Mike Patton 101
March 18th, 2008 | 6:35 pm est |
It seems as though Mike Patton won’t rest until he’s put his vocal stamp on every type of music known to man. A self-admitted caffeine addict and workaholic, lately he’s been busy as ever. When he hasn’t been playing in one of his several bands, running his record label, performing under an alias, or guest starring on a bandmate’s or buddy’s project, he has been keeping busy, starring in the video games Bionic Commando and The Darkness, voicing the CGI monsters in I Am Legend, and composing the score for A Perfect Place. He has voiced concerns of spreading himself too thin and talked about spending less time doing guest spots, but it’s hard to take him seriously when he’s been credited on at least five albums in 2008 (from Massive Attack, Dub Trio, Praxis, Umlaut, and Rahzel). With plans in the works to unveil a new mystery project this year with Dan the Automator titled Crudo, along with an album of big band ‘50s and ‘60s Italian crooner covers (Mondo Cane), it looks like he’s got a shot at the title for hardest working man in showbiz. Let’s look at page one of his resume:
SOLO PROJECTS
Mike Patton (no pseudonym):
Strangely enough, while using his plain ol’ birth name, Patton was at his most indulgent and least rewarding while experimenting with tape loops and avant garde noise. His first album Adult Themes for Voice was recorded on a four track in hotel rooms using overdubs of his voice. His second album featured sparse arrangements of cello, guitar, percussion, and sax performed by Erik Friedlander, Marc Ribot, William Winant, and John Zorn. Of course it wouldn’t be a Mike Patton record if it didn’t have a strange concept (in this case, food and recipes) and vocal squelches. For his third record, he proved himself an accomplished composer capable of showy arrangements in the vein of Elmer Bernstein and John Barry, and illustrated that he formerly contributed more to Mr. Bungle than just vocal bits.
Who: Just Mike
Studio Albums: Adult Themes for Voice, Pranzo Oltranzista, A Perfect Place
Peeping Tom:
Dubbed as Patton’s attempt at straight up “pop music,” Peeping Tom turned out to be more like a demented satire of popular radio than a project with potential of receiving airplay. He heckled popular opinions of rock star culture by painting the darker side of partying over heavily layered hip-hop beats with big Hollywood hooks. After laying down some bare-boned tracks, he collaborated with various A-List artists by mail with detailed instructions about specific touches that were needed to enhance the tracks. Despite downplaying the death metal tiger growls and fragmented song structures that generally define his projects, the result is still a distant cry from pop.
Who: Entirely composed by himself, with included guest spots from Rahzel, Amon Tobin, Kool Keith, Jel, Odd Nosdam, Massive Attack, Bebel Gelberto, Kid Koala, Doseone, Norah Jones, Dub Trio, and Dan the Automator.
Studio Albums: Peeping Tom
BANDS
Mr. Bungle:
Dating back to Patton’s high school days, Bungle was a group with practically no mainstream potential, and probably the strangest group ever to get a deal with Warner Bros. Versatile as all hell, they covered Middle Eastern, carnival themes, acid jazz, electro, funk, death metal, ska, and anything else they fancied — sometimes all within a single song. At times disturbing, other times downright brilliant, in the early shows they hid their identity with Mexican wrestling masks or bondage gear to add to the onstage insanity. John Zorn produced the self-titled album and would later team with Patton on a bundle of improvisational recordings of his own. The freewheeling and highly experimental Disco Volante followed, and Mr. Bungle went their separate ways after recording their true masterpiece, California.
Who: Vocalist Mike Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn, drummer Danny Heifetz, and horn player Clinton “Bär” McKinnon. Spruance, Dunn, and Heifetz formed Secret Chiefs in 1995.
Studio Albums: Mr. Bungle, Disco Volante, California
Click here to watch Mr. Bungle - “Air Conditioned Nightmare” (Live)
Faith No More:
FNM was the most commercially successful band of Patton’s many groups, best remembered for their breakthrough single, “Epic,” and its accompanying video of a fish flopping around in slow motion. Patton’s raps and soulful nasal-inflected hooks on The Real Thing stuck out like a sore thumb in relation to the formulaic arena hair metal scene of the late ‘80s. Along with Anthrax and Red Hot Chili Peppers, they were one of the first long-haired groups to combine rap and metal (which would later prove to be a smelly can of worms) and defied their so-called genre, always striving to push their boundaries away from the mainstream metal stereotype. Rather than adhering to the cardinal rule of metalheads, “If it doesn’t rock, it sucks,” the band spooned out covers by the Commodores, Technotronic, and even the Bee Gees in their sets. Angel Dust confused metal fans further by adding samples and more prominent synth sounds to the mix and albums started becoming less hook-oriented as time went on and the lineup rotated.
