YOUR question

03/09/2020 Jesse

Hi Trevor.
Thanks for all the tunes over the years. Bungle opened my ears to a lot of different styles of music and I really can’t thank you guys enough.
Anyways, after enjoying many genres and styles of music I’m thinking about diving into Opera. If you’re a fan do you have any recommendations?
I know that’s a fairly generic question - but based on some of the Soundtrack artists such as Mancini/Goldsmith, or John Zorn’s work such as ‘Spillane’ that I have discovered ‘through’ Bungle I’m curious what you would recommend?
Thanks again for all your music.

My answer

I’m not a huge opera fan. I do love Berg’s Wozzeck and Lulu, however. Mostly it’s the style of singing that doesn’t really do it for me. When it comes to classical vocal music some of my favorite pieces are Peter Maxwell Davies’ Eight Songs for a Mad King, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, Harry Partch’s Barstow, and Schostakovich’s, Hans Werner Henze’s El Cimarrón and Benjamin Brittan’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings

your question

03/07/2020 JohnWayneLaw

Hey Trevor-It was (amazing🤘) seeing you and the gents, putting together; what I have always
held dear to my internal musical pulses (organs, if you will) at the Warfield on Feb. 8th 2020
- THE SHIT! ( That being the Raging Wrath) Up in Humboldt, mid 80’s was groundbreaking on so many different
Levels. Eclectic stylings in the presentation. The Artwork was above and beyond. AND it was just so much fun,
Watching and experiencing all that came with it.... Trevor is one of those rare commodities that can put together
A bulldozer with a serpents kiss and make you want more, more - mort
In the end (this conversation) how did you decide to put this together?
OH! Your thoughts on the passing of Neil Peart?

my answer

Wait. Is this THEE John Wayne Law?? It must be if you are quoting Mort. Dude. I was hoping to see you after the show. It’s been way too long and you’re one of the 3 people I would still want to hang with from back in the Logger days.

We’ve joked and talked about that demo all along. After meeting and playing with Lombardo the idea occurred to me. All due respect to Jed, who killed it that night, and was so much fun to hang with, but I think we were writing above our means. Unfortunately for Jed, in that genre, that demand that puts an insurmountable amount of weight on the drummer. Essentially that music was written with Dave in mind and since we all ended up playing with him it made sense to present it as it was meant. Lets face it, aside from Trey on that demo, we were all sucking all over the place. So, with the means at our hands, I felt we could pull off giving that music the proper packaging that it somehow still holds up to.

I was, of course, saddened by the new of Neil Peart passing. Had no idea. Did you ever read Ghost Rider? Very poignant in it’s own right and his passing just closes the book on all of that.

I hope you and I can hang one of these days.

your question

03/06/2020 Trevor McKormick

What do you think of the band Barenaked ladies?

my answer

I have given that band zero thoughts other than reading the name in the publication BAM in the ‘90s.

your question

03/05/2020 Byron Dunbar

Hiya,
I really enjoyed the reunion shows where you played The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny demo. However, I missed Evil Satan, Grizzly Adams and the ska bits on Hypocrites. What was the thinking behind removing these songs/sections, and if the demo is re-recorded as a professional album (as you've hinted it may be) do we have a chance of hearing updated versions of these non-metal tracks/sections there instead?
Thanks

my answer

The main impetus behind replaying/recording The Raging Wrath was to play metal and to give that music it’s due. Grizzly Adams wasn’t possible for us to pull off live, with limited rehearsal time and production, not to mention it works better as an overly long intro to a metal record. Evil Satan and Hypocrites were sort of reactionary jokes that were hinting towards our amateurish/experimental Bowel of Chiley period. There is an overt goofiness there that doesn’t belong with the rest of the vibe that we were interested in presenting. It was a deliberate choice to exclude those songs from this particular presentation. The “ska” portions of Hypocrites you refer to should not be granted such a revered quality. We were by no means ever a ska band, though we appreciated the masters. Those sections of that song are also extremely unoriginal. I would call them kitsch and for that they would clog the gears of the machine that we consciously and intentionally presented.

your question

03/04/2020 The Bum Tickler

Are you the man behind the machine that is the Bungle Twitter account?

my answer

Who wants to know?

your question

02/27/2020 Sum bitch

Firstly, thanks for the "Mr. Bungle" tour. \,,/ Looking forward to hearing/seeing yourself and King Buzzo's new album/ tour. i have to ask though, is Fantômas in play?
Also, What are the three most difficult years in a bass player's life?
Second grade?

