Tim 'Herb' Alexander, drummer with PRIMUS and PUSCIFER, has suffered a heart attack, it's been confirmed.

The 49-year-old will receive open heart surgery tomorrow or Tuesday, and his colleagues have called on fans to offer their moral support in the coming days.

Puscifer say in a brief statement: "Rough news – Tim suffered a heart attack. Global positive thoughts, por favour. We need our Herb the Ginseng Drummer aka Peter Merkin alive and thieving."

Confirming that Alexander is to undergo treatment for blocked arteries, Primus mainman Les Claypool says: "Herb is a strong Herculean fellow, and we all expect him to be up and around in no time. But with all surgical endeavours we want to make sure he has the best energy working for him.

"So let’s all throw our coins in the nearest fountain, wish on the first star of the night, blow out the birthday cake candles with him in mind, pray to whichever deity seems appropriate and generally send good thoughts his way so we can soon experience the glory that is the magnificent percussive rhythm of the mighty Tim Alexander."

The drummer began his third stint with Primus last year, after previously appeared on seven of the band's albums. He released two records in the 1990s with his own band Laundry, and played on A Perfect Circle's 2000 release Mer de Noms, before recording for both Puscifer studio albums.