08/13/2019 19:47:50 Sam
Did Mr. Bungle ever play on The Tom Green Show? Watched some old clips and I'm near 99% positive 'twas you and Mike on cam playing some older song, Trey can be seen in the back.
I’m 99% positive that you are hallucinating. I think I would have remembered that one.
08/13/2019 19:06:36 Luis M.
Congratulations on the Raging Wrath tour date announcement!
When you say you're doing Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny in its entirety, do you mean you guys are switching instruments around for Hypocrites and actually playing Evil Satan? Or should we reasonably expect those tracks to be replaced with others more in tune with the '86 thrash theme?
If you do play Evil Satan, will those be the first bass slaps you've played live since the Bungle days?
Thanks for making this happen, even though I'll only get to watch it from afar somehow.
We have yet to decide on those anomalies of tunes but it’s unlikely we’ll do Evil Satan. I have actually slapped on Leverage Model recordings as well as some Zorn stuff believe it or not. We will also be unearthing a few gems from the ‘80s Crossover era that never saw the light of day as well as some classic covers. Stay tuned.
08/13/2019 15:17:19 Chiara Bazzani
So, Mr Dunn. Now we know.. Bungle are back. Almost thousands of people around the world are thrilled for this reunion. Can I ask you about the peculiar (in my opinion) choice to play the demo version of your first album? Thanks. Ps. I risked a heart attack today...
After a few years of playing with Lombardo it occurred to me that The RW demo never got it’s due and would deserve to be realized by one of the innovators, if not the absolute master, of the genre. The demo was poorly recorded and for the most part amateurishly performed. I personally believe the music holds it’s own. I guess you can be the judge of that once you hear the ideas clearly executed. Peculiar? To me, not at all, but then again, have you heard my music lately?
08/13/2019 13:24:30 Cheap Tuesdays
Hey Trevor! I am a huge fan of your work, especially Bungle, Madlove, and all the work you have done with Zorn. I think we're all grateful to have this forum set up again, as it was super entertaining the last time you did it.
I do a university radio show, and I would love to do a feature on some of your favourite albums and/or songs across different genres. You have always seemed to have a wide variety of interests and playing styles, so I think it would be entertaining to me and my listeners to hear about what you listen to for enjoyment.
I was thinking of hitting at least one of each of the following genres: rock, metal, jazz, classical, movie scores, experimental, hip hop, electronic, but naturally whatever you want to share would be much appreciated. You could list individual songs or just the albums, whatever is easier for you.
Thanks and keep up the awesome work!
Cool! Being a radio dj is a fantasy of mine. Depending on where you live perhaps we could share the dj role. Regardless, I’m happy to make a gigantic list for you.
08/13/2019 12:46:36 Javier Obregon
Dear Mr. Dunn,
I can't explain why certain musical pieces have such a profound impact on my emotions. It doesn't matter what context or setting I may find myself in, but there are some musical themes that stop me dead in my tracks. One that comes to mind is "Gabriel's Oboe," by Ennio Morricone. I'm not sure why this piece is powerful for me...almost like it unlocks something deep within that I don't quite understand. As a trained musician and someone who is masterful in his compositions, does music still strike you in this manner, or has it lost any of its power...or maybe it even makes you marvel and appreciate it more? Is there any music that stops you dead in your tracks? Secondly, is there anything you have personally written that you are particularly proud of? Thank you for creating music for us, my life would have been much lamer if you had chosen a different path. Excited to see you in February 2020.
Ah, you like those dramatic descending bass lines and sus chords. That Morricone piece is very passionate and plays on a lot of our cultural expectations of tertian harmony. I appreciate your kinds words but I in no way consider myself a master. Regardless of what I know about the ‘bones’ of music I do still have moments like those you describe. Sometimes at a live concert I find myself laughing at the sheer intensity and passion of music. Seeing Messiaen’s Turanglîla Symphony live comes to mind, or the quartet Little Women, or the Baltimore-based grindcore band Full of Hell, or Patti Smith, or anything by Varese. I’ve have been brought to tears listening to Willie Nelson or Elliot Smith. Anything with real passion behind it has a lot of power.
I guess I’m particularly proud of most of the songs on the MadLove record and several things on my Four Films record as well as my recent Nocturnes for piano. It’s always nice to be solely responsible for something that you saw through to the end and which has focus and meaning to oneself.