my answer

Fantomas is Patton’s band and I don’t know what plans he has if any. It’s possible that band spoke it’s word. Not sure if I understand your second question. Does it include the years before that person starts playing bass? I certainly can’t speak for them all. Probably the 32-35.

your question

02/19/2020 Stinky Wizzleteats

Have to ask - any more info. to provide on the ashes being thrown onstage at the Brooklyn second show? Unreal - "his pals took his ashes, wrapped them in a pair of underwear and tossed them up on stage to be with Mike Patton and crew." Any clue before it popped up online? Where are they now? Thoughts? Feelings?

https://metalinjection.net/av/fan-throws-dead-friends-ashes-onto-stage-during-mr-bungle-show

my answer

I had no clue this happened until the texts starting coming in a few days later. I didn’t see it happen. Apparently I was focused on playing the bass. I think it’s kind of weird. I mean, I didn’t know the guy or his friends and, to each their own, of course. But I might have not wanted my ashes trampled on by boots and then swept into a garbage can with a bunch of filthy plastic cups. That’s just me though. Maybe for them it was the perfect thing to do, and for that I’m happy that we were somehow part of that plan. There is symbolism in that that I appreciate. There might be some hygienic or even legal issues surrounding this topic but we’ve got worse problems now.

your question

02/17/2020 Zach

Hey Trevor!
Firstly, I want to say that you guys killed it at Brooklyn Steel on the 11th. Thanks for putting on a great show! Also, thanks for doing what you do in the first place. In middle school, I was a sexually frustrated outcast who had trouble connecting with most people, so the self titled Mr. Bungle album scratched all the right itches. It was probably the only album I could fully relate to at the time. I also quite like all your work beyond that (all you Bungle guys have extremely impressive careers outside of Mr. Bungle), but that first album forever holds a special place in my heart. I have a couple questions as well!

1) How much does that first Mr. Bungle truly reflect the mood you guys were in back then? The album is certainly extreme in style and subject matter. Were you guys okay? It seems like it came from such a dark place.
2) What do you think of the philosophical ideas Trey has been exploring over the last couple decades? Is your own philosophical worldview vastly different, or has any of it rubbed off on you? Was there any conflict during the recent tour with Trey being an Orthodox Christian now?
3) Are you into King Crimson at all? Two of my favorite bass players (John Wetton and Tony Levin) were in the band and I was wondering if you enjoyed their work. Some of my favorite bass work, specifically, is on that trio of Larks' Tongues, Starless and Bible Black, and Red.

my answer

1. I would say 100%. It is very dark and we were children of metal so searching for extremes, in language and in tempo. Honestly I think at a young age, thanks to our curiosity in a soulless world and thanks to certain teachers recognizing something and thus encouraging it, we were Existentialists. Those who weren’t “ok” are probably still up there, or gone for good, but I think by the mere fact that we have moved on proves we were and “are” “ok”.
2. Trey and I see eye to eye on many things even if we express those things differently. To be quite frank, I’m not aware of Trey’s religious beliefs. We can talk for hours about philosophical topics, trying to break things down, get to the roots. Our personal choices (and when I say “our” I should really mean everyone) don’t come into play. No one is trying to sell anyone anything, we are observing and we learn from each other’s observations. I would say ideas have been rubbing off each other for many years.
3. I never really got into that earlier KC. I was a fan of Discipline for sure but it has a certain pop element I like not so present in the heavy prog stuff. For some reason it’s harder for me now at this age to have patience for prog and fusion.

your question

02/12/2020 Rob Wall

Taking one general ed music class at HSU exposed me to professor Eugene Novotney. I have never met a person so passionate about music. I believe you may have taken some courses from him. Along with your EHS music teachers, would you also consider him an early influence? If so, how did he?
Rob Wall, Fortuna, CA

my answer

Eugene is great. Super positive, encouraging force. I played fretless (!!) bass in the HSU Steel Band in the late ‘80s. I believe that was the first time I had ever heard Calypso music. He was super open about me barely knowing what I was doing but trusting me enough to give me the role and giving me tips on the feel and time of that super upbeat music.

