Primus guitarist Ler LaLonde's home decimated by California fires

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By ( Louder ) published

Primus man just one rock star impacted by devastating fires – with Anthrax, Rage Against the Machine and Smashing Pumpkins members affected

Firefighters battle flames during the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. A fast-moving wildfire ripped through an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles, forcing thousands of people to evacuate as the region braced for a brutal wind storm that could last well into the weekend.
(Image credit: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Primus guitarist Larry 'Ler' LaLonde's Los Angeles home has been completely destroyed by the devastating fires that have swept through multiple neighbourhoods this week.

At least 11 people have been killed by the fires, which have burned through a combined total area of 37,000 acres.

Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk, Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan and Dream Theater/Spock's Beard/Flying Colors engineer Rich Mouser are among the tens of thousands of people who have been displaced.

An estimated 12,000 structures have been destroyed by the fires in areas including Sunset and the Palisades. The flames have been fuelled by strong winds and many are a long way off being contained as of Saturday evening (January 11).

Primus mainman Les Claypool posted an image of the ruins of LaLonde's home on Instagram, along with the caption: "All that is left of our good friend Ler Lalonde’s home. When Mother Nature gets up on her hind legs, it can be brutal. My heart hurts for him and his family."

LaLonde's wife, Shane, shares more detail in her own Instagram post.

She writes: "Our home is gone, and so are the homes of every one of our friends and neighbours. I am still in shock, not quite sure what just happened.

"I’m not sure what happens now. But I am realising hour by hour all that was lost."

Wilk told fans via Instagram that he and his family had t evacuate their home, saying: Thanks to everyone reaching out. We are good, but had to evacuate last night. Hosed down the house and grabbed the humans and animals and split. Everybody please be careful and stay safe."

A post shared by Brad Wilk (@bradwilk)

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Stef Lach

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.