08/13/2019 10:30:05 Jimmy Monack
Hello Trevor,
Longtime fan from the old San Francisco days (Bungle with Deli Creeps at Oasis... wow).
I am also a big fan of classical music (mostly Baroque) and was wondering if you could recommend some contrabass compositions I might like. Anything off the top of your head.
Thanks for the years of music. Looking forward to more.
I’m not aware of any specifically baroque bass music but here are a few 20th Century classics like Tom Johnson’s “Failing” or Jakob Druckman’s “Valentine”. And for sure anything that Bertram Turetsky has anything to do with such as compositions by Paul Chihara. Also plenty of Scandinavian bassists these days like Bjørn Ianke or Dan Styffe. There are some collections on the Simax label with lots of great pieces. I realize I’m referring you more to bassists than actual pieces, but I think that’s a good place to start. Don’t forget Francis Grillo and Stefano Scodanibbio.
In terms of earlier music I would check out Bottesini, Dittersdorf, The Hindemith Sonata, Glier.
08/13/2019 7:40:03 Alex F. Julien
Hey Trevor. I was hoping that you could give Mr. Bungle fans your side of the story about the "Bowel Of Chiley" recording session and releases. How many songs were actually recorded during that session and at which studio did this take place? There's a lot of contradicting information on the web that the band's self-released version had 17 songs, but I've never actually seen an official/band-released version of this demo tape! Did one really exist?
I'm only aware of the 9 songs that were used on a split tape with Rancid Decay that Phil Riola put together (was this official/authorized?) and of the two well-documented 14-song "Bowl Of Chiley" released by Mike Briggs, first through Playhouse Productions and then through Rastacore Records. I've spoken with Briggs over the years and he always maintains that back in 1987, Mr. Bungle had given him permission to release the demo tape (Briggs was a pretty successful concert promoter and had his own Arcatones imprint back then, and I believe Agent 86 played some shows with Mr. Bungle). But that by the time that he finally got around to it, in 1991, you guys had signed with Warner Brothers Records, and to his surprise, were no longer allowing him to put it out and put a stop to it. I would really love to have your side of the story!
This one is gonna take some jarring.
Of all our demo tapes “Bowel of Chiley” is the only one I really consider a demo in the true sense of the word. The other three were more like amateur albums. Bowel was recording in several different friend’s parent’s living rooms or sheds where we used to rehearse. I don’t remember how long it took but we just threw in sessions wherever we could. The purpose of that tape was to get gigs. There was never artwork for it or any effort to publish or sell that tape. Ah, I say that but then see your comment about Phil Riola who was, in fact, a tape trading friend of ours, so that one was authorized by us. The number 17 seems accurate but we later whittled it down to less for purposes of brevity considering the patience and work load of promoters— there may have been a couple different “whittled down” versions. (less songs, and new songs as they came along like “Snap, Crackle, Poop” and “No Strings Attached” — songs that were heading more in the direction of GILA).
It’s quite possible we gave the tape to Mike Briggs —the self-appointed “Pope of Punk” of ‘80s lore — in order to help us get gigs. But I honestly don’t remember allowing that tape to be “released” or sold. No one ever owned the rights to any of that music except for the band. And we never sold BOC ourselves.
I think it’s pretty telling that in ‘91 when we were actually making a name for ourselves and on a major label that a small punk label would decide that’s a good time to sell some archives. We had, of course, done 2 other demos since then and had all but abandoned 98% of the music from BOC. So the timing to me seems suspect. Ladd-Frith did a similar thing when they started selling Raging Wrath at Tower in SF. The ‘90s “release” of that tape included a sticker on it that said something along the lines of “featuring Mike Patton from FNM”. Not very cool, nor punk. We had to shut them down, too.
I’m just gonna add here that I think that BOC is our worst music. We were definitely still finding our voice post-metal while listening to Parliament, Stravinsky, Die Kreuzen, Fishbone, Pat Metheny and The Meat Puppets. Some of it is embarrassingly bad and derivative. It is what it is. I just wish the internet would liquidate it.