Who: Most memorably, Mike Patton, Roddy Bottum, Mike Bordin, Bill Gould, and Jim Martin. Patton was the replacement for Chuck Mosely and a handful of other trial vocalists including Courtney Love, who played with the band for almost a year before The Real Thing was recorded. After Jim Martin’s departure, Jon Hudson, Dean Menta, and Trey Spruance each filled the guitar slinger’s role briefly.
Studio Albums: The Real Thing, Angel Dust, King for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime, Album of the Year
Click here to watch Faith No More - “Caffeine” (Live)
Tomahawk:
Until their most recent album Anonymous, which had a Native American tribal theme, Tomahawk felt like a pretty straight forward metal band — well, as straightforward as expected when you throw Patton in a room with the guitarist from Jesus Lizard, the bassist from Melvins, and the drummer from Helmet. While no singles were ever going to come from these guys, it didn’t stop Patton from howling, “This beat will win me a Grammy!” over a tricky time signature. On stage, the singer was at his most menacing dressed as a cop while singing through a microphone wired into a gas mask.
Who: Patton with guitarist Duane Denison (Jesus Lizard), drummer John Stanier (Helmet, Battles), bassist Kevin Rutmanis (Melvins/Cows)
Studio Albums: Tomahawk, Mit Gas, Anonymous
Click here to watch Tomahawk - “God Hates a Coward” (live)
Fantômas:
Specializing in fractured insanity, with heavy emphasis on concept (the first album served as a soundtrack for a comic book), Director’s Cut reworked horror themes, and Suspended Animation dissected cartoon themes and sfx. On stage, Patton takes the role of a conductor, leading the group through a hurricane of sudden starts, stops, and freak-outs punctuated by bizarre sound FX. The most amazing part about these guys is not that they can compose something utterly confounding, but that they’re technically strong enough to pull off the precise onslaught of sudden changes in their live performance, even though the records sound like they’ve been hacked to bits with cuts and pastes.
Who: Patton with Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo, Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne, and Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn.
Studio Albums: Fantômas, The Director’s Cut, Millennium Monsterwork, Delìrium Còrdia, Suspended Animation
Click here to watch Fantômas - “Suspended Animation” (Live)
GUEST SPOTS AND COLLABORATIONS
And here’s a playlist of some of Mike Patton’s most notable guest appearances and collaborations:
Bjork - Medulla
“Where Is the Line” 
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Irony Is a Dead Scene
“When Good Dogs Do Bad Things”
Dub Trio - New Heavy
“Not Alone”
General Patton - Vs. The Executioners
“Get Up, Punk! 0200 Hrs (Joint Special Operations Task Force)”
Handsome Boy Modeling School - White People
“Are You Down With It”
Isis - Oceanic: Remixes/Reinterpretations
“Maritime”
Kaada - Romances
“Seule”
Kid606 - Down with the Scene
“Secrets 4 Sale”
Lovage - Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By
“Book of the Month”
Melvins - The Crybaby
“GI Joe”
Sepultura - Blood Rooted
“Mine”
Sparks - Plagiarism
“This Town Ain’t Big Enough for Both of Us” (with Faith No More)
Congrats! Once you’ve played all of these tracks, you have successfully passed Mike Patton 101. Here’s your reward:
Click here to watch Mike Patton & Rahzel - Pony (live)
Sorry to be a pedant but General Patton vs the Executioners and Kaada and Patton - Romances are not guests spots but full collaborations.
In the former case patton not only sent the executioners all the records they were to use, but also sequenced the album. Similarly, Patton and Kaada wrote the songs together for ‘Romances’. The lovage project was also not a guest spot, but a full collaboration between Dan the Automator and Patton.
