Primus ends lengthy hiatus with new DVD, EP and tour

Three years after announcing that it was going on an indefinite hiatus, avant-garde rock outfit Primus--featuring original drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander--returns with a new DVD and EP that the group supports during a fall road trip.

Titled "Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People," Primus' first new release since 1999's "Antipop" hits the shelves on Oct. 7. The set comprises a career-spanning DVD and an EP that houses five new songs.

"It seems of late that bands are adding supplemental DVD material to their album releases to promote record sales," bandleader/bassist Les Claypool said in a statement. "We've done the opposite. We've added a supplemental audio recording of brand new music to an extremely comprehensive DVD of classic visuals. Also, we've enlisted the incredible talents of some local artists to create a cutting edge, interactive interface."

Clocking in at more than three hours, the DVD compiles all 12 of Primus' music videos, including "Too Many Puppies," "Southbound Pachyderm" and "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver." Also included are the award-winning short animated film "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" and the out-of-print 1992 home-video release "Cheesy Home Video."

In addition to music videos, the DVD contains short documentaries on the making of "Mr. Krinkle" and "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver," as well as "The Making of the Brown Album (Back in Brown)," all of which have never been available before; live performances culled from every era of the band's career; backstage footage; a complete discography; a Primus photo gallery and more.

The new songs on the companion EP, meanwhile, are the first that Claypool and guitarist Larry LaLonde have recorded with Alexander since 1995's "Tales from the Punchbowl."

One week after "Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People" arrives in stores, Primus kicks off its first tour since its 1999-2000 "Antipop" outing. The shows will be a "multimedia theatrical stage production" featuring two full sets by the band, according to a press release. The first set will vary nightly and feature material culled from throughout the band's career; the second set will be a "one-time only, start-to-finish performance" of the group's 1991 release, "Sailing the Seas of Cheese."