your question

02/12/2020 Atio Stefony

HI Trevor , i ve been following this site since 2004, when i was a teen , and your music as well.(learn so much" music and english" on this site by the way) . I Haven´T got the chance to see you live in Santiago, or abrove, but it will happend .
My question is , when you writte your own music, do you think of a certain Key before you writte it down? . I writte music myself and theres always 2 or 3 ways to do it for me , either i play my instrument and i find something that i like on any key( someties after i will move up or down the key, after some experiments) or i´ll get a melody in my head or a chord proression and then tried to find that key . I am curious, when do you decide? " ok this is the key"
I see different colors , with different keys and its facinating why that key in particular, was chosen . Could be arbitrary for some people but others i know there´s some tought on it .
Love your composiciones !
salud*

my answer

I don’t often write in keys to be honest. I would say some of my music is “pan-tonal”, not unlike jazz in a way, where a song or composition might go through a few keys. I think there is a physical element to finding where to start. We all have our habits and muscle memory on various instruments. Do you often find yourself starting with the exact same chord or lick when you first pick up the instrument? There is also the memory of the throat and one’s comfortable range. If I am starting from scratch I might just pick up a guitar and strum around for a while randomly until I find something my hands, mind and voice all intersect on. I say “mind” because I have to like it or find something unusual about it, almost as if I didn’t make it up, I just found it. Later I might analyze it and find out that it is or isn’t in a key. I certainly don’t start with the theory, unless it’s more like an exercise, as in limiting oneself to a key or scale or time signature. And believe me, that can be rewarding.

If you see colors you might be synesthetic. It’s a rare but very cool “dysfunction” that you might want to harness. Check out the histories and music of Oliver Messiaen or Alexander Scriabin. You might have something in common.

your question

02/11/2020 Martin

Hi Trevor, I just saw the Mr. Bungle show at Brooklyn Steel (2/10), and it was awesome. I have 2 questions for you.
1. How does it feel knowing that there’s a whole new generation of fans who are into Mr. Bungle? I’m 21 and I have couple of friends who are musicians my age who enjoy your bands’s music.
2. What was it like doing the sno-core tour? Did you get along with the guys in System of a down and Incubus?

my answer

1. It’s amazing! And not something I ever could have predicted. I guess I got wind of it about 10 years ago when kids would come up to me and say, my dad got me into you guys. Great! Look, I like a lot of music that is far outside of my realm of existence. Bach would be a good example of that. Not to compare myself to him in anyway, but it’s very rewarding to know that something you’ve been a part of survives more than just it’s current generation.
2. Yeah, we got a long just fine. Mostly we stayed on our bus and played Crazy Taxi or read books. Some of those other guys were partying a bit too much for our taste. We were certainly the grandpas of that tour and the audience made us very aware of that, which fueled our snark.

your question

01/29/2020 Sophia

Did you wear the de rigueur uniform of cut-off shorts, tube socks & a half shirt back in the 80s?

my answer

Of course I did. Also, Nike hi-tops, pegged 501s and the obligatory Raven t-shirt.

your quesiton

01/29/2020 Jackie Treehorn

Would you mind giving us the story on your audition with Tom Waits? Songs played and any other details you'd like to give. I remember reading long ago you didn't get the gig due to scheduling conflicts. At any rate, that's amazing you even got to play in a room with him.

my answer

Through a network of musicians I was called up to Mr. Waits ranch in Norther California to essentially audition for an upcoming tour or recording— I can’t remember which. I drove up there with my upright bass and met him somewhere towards the beginning of a long driveway where he introduced himself and invited me into his studio which was sort of like a barn. He sat down at a Fender Rhodes and had me just follow along with no plan, no clue, no written music. I think he just wanted to see if I had an ear. The whole thing is a bit of a blur to be honest, but he was very friendly and not intimidating at all. He sang as he played the song. I don’t recall what song it was but I do remember, while trying to follow as best as I could, that I was simultaneously thinking, that’s Tom Waits’ voice. I still have a cassette somewhere of saved voice messages from back in the day when we all owned answering machines that recorded onto tape. I made a collection of some of my favorite ones and I have his, unmistakable, scratchy voice inviting me up for the session.

I got the gig, but had to turn him down because that was the year that Mr Bungle was doing extensive touring in support of California and there were too many schedule conflicts.

your question

01/29/2020 Sophia

Do you like Alejandro Jodorowsky films?

my answer

Yes.

your question

01/21/2020 Sophia

They say platypus are now on edge of extinction. I think you should be their voice & make one of those commercials with a depressing song in the background & raise money for a sanctuary.

my answer

If I’m not mistake the status of the platypus is “threatened”. The next critical level after that is “vulnerable” followed by “endangered”. There are still three more steps before “extinct”. Check out the Healesville Sanctuary in the Yarra Valley of Australia. Donate your ass off.

your question

01/12/2020 Gianluca Servello

Hey Trevor, hope everything’s going good. I’m 22 and can’t believe gonna see you at the Brooklyn Steel February 11th, I was 4 when Bungle took the hiatus so this is like the Beatles coming back for me haha.
I’ve been trying to learn upright bass and have a 3/4 scale student model, but one thing worries me. Do you respect one who has to use fret markings for intonation? It’s been hard getting perfect pitch but the tape markings really help me, is this respectable and normal to you, or “cheating”/screaming of incompetence?