The syllabus for Mike Patton 101 is pretty extensive. Those links are great…to see Tomahawk perform rinses the bad taste of billboard marketed BS out of my ears.
Don’t forget about Maldror, a collaboration between Patton and the Japanese noise artist Merzbow.
Please - Mike Patton, Ikue Mori & John Zorn - Hemophiliac (2CD album).
Very interesting song: BooYa Tribe with Faith no More - Another body murdered! 10/10
MP and Dillinger Escape Plan “Irony Is A Dead Scene” is a 4-song ep, full collaboration on every song. But the omissions in the otherwise great article are just another indication of how vast this man’s output has been in the past twenty years, that even some of his die-hard fans don’t know/haven’t heard everything the man has ever done.
Also would be good to mention that Mike Patton did the voice of The Darkness in the videogame of the same name. Also, he has a small part as the “anger ball” in Valve’s Portal from The Orange Box.
I agree, while this list is not entirely conclusive, it is a good primer for those that don’t know MP past FNM, or Mr. Bungle.
That’s why it is called Mike Patton 101, and not Mike Patton 403. You wouldn’t take a 101 level college course if you were a junior, even if it was for your major.
didn’t he also guest on the self titled team sleep album, the chino moreno (a la deftones) side project?
What, no mention of Ipecac Recordings, the East Bay Area label he runs with Alternative Tentacles’ Greg Werckman? Lots of weird, noisy stuff that meshes with the Patton catalog, including discs from Hella, Melvins, kid606, Mouse on Mars, Moistboyz, the Locust: all the strange stuff no one else will release.
It’s good to hear that Mike is still going strong, I’m just an old friend from Eureka, Ca. Mike and I worked at The Record Work’s together, I let his Speed Metal band “Torture” practice at my apartment a few times…..man did they have the right name!!
I took Mike to his fist concert ever….Run DMC, LL Cool J, B& Rakim K at the Oakland Coliseum around 87′ or 88′, you should have seen him, I knew he was going to do something big,keep up the good work Mike!!
The Run Dmc tou may have been a little earlier than 87′….. my bad
Why an article on Mike Patton? yea he’s been busy the past year but he hasn’t released anything good and relevant since Tomahawk Mit Gas in my opinion.
I actally think the different styles and shifting genres is what hurts mike patton. I believe he has one of the best and most diverse rock lead vocalist out there but instead he is too conceited and wannabe art student (bad art at that)
He has also worked with Japanese violinist Eyvind Kang on “Athlantis”…multiple live improv projects, like Moonraker( with Buckethead), Weird Little Boy (Zorn), Fennesz & Patton, Naked City (Zorn), has scored two Feature length movies, (Pinion, and A perfect Place) and acted two main roles in the movie Firecracker. As far as the last comment… Mike Patton does what he wants when he wants, and doesn’t conform to anything. he is a true artist and his project choices just exemplify it.
i guess i would consider myself a mike patton fan, but he’s getting a little ridiculous with all the b/s he’s been putting out. that new soundtrack of his sucks, as well as the last fantomas and tomahawk albums. he hasn’t really made anything good aside from peeping tom since “mit gas”.
Well, SOMEBODY’s got to pick up where Zappa left off…..
Dont forget Hemophiliac with John Zorn and Iku Mori or the improv duo PattonRahzel.
Mr. Patton is one prolific SOB. But damn if he’s not talented.
Mike Patton is a frakkin’ GENIUS! I try to keep up with everything he’s done, but that may be an impossible feat. There’s more than one project here I hadn’t heard of. I’ve been lucky enough to see him with FNM, Mr. Bungle and Fantômas (a show where I nearly lost my mind and almost thrashed myself into oblivion, which earned me a few free beers from other concert-goers). Keep it up Mike!
His humor, inventiveness, relentless output never ceases to amaze me.
Sure enough some of his stuff is just too avant-garde for my taste, but when it clicks, it’s just the best.
Do not overlook: his 1998 live in san Francisco with Dave Lombardo and john Zorn.
Mike Patton is one of the most underrated vocalists out there.
Nice to see him compared to the late Frank Zappa.
Both are genius composer’s, arrangers and, musicians.
Stay away from the mainstream.
It’s clogged with sewage anyway.
