Mr. Bungle's brilliant vocalist, Michael Allan Patton, is definitely one of the best, and the busiest vocalists. Patton was born January 27, 1968 in Eureka, California. First, he started off singing for a band called Turd, in high school of 1985, which he and bassist Trevor Dunn performed for. After being kicked out of Turd, Trevor and Mike formed Mr. Bungle in 1985 with guitarist Trey Spurance and first drummer Jed Watts. After recording some demos, Patton succeeded Chuck Mosely on the microphone for Faith No More in 1988, recording the hit Epic.
Mike took up performing solo, as a side project in 1996, releasing his first solo album off John Zorn's label, Tzadik, called Adult Themes For Voice. This solo debut consists of 37 themes. In 1997, Patton released Pranzo Oltranzista (Tzadik), his second offering of solo, yet a lot more instrumental than his debut. Mike has also worked with the following musicians: Kronos Quartet, Bob Ostertag, Arto Lindsay, Bill Laswell, Boo-Yaa Tribe, Rova Saxophone, Quartet, David Shea, Sepultura and John Zorn.
Mike also fronts another project, Fantômas, along with Dave Lombardo on drums, Buzz Osborne on guitar, and Trevor Dunn on bass. Another project he fronts is Tomahawk, with John Stanier (drums), Kevin Rutmanis (bass), and Duane Denison (guitar). Other projects ahead include Peeping Tom and more DJ-ing albums with other artists.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Touring. Nothing to report.
FUTURE PROJECTS
Firecracker: Mike will be co-starring in this
film
by Steve Balderson, starring Dennis Hopper, Sally Kirkland, and Deborah Harry.
Fantômas: Completed new record The Director's Cut, and work
on new (third) album should or has begun.
Peeping Tom: Pop project, which Mike has signed to
Reprise Records. Dan
The Automator will be producing the album. Release projected for 2002.