rejoined the band for the second time on New Year’s Eve 2013, ironically at the same Fox Theater in Oakland where the band will now play its first show without Herb. Since New Year’s Eve 2013, Herb has played alongside Primus through its Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory phase, the group’s seventh album The Desaturating Seven (2017), a Rush tribute tour with full performances of A Farewell to Kings, 2022’s Conspiranoid EP, and the South Park 25th Anniversary Concerts with Ween and show creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker.

Primus will now enter a new chapter. The band’s New Year’s Eve run in Oakland, CA, billed as The NYE Fisherman’s Chronicles Costume Ball, will bring in percussive support from members of Les Claypool’s Holy Mackerel and Fearless Flying Frog Brigade. Primus has assured fans this will be a “special, one-time event.”

After that, Primus will head to the Dominican Republic in March 2025 for the inaugural Tool Live in the Sand featuring Mastodon, Coheed and Cambria, Eagles of Death Metal, and others, in addition to two nights of Tool. For that all-inclusive destination event, Primus will once again call up Tool drummer Danny Carey to fill in. Carey previously played drums for Primus on a string of shows in 2014 after Herb suffered his first heart attack.

Primus will then reunite with A Perfect Circle and Puscifer for Sessanta V2.0, celebrating James Maynard Keenan’s 61st birthday. As part of this trek, the band said it plan to conduct a global search for the “greatest drummer on earth.”