“i guess i would consider myself a mike patton fan, but he’s getting a little ridiculous with all the b/s he’s been putting out. that new soundtrack of his sucks, as well as the last fantomas and tomahawk albums. he hasn’t really made anything good aside from peeping tom since “mit gas”.”
1) Tomahawk is not “his band”, and he would tell you as much. It’s Duane’s and the last album was his idea and concept. To “blame” PAtton is to not have your facts straight.
2) Have you heard the soundtrack in it’s true context: the movie itself? If not, how can you pretend to judge it’s worth/merit? The soundrack is based on the film, to judge it outside that environment is silly.
so he has done some random stuff recently, who cares? that’s what he does. Peeping Tom was only 2+ years ago anyway, and he’s got a ton of stuff in the works so way get down on him. Crudo, new Lovage (potentialy), Mondo Cane (this is gonna blow people away)… and i think he has material for additional Peeping Tom if he wants.
I loved his work with Destiny’s Child.
Marvelous!
I had no idea that was Mike doing the voices for the monsters in I Am Legend. That is amazing!
They missed ALOT of Patton’s stuff. I can’t believe they didn’t mention LOVAGE. I’m a huge fan, and I still find stuff that he did that I had no idea! The man’s a maniac! He tries to hit every single genre, every single era of music, and combine them into one sound. Anyone who makes fun of his sound, or him for that matter are ignorant to the complexity and talent that goes into (most) of what he does. He’s a true idol in my eyes.
This guy is my hero.
I hope nobody reads this! Michael Patton is a self-trained chimpanzee! He is neither artist nor musician–I own at least seven records he’s “done”, but none BY HIM–because ordinary everyday musicians, take Springsteen for example, find a certain sound, toy around with it, expand it, bounce it around the rock arenas for a few years, get fed up with aLL THE ATTENTION, then release one or two really dark, confessional and/or alienating records that supposedly put the critics and the audiences back in check. Patton has not done this and probably never will. Dark and alienating are his specialty, but confessional? Forget it! Marshall Mathers has him beat by thousand miles! This freak named Mike must have some past to confess to, some story to tell without resorting to crackly old microcassette recordings of him getting molested at the age of four. That sort of thing works in the world of his long-time idol David Lynch, but there’s also a reason why the filmmaker hasn’t used any of Patton’s music in his soundtracks; it is too surreal already, and does not require the special touch of any Surrealist.
great vocalist i heard a tale that bobby mcferrin gave him his propers when he recieved some kind of reward but i do not know the validity of this and that last comment wow marshall mathers better than mike wow maybe we should take a break from the bong and actually have some kind of taste before we compare “dear stan” to “ma meeshka mow skwoz” but then again i didn’t go see 8 mile so maybe i am biased
Yeah, good Patton overview.
I personally didn’t really enjoy the second Tomahawk (& still need to hear the third, which sounds much more interesting - and I know Tomahawk’s more of Duane’s project than Patton’s) and found Peeping really boring. But maybe I should give that another go and listen out for all the tongue-in-cheek. I think all Fantomas have been good though, even if the last took me a while to get into. Kaada was a bit boring. His work with Bjork was great, and there’s a great doco out there on the making of Medulla. Dillinger was ok I guess. Vs the X-Ecutioners was actually pretty good I thought, but it took a few listens. And Lovage was great. Maldoror was fun (not so good live though). But the last few years of releases haven’t impressed me much. I do want to track down his work with Eyvind Kang – that guy is a genius.
I guess it goes without saying that all Patton’s work with Bungle and Faith was awesome. i’m intrigued by the sound of his new solo project - the last two were really interesting, even if i do only play them once a year. and he’s always done interesting stuff with Zorn, especially Zorn’s ‘Elegy’.
I don’t think that Patton says to himself, if they(the consumer) liked Fantomas they’re going to love Peeping Tom.. He makes music because he likes and enjoys all types of music, and all types of genres… I think it’s only natural that one would not like all of Patton’s projects, but his work ethic and talent should not go unrecognized.
amazing album. i just prelistened and downloaded it here: http://lavamus.com/Album/2442366/Mike_Patton/A_Perfect_Place__Ost_/mp3/
what about Moonchild, Astronome, Six Litanies for Heliogabolus and the upcoming 4th record by the trio….???