According to a post on Puscifer's Facebook page, the 49-year-old drummer was rushed to a local hospital and was scheduled for a bypass procedure to remove blockage from arteries near his heart on Monday morning.

According to his manager, Tim has successfully pulled thru surgery. That's great news.

Members of Tim's family asked fans to join them for a 'global drum circle' at 7.30am local time in Los Angeles, California. In a statement released yesterday, Tim's relatives wrote:

"Sometime tomorrow, Tim's heart will be stopped for his open heart surgery. The heart is like a drum and we need to help keep it going, so during this time we ask you to help carry the beat. Whether it be drums, percussion or even in your head, we'd like to start a global drum circle to send positive, healing energy to Tim."

Tim was the original drummer for Primus but he has left and rejoined the group twice. Having previously been a member of the band from 1988 to 1996 and 2003 to 2009, Tim rejoined the Les Claypool-led group in 2013.

Overall, the drummer has played on seven Primus albums, including the classic Primus releases 'Sailing the Seas of Cheese' (1991) and 'Pork Soda' (1993).

Besides Primus and Puscifer, Tim Alexander has also worked with A Perfect Circle, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Reverend Horton Heat and the Blue Man Group in Las Vegas, among others.