The band shares the final episode of its open-call drummer audition
Primus has released the final episode of Interstellar Drum Derby, the bandโs behind-the-scenes YouTube series chronicling their global open-call audition for a new drummer. The finale brings the journey full circle, showcasing the last round of in-studio auditions, final interviews, and the now-iconic moment when Les Claypool surprised John Hoffman with a cake and the news that heโd officially joined Primus.
The episode features appearances from Fred Armisen and Bob Odenkirk, commentary from longtime drum tech Tim โSoyaโ Solyan, and footage of both Hoffman and fellow finalist Gergล Borlai performing, bonding with the band, and reflecting on the stakes of the opportunity. What began as a cosmic call for submissions ends here as a celebration of chemistry, instinct, and a hard-earned seat behind one of the most storied kits in modern rock.
In its final stretch, the episode transitions into the studio for an exclusive look at the making of โLittle Lord Fentanyl,โ the bandโs first new song in over three yearsโand the first to feature Hoffman. Captured during what would become his final audition, the footage shows Hoffman recording with the band before being officially offered the gig, offering fans a rare glimpse into Primusโ creative process at a pivotal moment of transition. The track, which includes a guest vocal from Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer), has been praised by Stereogum as โtransgressive and comforting at the same time,โ and described by Metal Hammer as โpure brain-melting oddness.โ
Director Agent O called the finale โa challenge to put togetherโ due to the sheer volume of compelling material. โThere was so much to fit into a single episode,โ he said. โThe biggest challenge was figuring out how to showcase both drummers, Gergo and John, without repeating the same songs and keeping things moving forward. I think the back-and-forth editing between the two during the same track is fun to watch. You can hear the subtle differences, but it doesnโt disrupt the flow of the music. It was crucial to highlight their incredible talent, but it was just as important to show that these guys are humans, too.โ
Hoffmanโs full-circle riseโfrom gigging in Shreveport to front-page stories in Stereogum and a cover feature in the May issue of Modern Drummerโhas resonated across the industry. The final episode of Interstellar Drum Derby offers a moving portrait of a drummer who, as Claypool put it, โrose above over 6,100 applicants to win the Interstellar Drum Derby and become the latest, and possibly the greatest, drummer to sit on the Primus drum throne.โ
With Hoffman now in place, Primus is charging aheadโcurrently on the Sessanta Tour with Keenanโs Puscifer and A Perfect Circle, and gearing up for their Onward & Upward Summer Tour, which kicks off July 5th in Paso Robles, California and hits 24 cities nationwide with support from Ty Segall and MonoNeon.
