Drum Teacher Reacts: TIM ALEXANDER | Primus - LIVE DRUM SOLO! | (2021 Reaction)

[@jfgoodysr]

Primus is the most technically flawless band I've ever seen live

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Ahead of their time Jeffrey!

[@NoogaJack]

Can attest . Saw them in 99 at OzzFest

[@elusivelectron]

​​@@AndrewRooneyDrumsI'm 90% certain it's an enveloped reverse delay.

[@heidia7832]

Tim doesn't get enough credit. Such an under-rated drummer. Love Primus!

[@Alniemi]

ITs easy to be overshadowed by the bass god. But i think that without eachother primus would not be NEARLY as potent,.

[@adityatyagi4009]

How's he underrated if he's appeared on the cover of Modern Drummer and Drum magazines??

[@parkerdavidson5868]

​@adityatyagi4009 he said underrated, not unknown. And he's not wrong.

[@kylepartridge100]

Everyone keeps saying tim and Larry are underrated. By who? Anyone who knows what they're hearing, knows Primus has the three best musicians on earth.

[@robgas7507]

Les and Tim are truly a match made in heaven. Tim’s imagination and technical skills are off the charts

[@heidia7832]

All three are. Ler is amazing as well

[@NoNameForThisGuy]

Drummer and sound tech here. Maybe someone has exact details on his setup, but simplest way to do what he’s doing is to have an envelope filter/delay as off board effects, or onboard effects if your board has suitable ones, and use them as inserts on an auxiliary channel. You then send each drum to the auxiliary channel, and have your sound guy tap along with the tempo on the delay so that your delay decays out in tempo

[@krenwregget7667]

Tim Alexander is one of my earliest and biggest influences. He impacted everything from my playing to my set up to the drum sizes and cymbals I chose and styles of music I wanted to play. He's so creative and so groovy and I'm really glad to have been exposed to him at the genesis of my musical journey.

[@stephendavis5481]

My first Primus show was on this tour. 06-05-04 @ Red Rocks! Phenomenal set

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

What a venue too!

[@joeday4293]

Herb, the ginseng drummer! What a boss. The "electronic" bits sound to me like some white noise run through an envelope filter, with delay. Not a trigger per se, but effects.

[@micheandmikey]

Tim & les showing just how genius they really are...........happen to know Tim, he's the most humble and one of the nicest person you'd ever meet, awesome guy. Thanks for doing this one.

[@carlosalbertoverasalazar606]

Si de verdad conoces a tim Alexander, te felicito y que afortunado, yo los vi en Guadalajara México en el teatro diana y fui muy feliz porque venía tim Alexander, Primus es mi banda favorita, tim, les y ler son lo máximo.

[@understyled]

did not expect ape man at the end there. classic primus

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

BAHAHA Awesome

[@Merzui-kg8ds]

This guy (Alexander) lives in my home town. Love that a musician from one of my favorite bands lives where I live.

[@simplemindedsage]

The single string instrument Les was playing is called a Whamola.

[@keefriff99]

I'm not a die-hard Primus fan, but I like them a lot, and I've never really focused too much on the drummer because Les is such an overwhelming presence, but wow, Tim is good. I need to focus more on him the next time I listen to their music.

[@31069daniel]

Brain’s time with Primus was really great as well. And Jay was good to on Green Naugahyde

[@makuntizichi6734]

Herb is one of the most underrated drummers in the universe. He is the master of the impossible fill, the ones you have to rewind and listen to a thousand times and you're still like "how the fk??" Les is the band, but he would never have had it so good without Herb.

[@wxmaggot5669]

Such a talent. His ability to compose parts that match the ultra technical bass playing of Les Claypool is mind blowing, especially live! His kit always sounds amazing. Love those octabons

[@justinbrandt8415]

Truly masters of their craft, all three of them. Tim has always been one of my favorites

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

💯👌

[@redhotchilifan98]

One of the most underrated drummers maybe ever.