08/13/2019 5:44:32 tURD gURGLER
Followup to the "linchpin" question - Clearly you are not one to look back - very evident from your musical path. I think you & Mike & Trey would make something completely inconceivably and tremendously new - given the musical paths you have each gone on since Bungle. My guess is that it would be impossible to re-visit that & call it Bungle w/o revisiting the old material. Am I on the right path? What is your reasoning if not? Would it be possible to do something w/ those guys & just call it Bill and Wanda's Fabulous Baloney Bus and go in a totally new direction?
I think that anything Trey, Mike and I do together will somehow be under the moniker of Bungle. Why rename it? That band doesn’t have a blueprint and never will. I’m sure someone will read into that but it’s not necessary to do so.
08/13/2019 2:40:57 Mindbait
The compliments: Love your work, from Carry Stress, Retrovertigo and Holy Filament (and everything else, but those are favourites) with Bungle. Madlove (was living in the UK, usually from NZ, and saw your show at ATP), Trio Convulsant and the brilliant Four Films. Excited about Sperm Church and the Singer/Songwriter Record.
The Recommendations: got into Jaco Pastorius through your previous Q&A and that through a twisting path led me to revisit Elvin Jones. A reciprocal recommendation: have you checked out the NPR Tiny Desk concerts?
The Questions: Do you generally write for specific projects, or do you give yourself room to write whatever comes and find a home for it later?
You've done a few groups and collaborations. Do you have offers that you turn down, or are you pretty open to what comes along?
Last but not least, do you have a home-recording setup or an on-the-road way of recording your ideas; if so, what do you use?
Love the Tiny Desk series. Here’s one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rHD1_kUC5E
In terms of your question about writing, I do both. Lots of scraps of ideas lying around waiting for a home.
I’m open to a lot but I do have to turn things down if I’m either not into the music or the money isn’t good enough. The 3 criteria for accepting a gig are 1) Do I like the music? 2) Do I want to work with the people? 3) Is the money good? Usually a yes to 2 out of 3 will mean I’ll take the gig.
I don’t record on the road but always carry a note book and sometimes jot down ideas. At home I use a very simple DAW with Logic, a couple of pre-amps and a couple good microphones.
08/12/2019 18:41:15 Brandon Judeh
Hey Trevor,
First off, any news on when and if Fantômas will be doing a new project?
Also, any recollection of Bungle playing in Cleveland in the Spring of 92? The show where Patton passed out liquor and smashed the house lights? Great show.
No news from me on Fantômas as that’s not my band.
Ah Cleveland ‘92. Legendary Bungle show. We had a clause in our contract that said we had the right to cancel any shows advertised as “Mike Patton’s Other Band” or using the name “Faith No More”in the promotion. Fortunately for us most of the shows on that tour were sold out and we weren’t planning on screwing over the audience and cancelling. Instead we wrecked stuff. As Trey related in a recent interview, the venue didn’t like us —maybe it started because we threatened to bail, I don’t recall. They turned off the monitors during our show so Patton started handing them out to the audience. After the show, during arguments about what we should pay for, the venue locked us inside. I remember feeling threatened. Someone called the cops eventually came and broke up the situation. Before we left, Patton took a shit in a paper bag and put it in a microwave that he then set for an hour or so.
08/12/2019 16:11:43 Manos Michaelides
Hi Trevor and thank you for the chance to answer our questions.
What would be your advice to a self-taught bass player like me, with minimum theoretical background, who works basically with tabs, in order to progress?
How easy is it for a bass player to switch to double bass?
Thank you for your time!
I’m not a fan of tabs. I believe traditional notation is much more efficient and universal. If I were you I would take some private lessons. I would also learn your favorite bass lines by ear, play a lot with records, a metronome and an actual drummer! Learn to read and check out some transcriptions— not just of bass but all kinds of stuff—whatever you’re into. Double bass is quite a different beast, but you don’t have to “switch” necessarily. You can add it to your palette. They both inform each other. Nothing is easy. That’s the best advice I can give.
08/12/2019 14:20:04 C
Favourite episode(s) of The Twilight Zone? Have you seen the new series (2019)? I haven't seen it but I think every attempt of a revival has been a total disaster.
The Living Doll, The Dummy, The Obsolete Man, A Most Unusual Camera, A Piano In The House, The Eye of The Beholder, Time Enough At Last…so many good ones. I’m not big on those revival approaches. I’m a traditionalist.
