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PRIMUS Shares Music Video For ‘The Ol’ Grizz’ From ‘A Handful Of Nuggs’ EP
PRIMUS have released an official music video for "The Ol' Grizz", directed by Cage Claypool, taken from the band's EP "A Handful Of Nuggs", which was released in May. The song is notable as one of the first new studio recordings to feature drummer John Hoffman, who joined the band in 2025, and showcases the trio's characteristic blend of intricate bass work, psychedelic textures and unconventional rhythms.
The four-track EP also includes a cover of DIO's "Holy Diver" sung by Puddles Pity Party (the stage persona of Michael Geier), plus "Little Lord Fentanyl" featuring Maynard James Keenan of TOOL and a live recording of "Duchess (And The Proverbial Mind Spread)" from Philadelphia's Mann Music Center. Hoffman, from Shreveport, won his place in PRIMUS after beating over 6,100 applicants in a worldwide audition dubbed the "Interstellar Drum Derby". Earlier this year the band undertook the 30-date "Claypool Gold Tour" with two of Les Claypool's other projects, running from 20 May to 4 July.
In short
- PRIMUS releases video for "The Ol' Grizz" from new EP
- Track features new drummer John Hoffman, chosen from 6,100+ applicants
- EP also includes DIO cover and Maynard James Keenan collaboration
Explained simply
PRIMUS are an alternative rock band known for their inventive approach to music, featuring prominent bass playing, psychedelic sounds and intricate rhythms. The group released a four-track extended play called A Handful Of Nuggs in May 2026.
John Hoffman became the band's drummer in 2025 after winning a competitive audition process called the Interstellar Drum Derby, which received applications from over 6,100 musicians worldwide. This followed the departure of Bryan Patrick Martin, who had been PRIMUS's drummer for many years. The Handful Of Nuggs EP marks some of Hoffman's first official recorded work with the band.
The EP includes contributions from other notable musicians, including Puddles Pity Party singing a cover song and Maynard James Keenan from TOOL appearing on another track. The band also undertook an extended touring schedule in the first half of 2026, demonstrating their continuing place in the alternative rock world.
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