[@slugcult1973]

Years ago, a block from my house in New York city, there was a billboard for primus's new album. It was the three of them dressed in penguin costumes and it simply said: if you've never liked Primus before, you still won't like them. I was lucky enough to witness some of Mr. Alexander's playing up close, as I was somewhat involved with a tiny act of his called Attention Deficit. And it was definitely a highlight in my life.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

I love their humor and carefree attitude. Have a cult following and more than happy with that

[@joshuaodens3081]

Primus Sucks! If you will😉

[@passageways]

I was at this show. I stood right next to the soundboard, which is pretty far back in the room, and Tim's drums still pounded through your chest. I've seen a lot of heavy bands and plenty of hard-hitting drummers in concert and even played with a couple of hard hitters - but, somehow, there's something different from all of them about the way his drums hit in person. I'm sure there are some others that have a similar impact, but he definitely stands out among the many I've encountered.

[@donfurcio4080]

Drums, coffee, primus, star wars and guns n roses, all in one video... this is perfection.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

HAHA! Thanks Don

[@mastervictorino]

So a lil whamola history. It is a one string electric upright with the string wrapped around a hinge on the headstock with a handle. The story goes that a crazy fan ran up to him after a show and said, "I made this for you" and handed him the whamola (as Les aptly named it). He plays it in pretty much every show now.

[@voss451]

I'm pretty sure that was taken from the Hallucinogenics Live dvd. When they play My Name Is Mud during that concert, Tim makes very good use of the gong drum behind him. It almost sounds like he's using 3 kick drums.. lol ...

[@stilsicherer]

I tryed an experimental Effect-Setup sounding very close to this during my college years when the nights were long and the classes next day could be solved later on or in the next year...what a time it was... *anyways:* _The use of a cheap centered Mic + a Guitar-Multieffect with Autowah (triggered by volume) combined with a fading delay/echo did the basic job and it was a ton of fun to play around with._ Nostalgic greetings from Germany.

[@mrt1578]

Although I'm not a drum player I'm mostly watching your channel to find new music and escape from all those algorithms that only recommend you the same thing. Thanks for all the effort :)

[@meatsloth333]

Tim Alexander is amazing. Super underrated. I’d rank him up there with Danny Carey.

[@tensor4ever]

I always liked placing Tim and Danny near each other, they both create a similar "vibe" but take different paths to get you there.

[@theendarkenedilluminatus4342]

They played together just last week. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn7XmoZ9ls9misk - Primus w/Adam Jones, Justin Chancellor, and Danny Carey. Tim and Danny perform the best rendition of the Moby Dick drum solo I've ever seen.

[@deathkill1982]

To really experience Tim Herb Alexander and Primus. You must see them live. Your mind will be blown away. Watching this performance again you can see the influence of Rush.

[@Psyphonyx_Life]

The flanged / reverb sound - seems like its impact triggered when he hits the drums.. and it's modulated with dynamics.. but seems to be on an auto phase shifting / over-time changes.

[@user-nz5jh6qr6v]

So I remember seeing this tour live and absolutely loved the drum solo. I believe they’re running the drums thru a delay that then has an auto-wah over it. So a typical resonant wah effect that’s controlled by the amplitude of the signal itself rather than a separate pedal. I used to use a similar effect all the time on my bass and loved it 🔥

[@daviddevilliers2828]

Tim oh yeahhh, extraordinary dtummer

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

🙌

[@chaddowns901]

Yeah, Les Is playing a whamola. It's the same instrument he used when primus wrote the South Park theme song.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Ah right!!!

[@NotTheChef]

Les Claypool, Larry LaLonde, and Tim Alexander. Original AND BEST Primus lineup ever!