my answer

I think there is a certain value to starting out with that kind of aid. But it’s important to recognize that there are two main factors in good intonation on a stringed instrument in which tempered tuning is relative. Neither of those things is visual. They are muscle memory and your ear. It’s ok to start with those “cheat notes” but the point is to get your hands (and ears) used to the correct place to be, which you will eventually need to achieve without those markings. (Btw, there are not frets on an upright bass so it would be more accurate to call those pitch markings). How will you be able to read music or watch the drummer, for example, if you are staring at the neck of your instrument. Even piano students at a certain point are encouraged to read without looking at their hands. Those notes aren’t going anywhere. Get used to feeling and hearing where they are.

your question

01/11/2020

🐝Hey Trevor,
Thanks in advance for taking the time in answering the plethora of questions. Its all greatly appreciated.
1. What’s the plural form of “bass?” Is it something weird like ‘cacti’ or does it never change like ‘sheep’ or ‘deer.’ What would you say if one were to walk into a room filled with them? “Wow, that’s a lot of ____!”
2. Speaking of, the black bandages — located on your bass’ shark-fin-part, what happened? It looks like it got into a fight. Finally,
3. In descending order what is your favorite apocalyptic song?
(A) Till the world ends — Britney Spears, femme fatale
(B) 1999 – Prince, 1999
(C) General Boy Visits Apocalypse Now - DEVO, Duty Now for the Future
(D) Sunset - Roy Orbison, In Dreams

my answer

1. I guess it depends on which language you’re speaking. In my Italian score it says basso. I just say basses i.e. I own several basses. If you’re referring to low end frequency in a general way, however, one would say ‘that’s a lot of bass”, but in that case the word “bass” is really an adjective, not unlike a color, capable of being broken down into much more specific scientific elements. One must also distinguish between Electric Bass Guitar and Contrabass, which are both often reduced to the generalized “bass”. I don’t have a problem with any of this. Sometimes talking about sound seems useless.
2. That would be gaffer tape keeping my strap from slipping off the strap hooks. Gaffer tape rules. Long live Ross Lowell.
3. Probably in the exact order you listed, Sunset being my top choice.

your question

01/11/2020 Jon Carr

Do you like Nine Inch Nails at all? I’ve always wanted to hear Bungle do something industrial-esc.

my answer

Never really got into them, although I saw a great live show once. Very impressed with the production. Is that industrial music? I’m not sure. If Bungle ever decided to go down that genre I’m sure we’d screw it up somehow.

your question

01/01/2020 D. DinesTrevor,

What personal projects are you most excited about these days? Are there collaborations you haven’t been able to make work yet that you’re itching to make a reality?

In another area altogether, in going back to decades old material for the Bungle shows, are there parts of the songs you find surprising as you re-learn them? Had you personally gone over that material on your own in the intervening years, or are you having to come at it all with fresh ears?

my answer

I’m itching to finish my singer/songwriter record as well as the new trio-convulsant expanded version. Not really focused on any collaborations. I need to focus on myself.

I did find a few parts or perhaps, song-writing choices a bit surprising. I didn’t dig in to the music until a couple months before the first show. I had forgotten how focused on composition we were. Lots of theme and variation, lots of cells to work with. Very intervalic and chromatic. I had forgotten that we were already in that mindset back then.

your question

12/23/2019 JimmyMe again.

My wife and I just got back from NY where we saw, wait for it... Harry Connick Jr. doing all Cole Porter. While some of the show was schmaltzy (it is Broadway, after all) when they hit the hard swinging stuff, it was amazing and Connick is a beast of a piano player. Yet, as I was watching the bass player, I kept thinking, "Man, Trevor Dunn would be killing this right now."
With this in mind, do you think, if the circumstances were right, you would ever find yourself in a show like that; even with the schmaltz? I mean, I'll bet you could tear up swing music.
Thanks for all you do. I'm always looking forward to your next project.

my answer

Well, been there done that. I’ve done my share of those kinds of gigs, although not on that level. In fact, even working in Mondo Cane was a similar “orchestra pit” type of gig. Not really my thing anymore. There is very little creative input coming from the orchestra in those types of productions. It’s more about “the show”. And though those types of musicians are totally pro and very skilled, it takes a certain mindset to do that night after night. I do love to play swing and old standards but preferably with friends, in small ensembles, at jam sessions in bars.