A MODIS photograph of the Alexander Archipelago

The Alexander Archipelago is a 300 miles (500 km) long archipelago, or group of islands, of North America off the southeastern coast of Alaska. It contains about 1,100 islands, which are the tops of the submerged coastal mountains that rise steeply from the Pacific Ocean. Deep channels and fjords separate the islands and cut them off from the mainland. The northern part of the Inside Passage is sheltered by the islands as it winds its way among them.

The islands have irregular, steep coasts and dense evergreen and temperate rain forests.

In order of land area, the largest islands are Prince of Wales Island, Chichagof Island, Admiralty Island, Baranof Island, Revillagigedo Island, Kupreanof Island, Kuiu Island, Etolin Island, Dall Island, Wrangell Island, Mitkof Island, Zarembo Island, Kosciusko Island, Kruzof Island, Annette Island, Gravina Island, and Yakobi Island. All the islands are rugged, densely forested, and have an abundance of wildlife.

The Tlingit and Kaigani Haida people are native to the area. The Tsimshian people found on Annette Island are not originally from the area, having immigrated to the region from British Columbia in the late 19th century.

Ketchikan on Revillagigedo Island and Sitka on Baranof Island are the largest towns on the islands. The most populous neighborhoods of the largest town in the region, Juneau, are on the mainland, though portions of the city also lie on Douglas Island, which is a part of the archipelago.

Tourism, fishing, and logging are the main industries of the islands.

History[link]

The first European to visit the archipelago was Aleksei Chirikov in 1741, who sighted the coasts of Noyes and Baker Islands (both off the west coast of Prince of Wales Island), as well as Baranof, Chichagof, Kruzof and Yakobi Islands.^[1] In 1774 Juan José Pérez Hernández sighted the south coast of Dall Island,^[2] while Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra entered Bucareli Bay off Prince of Wales Island the following year.^[3] In 1792 Jacinto Caamaño sighted Revillagigedo Island and the Gravina Islands, discovering Clarence Strait.^[4] George Vancouver and his men made an extensive survey of the archipelago in 1793 and 1794, circumnavigating both Revillagigedo and Admiralty Islands, charting the entirety of Kuiu Island, the east sides of Baranof and Chichagof Islands, and Etolin, Wrangell, Zarembo, Mitkof, and Kupreanof Islands.^[5] Within a decade the Russians had traversed Peril Strait separating Chichagof and Baranof Islands, and in the following decades found the straits and passages separating several of the other major islands. An 1844 Russian chart shows Kupreanof separated from Mitkof Island and Etolin, Wrangell, Woronkofski, and Zarembo Islands separated from each other.^{[citation needed]}

The archipelago was a locus of the Maritime Fur Trade during the early 19th century. Control of the islands passed from Russia to the United States with the Alaska Purchase in 1867.

According to Donald Orth's Dictionary of Alaska Place Names (p. 64), the Alexander Archipelago received its name from the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1867. The island chain is named for Tsar Alexander of Russia.

On an 1860 map of Russian America (Alaska), the island group is called the King George III Archipelago.

See also[link]

• Alexander Archipelago Wolf
• Catherine Island
• British Columbia Coast
• Boundary Ranges
• Bell Island

References[link]

• "Alexander Archipelago". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1420060. 

Coordinates: 56°40′00″N 134°05′00″W / 56.6666667°N 134.0833333°W / 56.6666667; -134.0833333

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Alexander Archipelago

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (June 2010)

Tim "Herb" Alexander
Background information
Birth name	Tim Alexander
Also known as	"Herb"
Born	(1965-04-10) April 10, 1965 (age 47) Cherry Point, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Rock
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Drums, vocals, guitar
Years active	1989–present
Labels	Prawn Song, Interscope

Tim "Herb" Alexander (born April 10, 1965 in Cherry Point, North Carolina) is an American musician, best known as the former drummer for the rock band Primus.^[1] Tim played on the Primus recordings Suck on This to Tales from the Punchbowl, before leaving the band in 1996, only to rejoin in 2003 for the EP Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People. He was a member of, and toured with, Primus from early 2003 until approximately 2009 when he was replaced by Jay Lane. Although Alexander has been quoted saying he was originally inspired to become a rock drummer by legendary drummers like John Bonham, Neil Peart and Shaun O'Connor, Primus guitarist Larry LaLonde claims Alexander's drum beats are mostly influenced by African Jùjú music.