[@robertclarkguitar]

Used pin stripes always. 27 years. God I miss drums. I stopped around 05 when Katrina blew the house to a slab. There was nothing left. My kit was probably in a field blocked by debris. Never got to replace it. Right after I got the kids and raised them alone mostly in apmt. Once I finally got back into music I returned with guitar. I still miss drums. I had played from 80 ish to 05. Plenty of primus tunes I played due to Rush Cove band. Dude he was amazing. His tones and splashes were unheard of back in the frizzle fry years. Hahaha. Love it. Was heavy Neil Peart fan and Mike portnoy.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Wow that's terrible regards to the Katrina ravages. Yes I agree Primus were ahead of their time for sure

[@streborsemaj2173]

Hey hey hey, everyone say, “Larry you’re a bastard”

[@izekealtopanga8513]

LARRY, YOU'RE A BASTARD!

[@craigstrickland1572]

Kickass shirt. Tim is one of those guys where his simple is not so simple once you break it down. He also has some unusual setups but they are killer.

[@pclutch]

He was a member of blue man group for a bit I think.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Oh wow! Thanks for the info 🙏

[@hallio111]

the jam at the end was just standart primus experimental jamming:) love bands like this. doing it is the best

[@killdozer3464]

I have tried them all, always go back to Remo Clear Pinstripes. Just love the sound, they project far and loud, lots of tones, and sound good in any genre.

[@mattbush1542]

The intro to the solo was the intro to a song called Spaghetti Western. Honestly, you could pick any one of the songs off their first LP Frizzle Fry and you couldn't go wrong. Just amazing, mind-blowing musicianship across the board.

[@jason1888]

Keep your eyes on the high wire folks! The amazing trapeze act is about to begin! If you have a weak constitution, you may want to consider leaving the stands! Everyone else, enjoy the show!

[@wynonasbigbrowndragon6121]

Les Claypool, on more than one occasion, has described Tim Alexander's playing style as a powerful, steady, lumbering gorilla-like rhythm. This drum solo really encapsulates that description. 2 other really great examples of that playing style are, "The Ol' Diamondback Sturgeon" off the Pork Soda album, and my personal favourite drum part ever, "Over The Electric Grapevine" off of Tales From The Punchbowl

[@benjaminturkalj4415]

I have a 90s starclassic Tama I bought secondhand based on my love of the Primus drum sound. Still Remember my mate showing me there first ep and just being amazed by this new drumming I'd never heard before

[@t_bone12571]

There's a great half hour video here on KZbin featuring Tim playing Primus and Laundry songs solo, no recorded backing tracks and no band. An older video filmed in Chicago.

[@dstdrummer]

1:40 HEY! That’s the beat in the track, “Spaghetti Western”. I absolutely love that beat. And I love Primus. I’ve seen them live so many times dating back to the Brown Album! Fantastic.

[@31069daniel]

I always have the most fun at Primus shows. Halloween 2012 in Atlanta was my favorite show ever.

[@drummerguy4032]

Oh hell yes!! Tim is one of my favorite drummers. Edit: the instrument Les Claypool is playing is called a whamola. Weird thing.

[@heidia7832]

YES!!! Mine too. Along with Danny Carey

[@drummerguy4032]

@@heidia7832 Another great pick. They're both incredibly musical.

[@just.some.dud3]

Sounds like he’s got triggers on his drums that are just going through various synth modules.

[@jasonhowell1849]

I think I read somewhere that after his time with Primus, Tim was a Blue Man in the Blue Man Group for a bit. It makes sense after seeing this video. Great video as always, please get to some Stanton Moore, preferably the Zildjian Live.

[@dstdrummer]

2:54 I finally went back to the Pinstripe on my mid 90’s Stingray Percussion kit. Molded fiberglass. I hadn’t used them since the 80’s. And those Pinstripes sound amazing on it. Especially tuned a slight bit tighter. I should have switched sooner.

[@springy-2112]

I first saw Primus live in 1992 ish? supporting Rush here in England . I was instantly a fan. Not only did I see Rush I was introduced to a suitably mental trio . Tim has a lot of Copeland about him as did Neil around this time . Funny that Rush and Primus both give The Police as influences. I love all three bands it's a power trio thing maybe . Peace and love brother 👍🏻☮❤ Primus were called Primates originally and Les Claypool is also a drummer . (Anorak Trivia time ) 😉👍🏻

[@GringoLoco1980]

I grew up playing to the Primus albums.