08/12/2019 13:12:44 Inis
A 2016 survey found that 59.9% of people with the surname Dunn (sample size 42096) declared political affiliation with the Republican party. Do you believe in nailing your political colours to the proverbial mast or do you prefer to keep politics personal?
That statistic probably has something to do with that surname having Scottish roots and those that have it presiding in the South of the US. I prefer to keep politics personal or at least among friends. Social media is far to volatile and opinionated to get any real talk done. I’m also not so self-absorbed that I feel the need to fly my colors for all to see and comment on.
08/12/2019 11:42:33 Michael
Hey Trevor!
Just wondering what you think of the Swans. They seem like a group you would either love or hate. But in the end im not you and have no idea.
Love the Swans. I got into them late and certainly don’t have their entire catalogue. It’s pretty intense music and, for me, sometimes less is more. One of the loudest and best sounding shows I’ve ever seen at the Masonic Auditorium in Brooklyn several years back for their first reunion.
08/12/2019 10:34:28 Toma2003
Hey Trev, i've been listening to Mr. Bungle basically since i was 12 and was asking if there is more old patton material from the mid-late 80's like the one, that just unearthed a couple days ago.
You think I have an archive of Patton material? I certainly have a lot of old Bungle tapes with rehearsals and unused riffs on them, but those are my property and also not exclusively “Patton” material. Have you purchased every single recording I’m on? Why not start there?
08/27/2019 8:23:21 Enrique
Where does "There's a tractor in my balls again" come from? Inside joke between band members? Early idea for a song lyric? Owned the shirt and it always bugged me.
It’s a shirt.
08/26/2019 12:13:42 mac
Do you have any advice for a sad chump who did not get picked for the lottery after three days and three attempts securing a ticket for the MB reunion?
Fix the system. I’m actually pretty pissed off about the whole scalping debacle and also some of the fans reactions. Everyone seems to have their suggested solutions but they don’t consider the all the problems those “solutions” have. As long as people keep buying from scalpers those scalpers will have jobs. I come from an era where you’d buy paper tickets at a record store and carry it with you to the show. Of course, most shows I go to are obscure artists who don’t sell out immediately. That’s where you gotta adapt the “98 Year Old Refrigerator” mentality. I’ll do my best to help fix this problem if I’m ever part of something like this again.
08/24/2019 7:36:45 Jorge Castro
Hello trevor. As a huge can of your career and musicianship, i am really glad that your Back on Q/A on your website. When you are on tour, how you manage to switch your mind to play different kinds of music? And this question also implies The instruments. Sometimes you play electric Bass or Double Bass? I also play both, started as well with electric but i rarely study E-bass. Only Double Bass. As a daily routine, you dedicate your attention to both?
Because of your “Classical music” training, did your conceived The idea of making auditions to professional orchestras?
Maybe someday we can manage to play some bottesini’s concerto for 2 basses!
You pinpoint the most difficult aspect of playing different kinds of music. There is not so much ‘in the mind’ I need to change. Music is music after all; rhythm is rhythm regardless of genre. Switching between two physically different instruments is the real challenge. For that I rely on warming up —preferably slowly, and getting my hands adjusted to the neck/fingerboard of any given bass. Simple scales and chromatic exercises are perfect for that.
I used to have more time to practice and there was a period where I was spending many hours on both electric and upright basses (four hours on upright then four hours on electric). These days I dedicate any practice time to upright as it is the most challenging and nothing beats classical technique for getting your chops in shape. I often practice orchestral excerpts and image that if I ever retire it will include joining an orchestra and chilling with some Shostakovich. And yes, bring on the Bottesini!
08/23/2019 20:15:30 Kitchens
Hello Trevor,
When did you first meet Buzz Osborne?
Late ‘90s in the back alley behind Slim’s in SF, probably after a Melvins show. I do remember him coming backstage after Bungle’s Warfield show in ‘92 and handing out pixy stix to all of us, but I can’t say I actually met him then, or if I am hallucinating any or all of that.
08/22/2019 8:16:37 Whysee
Hey there, are you gonna play cello with Patton on Mondo Cane in two next shows in Italy ? Thanks
Certainly not, mostly because I don’t play cello.