Primus Opening for U2 on the Zoo TV Tour
Les Claypool recently talked about Primus opening for U2 during the 1992–1993 Zoo TV tour. At the time, Primus was still a strange and unfamiliar band for many U2 fans. Their unusual sound and stage presence already confused audiences, but one thing caused even more reactions: fans shouting “Primus Sucks.”
Why the Chant Confused U2 Fans
For Primus fans, shouting “Primus Sucks” was a long-running inside joke and a sign of support. However, many U2 fans did not understand this. When they heard the chant echoing through huge stadiums, they thought people were insulting the opening band. Some U2 fans even defended Primus, telling others to give them a chance. Claypool said the band found this misunderstanding funny and enjoyed watching the different reactions.
“We’d be playing, and you’d hear from way over here, ‘Primus Sucks!’ And you’d hear from way over there, ‘Primus Sucks!’ And the U2 fans would go, ‘Give them a chance! How rude!’ They didn’t know those were the people in the know. So, we got a kick out of that.”
Where “Primus Sucks” Came From
The chant started in the band’s early days when Claypool would jokingly tell audiences that Primus was bad. Fans picked it up and turned it into a tradition. The band leaned into it by selling merchandise with the phrase on it. Claypool liked the honesty and humor behind it.
“We’d just get up there and say, ‘We’re Primus, and we suck.’ And it kind of caught on.”
A Reputation for Being Different
Some U2 fans may have recognized Primus from earlier in 1992, when the band appeared on MTV and openly talked about taking acid before a performance. This only added to their reputation as a strange but memorable band, making their time on the Zoo TV tour even more unusual and entertaining.
“We’d just get up there and say, ‘We’re Primus, and we suck.’ And it kind of caught on.”
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