[@hallio111]

that sound that goes along with the drums, sounds like Claypools bass pedal (he often uses a pedal which I think is an autowah with some sick filter , it sound like this was on the overheads or snare or something.

[@KinseiSensei]

The noises were not drum effects, it was Les in the bass/wham PLA with gobs of pedals

[@chrismendez9331]

That is a Whamola Les is on. Its a single Upright bass string connected to a pully system

[@HMan2828]

I think the effect is just an envelope splitter (kind of like an autowah pedal, but you subtract the original signal from the output) fed into a delay or reverb...

[@drums2go615]

Hey brother it was so good to watch you enjoying Tim Alexander hes awesome somebody turned me on to this guy probably 20 years ago, Not that I can play like him but I like to try to mimic some of his sounds I've made my own rocket Toms and I definitely draw inspiration from him hes great

[@jakeloranger1419]

I'm not sure but it looks like the guy in the ape mask is playing some kind of variation on the berimbau. Though a traditional one has a gourd resonator attached. But it has only one string and is played with a stick. It comes from Africa but is now chiefly used in Brazilian music. I haven't checked all the comments, so you may already have been informed by someone more knowledgeable than I. But I thought I'd give you a shout out anyway.

[@ronfigg1]

If you haven’t seen them live, you’re missing out!!

[@rothloaf1980]

IMO, the electronic sound is 2-3 effects mixed off the live drums. Like maybe a step delay, flanger, phaser or random filter FX... Edit: the 1 stringer is called a Whamola

[@robbietothedobbie912]

Les Claypool and Primus have been my favorites since high school. Even when Primus was called "Sausage".

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

🙌

[@robbietothedobbie912]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums keep up the good work on videos man,I enjoy your wholesome content

[@keefriff99]

Looks like Tim has one of Chris Slade's big overhead drums that he used for AC/DC's Razor's Edge tour. I assume that's slightly different from a "gong drum", which I've never actually heard of until today.

[@ronfigg1]

Check out Les and Herb with Phish at the Aladdin Theater ‘95! I was there! Incredible night!!

[@tonyjackson4099]

Even among all the GOATs, "The Ginseng Drummer" is still one of my biggest influences. His grooves are easily in the top three for CREATIVITY and ORIGINALITY.

[@liliIiliIilil]

I wonder if he's using triggers just for the weird effects. Rather than replacing his drum sounds, maybe he's just routing the signal to an effects chain for some fun backing sounds that will always be relevant to what he's playing. No idea if that's actually the case, but now I have an idea for me to play around with my own works.

[@Drumsholic]

Great Drummers love Star Wars !!! Tim is phenomenal influence!!

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

The force is with us!

[@GringoLoco1980]

The intro is from 'spaghetti western from Frizzle Fry.

[@ricolync]

Here's a legendary finnish drummer playing to a delay effect with a singer on stage. The video is a full drumclinic, but you find the clip at 9mins before the end.. it's fun! Try it!

[@elusivelectron]

The original Apple iTunes employee in charge of genres couldn't figure out where to put Primus so they created a new genre appropriately titled Primus.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

HAHA!!

[@imnoyed7266]

That whole dvd is great

[@aboutthemetal8783]

I've read interviews with Tim, and he said he triggered all the electronic musical elements of the show, so I would assume he's triggering the sounds during this solo.

[@Bucketbothead007]

Check out Tim in Attention Deficit with Alex Skolnick (Testament) & Michael Manring. My 2 favorite songs by them are 'The Risk of Failure' & 'Dubya' off of The Idiot King.

[@thraXn]

Pretty sure that "electro" sound is delay effect from the drums with flanger. Great thinking!

