Simone Marie Butler announces Primal Scream departure: “It truly has been an amazing ride”
Bassist Simone Marie Butler has announced her departure from Primal Scream.
Butler joined the group in 2012 following the exit of Gary ‘Mani‘ Mounfield, who left to participate in The Stone Roses’ reunion, and she remained part of their live band until 2025.
Taking to Instagram, Butler, who also hosts a weekly show on Soho Radio, revealed she was no longer part of the band, writing, “I want to thank everyone who I’ve had the pleasure to play in front of for the last 13 years with Primal Scream.”
The bassist looked back fondly at those 13 years with the band, recalling, “It truly has been an amazing ride with genuinely beautiful people. So so many incredible times, laughs and experiences. That’s the dream right there. Bobby, Andrew and the band are incredible musicians and people.”
She then confirmed, “Going forward I will no longer be playing with the band and shall miss that, but I truly wish them all the very best for the future.”
Reflecting further on her time with Primal Scream, Butler said she was “incredibly grateful” for the experience it has given her, including travelling “the entire world” to “play music I love”. She also said it has been “an incredible learning curve”.
Butler also addressed her lifelong love of the band, adding, “Primal Scream’s music meant a lot to me even before I was playing those iconic bass lines and when I got that call to audition it felt like divine timing so I’d like to thanks Bobby and Andrew for taking a chance on me all those years ago.”
She concluded by poignantly writing, “I love you all and although not on stage, I’ll always be part of the scream family X”.
Primal Scream are yet to address Butler’s departure or announce who will be taking her place in the band.
Notably, Butler did not perform with Primal Scream in December at the Roundhouse in London, which was a special anniversary show in support of their 2000 album, XTRMNTR.
Primal Scream are set to play a number of festivals in the summer, including Truck Festival in Oxfordshire and Victorious Festival in Portsmouth.
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