Prior to joining Primus, he played and recorded with Major Lingo, which at the time was a ska-based rhythm band that featured a lap steel guitar as the lead instrument, played by Tony Bruno. When Major Lingo toured through the Bay Area Tim met members of Primus and would go on to remain there trying out for the band.

Following Alexander's departure from Primus, he went on to form his own group, Laundry. Alexander released two albums with the band Laundry; Blacktongue and Motivator. Alexander has also collaborated with experimental bass player Michael Manring and guitarist Alex Skolnick to form the group known as Attention Deficit.

Alexander was the first drummer of A Perfect Circle, performing early live shows with the band, and recording drums for the track "The Hollow" on the band's debut album, Mer de Noms. He is listed as a member in the band's DVD/CD release aMOTION.

Alexander joined the theatrical group Blue Man Group, and has occasionally played with the Las Vegas-based improvisational rock band Uberschall.

Despite being primarily known for his drum work Alexander is an accomplished guitarist and singer. He performed live guitar with the group Born Naked and held the lead vocal duties on Laundry's second album and supporting tour.

Alexander was involved throughout 2008-09 in a project known as Into The Presence which features songs by Luis Carlos Maldonado. Their debut album was released on Razor and Tie Records and includes performances from bassist Paz Lenchantin and cellist Ana Lenchantin. Both Into The Presence and the Fata Morgana release were recorded and produced at Alexander's own Ghost Town Studios.^{[citation needed]}

As of 2010 Alexander is actively involved as a member of Maynard James Keenan's Puscifer project. He has toured with them and can be heard on their most recent released recordings.

Personal life[link]

While his nickname, "Herb", could be construed as a cannabis reference, Alexander does not smoke marijuana, unlike his former Primus bandmates Les Claypool and Larry LaLonde.^[2] Rumor has it that he was given this nickname due to his consistent use of herbal nutritional supplements.

Discography[link]

Primus[link]

• Suck on This (1989)
• Frizzle Fry (1990)
• Sailing the Seas of Cheese (1991)
• Miscellaneous Debris (1992)
• Pork Soda (1993)
• Tales from the Punchbowl (1995)
• Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People (2003)

Laundry[link]

• Blacktongue (1994)
• Motivator (1999)

A Perfect Circle[link]

• Mer de Noms (2000) (Appears on "The Hollow")

Attention Deficit[link]

• Attention Deficit (1998)
• The Idiot King (2001)

Fata Morgana[link]

• This Is A Dream (2005)

Puscifer[link]

• "V" Is for Vagina (2007)
• "C" Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE) (2009)
• Conditions of My Parole (2011)

Into the Presence[link]

• Into the Presence (2009)

Various[link]

• Drum Nation Vol. 1 (2004)

Equipment[link]

Drums: TAMA,

• 18"x20" Bass Drum
• 16"x18" Bass Drum
• 5.5"x14" Bronze PBZ355 Snare Drum
• 6"x14" Starclassic G Maple Snare Drum
• 8"x8" Tom Tom
• 9"x10" Tom Tom
• 10"x12" Tom Tom
• 14"x14" Floor Tom
• 14"x20" Gong Bass Drum
• 16"x16" Floor Tom
• Octoban Low-Pitch Set

Hardware: TAMA, many various boom and straight cymbal stands

Cymbals: Zildjian,

• 9.5" & 6" Zil-Bells
• 13" Z Custom Dyno Beat Hi-Hats
• 18",17" & 16" A Medium Crashes
• 18" A Rock Crash
• 6" & 8" A splash
• 12" A Special Recording Hi-Hats
• 13" A New-Beat Hi-Hats
• 18" Oriental China Trash
• 22" K Custom Ride.

Sticks: Zildjian, Tim Alexander Artist Series (16" length, 0.53" diameter)

Heads: REMO

References[link]

External links[link]

• TA on MySpace
• TA on Twitter
• TA on Drummerworld
• Primus website
• Fata Morgana website