[@SockerConny80]

How crisp can a live recording be? I guess this has to rate up there because everything is so clear it sounds like a prog studio recording. Awesome! Edit: Also if you want a gong drum just get some sort of stand or mounting for it and use any old bass drum, remove the resonance skin and enjoy the new addition to your setup.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Crisp alright! 🙌

[@TheDustoff9]

Yea I’m stunned too. I love Primus -his grooves with the band are so fat, but I didn’t know he was this good . Mercy

[@D0WNSINNER]

He does afew playthroughs of some of their songs at clinics ect, makes for some pretty good viewing

[@NotTheChef]

Also, my guess would be that there's a flanger type of trigger with the sound.

[@davidscott41]

I think some sort of analogue unit I used a pearl analogue guitar pedal can be used through mics u can slow the echo rate up and down

[@BayouMaccabee]

Gotta love the Whamola!

[@brianloos1340]

It sounds to me as though the sound man was also taking a solo with the delay and resonant filtering to give the electronic type sounds.

[@Dubsesed]

When I went to the Halucinogenics tour back in the day I was tripping balls. You’ve never heard Primus correctly unless you’re under the influence of some sort of hallucinogenic drug.

[@FuzzyDice66]

Can't wait to see them on the Farewell to Kings tour! Front row tix. Bring it.

[@davidozolin8002]

I just saw Primus last night, consequentially from the front row. You’re in for a treat, it was unbelievably good.

[@dnc1769]

The 'one string' thing is somethng Les invented that he calls the 'Wham-ola'.

[@spookypunky]

I dont think too many people can drum for Les-Tim kills it

[@wtfrocks8663]

He also spent a fair amount of time in the Blue Man Group

[@thatguyerk5426]

You can hear hits of whamola from the upright and then he gets into a groove similar to too many puppies for a spell

[@TonyOnions666]

Love when Les pulls out the Whammolla

[@damionchrist]

Front House Sound is using effects on the drums

[@RozzmanLists]

Hello Andrew Rooney, I love your reactions to drummers and drum related stuff. I was wondering if you've heard (of) Curt Cress and (in particular) his "Avanti" Album? Greets Goetz

[@stick80]

This sounds like he had an effects pedal plugged into the drum mics.

[@johnyevoli2193]

Their first big break they open for rush roll the bones tour

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

What a lineup John!

[@Therealadriaanvisser]

Sounsd to me like delay + flanger + filter ( +more?) on sidetrack of the recorded sound then mixed in

[@jamesdude4220]

love the tie fighter

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

HAHA! Thanks for watching James

[@michaeleagle2]

He's got to have ambient resonance riding the kick drum micing. Pickups going into that brain to his left. Started doing that trying to recreate similar. Innovative drummer... Pioneer in technically playing for the music. When the music is soo loose...

[@emoy1907]

He doesn't use delay or effects much its just for the solo. The solo isn't as important part. The way he makes the music with the effects is what the solo is all about, I'm pretty sure Les Claypool is the one controlling the effects board. Because it stops when he comes out

[@jonskaery]

Sounds like a tape delay and a envelope filter on perhaps one of the oh mics.

[@Corduroyrumble]

It's his full mix going through a delay into an envelope filter with very high resonance.

[@pmnphxaz]

you should check out the other 2 drummers for Primus too.

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

Brain one?

[@pmnphxaz]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums Mantia? Just found a bootleg of the last show I went to, and I'm groovin'. That Roll the Bones Tee still (barely) fit. I don't know where the tape went that I made in the back row, upper deck of the Omni in Atlanta. The more recent show I just wanted to soak it in, but I did shoot a few shots on the phone.

[@pmnphxaz]

@@AndrewRooneyDrums Shakes hands with Beef.

[@bubbacosta8758]

You should check out Jean-Paul Gaster from the band Clutch..

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

I just did a video on him. Check it out!

[@timperley69]

Love "Herb" Great drummer

[@Cory_Dora]

He’s Les claypool’s drummer. You know he’s gonna be bad ass. Has to be!

[@rayauclair2543]

Tama Star Classics with pin stripes can't beat it man!!🤘😜🤘

[@AndrewRooneyDrums]

KILLER Ray!

[@kevincognito3575]

That thing less playful is playing has a leather strap for a string and he adjusts the tension with a lever on the top