They’re baaack! It’s been 11 long years since musical pranksters Primus last released a studio album, but the wait may have well been worth it. Next month will see the release of their new album Green Naugahyde, which is preceded by the first single ‘Tragedy’s A-Comin’’.

As long time fans will expect, it’s a rich slice of Claypool’s trademark slap bass funk, and sees him reunited with long time guitarist Larry LaLonde and drummer Jay Lane, who has returned to the fold after originally departing the band way back in 1989.

The new song sees the band in fine form, pumping out the slap bass and a driving guitar groove that sees them mining the rich vein that gave birth to their cult hit  ‘Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver,’ back in 1995.

Claypool told Spin of the lyrical genesis for the track: “Lyrically, this is me focusing on eventual demise or at least the notion that big rain is coming and at some point I’m going to get pretty fucking wet. Who says lemmings can’t dance as they go over the cliff?”

Although the band still toured on the back of old material in the intervening years since their last studio release, Claypool explains in his inimitable way that the band needed to take some time off to regroup.

“Primus had hit the creative wall by the end of the ’90s and Primus needed to sit.  Like a good compost, we needed to ferment and turn the manure and garbage into fine, nitrogen rich dirt.”

Listen to the track below:

Primus – Tragedy’s A’Comin by Klaypool

The track listing for Green Naugahyde is:

01. Prelude To A Crawl
02. Hennepin Crawler
03. Last Salmon Man
04. Eternal Consumption Engine
05. Tragedy’s A’ Comin’
06. Eyes Of The Squirrel
07. Jilly’s On Smack
08. Lee Van Cleef
09. Moron TV
10. Green Ranger
11. HOINFODAMAN
12. Extinction Burst
13. Salmon Men

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine