<P> Primus is an American rock band based in San Francisco, California, currently composed of bassist / vocalist Les Claypool, guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde and drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander . Primus originally formed in 1984 with Claypool and guitarist Todd Huth, later joined by drummer Jay Lane, though the latter two departed the band at the end of 1988 . Featuring LaLonde and Alexander, Primus recorded their debut Suck on This in 1989, followed by four studio albums: Frizzle Fry, Sailing the Seas of Cheese, Pork Soda, and Tales from the Punchbowl . Alexander left the band in 1996, replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia, and Primus went on to record the original theme song for the TV show South Park and two more albums, Brown Album and Antipop, before declaring a hiatus in 2000 . </P> <P> In 2003, Claypool and LaLonde reunited with Alexander and released a DVD / EP, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, before touring sporadically through 2009 . In 2010, Lane rejoined Primus, replacing Alexander, and the band released their seventh album, Green Naugahyde, in 2011 . In 2013, Lane left the band to focus on other projects, and Tim Alexander rejoined once again . They have released some of their records on Claypool's own label Prawn Song Records . Primus is characterized by its irreverent, quirky approach to music . Robert Christgau once remarked: "(Primus is) quite possibly the strangest top - 10 band ever, and good for them ." </P> <P> Primus began as Primate in El Sobrante, California, in 1984 with singer and bassist Les Claypool, guitarist Todd Huth, and a LinnDrum drum machine . The duo initially had trouble finding a drummer, until Claypool's friend Vince "Perm" Parker returned home from a stint in the army, and together the three of them recorded their first demo, financed by Claypool selling his car . Primate changed their name to Primus after "about a month" when they were approached by a group called the Primates threatening legal action over the similarity of their names . Parker was soon replaced by the band's second drummer, Peter Libby, who was himself replaced by Robbie Bean, before the band eventually settled on Tim "Curveball" Wright in 1986 . After rising to fame in the local music scene with their brand of funk metal fusion, reaching the point where they were "selling out Berkeley Square", Wright left Primus in the summer of 1988 to be replaced by Jay Lane, drummer with the Freaky Executives, who were "getting dicked around by their record company", as Claypool later described it . </P> <P> After recording another demo, titled Sausage, Lane left Primus at the end of 1988 when "something good happened" with the Freaky Executives' record deal . Huth also left the band soon after, wishing to dedicate more time to his family . In 1987, Primus was put on hold briefly and Claypool rejoined his former band, Blind Illusion, who at the time also featured one - time Joe Satriani student and ex-Possessed guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde . Claypool recruited LaLonde to reform Primus together with Tim "Herb" Alexander, drummer with the Arizona - based group Major Lingo, and a month later, the trio recorded their first album: Suck on This (1989), a live recording culled from two of their Berkeley concerts, funded by a loan from Claypool's father . </P>

Where did the band primus get their name
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