Faith No More reforms with Mike Patton!
February 25th, 2009 by Joel Weiss in News
In a press release issued early Tuesday, the band responsible for unleashing Mike Patton upon the mainstream music world announced its return. Faith No More is back!
Back in the early 90s when MTV actually played music videos on a regular basis, eyes shooting lightning bolts in the palms of hands and fish flopping around in synch with a somber piano melody were common sights. These memorable images were from the classic Faith No More video, “Epic.” The band peaked with The Real Thing in 1990, Patton’s first effort with the band, and the slow decline of the band followed.
Angel Dust is first CD I ever bought. Its lead single, “Midlife Crisis,” along with “Epic,” have since been credited (or blamed, depending on your outlook) for the eventual rise of suburban white guys rapping over chugga-chugga riffs (coined as “nu-metal”). The album performed almost as well as The Real Thing commercially, but showcased a new diversity to the band’s sound to the detriment of virtuoso guitarist, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey co-star, and amateur pumpkin farmer, Jim Martin. Martin left soon after and so did many of FNM’s fans. The band released two more mediocre albums before splitting, and Patton resumed creating one weirdo-rock record after another with bands like Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom, ad infinitum.
As Pitchfork reports, details are scarce. We don’t know the band’s lineup. Is Jim Martin involved? Will there be anything beyond this European Tour? New music? Time will tell. Here’s a little “Epic” while we wait:
“Epic” from The Real Thing (1989)
February 25th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Per Blabbermouth; no Martin: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=114601
Also, no North America shows planned at all.
February 25th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Great news! Hopefully FNM reclaim some stature with this bout of shows. And hopefully we’ll be graced with a stop in Tampa Bay.
If memory serves, Mr. Bungle predates FNM and the Bungle demos landed him the FNM gig.
February 25th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Autopsy4 – That link pre-dates the reunion announcement by about a week. While I’m pessimistic about Martin’s involvement, I think we can still cling to a glimmer of hope. ;)
February 25th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
you must one of them there “optimist” people.
February 26th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Faith No More bassist Billy Gould released a statement to Blabbermouth about the band’s reunion this summer, and it noted that the lineup for the “unique beast, part dog, part cat”’s summer’s run of shows will consist of Gould, Roddy Bottum, Mike Patton, Mike Bordin, and Jon Hudson on guitar.
February 26th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Thanks for the update, autopsy4!
April 14th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Wow, those two last album aren’t mediocre dude!
Listen again.