Mike Patton is a prolific musician and the versatile vocalist of Tomahawk. His career spans across rock and metal into jazz, children’s music, film scores and even pop music. Mike also lends his distinct voice to cartoons and video games.
Mike Patton started his career in high school with the experimental rock band Mr. Bungle in 1985. In 1989, Mike joined the San Francisco rock group Faith No More. The band’s 1989 album The Real Thing catapulted the band to fame. At that point, Patton was a walking stereotype of 80′s skater dudes, with long hair and a soul patch. The popular music video for ‘Epic’ featured an exploding piano and a dying goldfish. There’s a long-standing story that the dying fish belonged to Icelandic experimental pop singer Björk and that FNM stole it, or she left it to keyboardist Roddy Bottom to care for and it disappeared.
While singing in Faith No More, Mike continued singing for Mr. Bungle, who signed on to Warner Brothers in 1991, helped by Mike’s clout. Mr. Bungle’s library, such as 1995′s Disco Volante and 1999′s California, were critically praised but didn’t achieve commercial success.
After Faith No More broke up in 1998, Mike continued with projects like the experimental horror music group Fantômas and rock supergroup Tomahawk — with Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison, Helmet drummer John Stainer and Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn (bass was formally played by Melvins bassist Kevin Rutmanis) . Mike was also the stand-in vocalist for Dillinger Escape Plan’s 2002 EP Irony is a Dead Scene. In 2006, Patton made a pop concept album Peeping Tom with guests like Norah Jones , Kool Keith and Amon Tobin.
In 2010, Mike released his largest solo project Mondo Cane, a series of Italian pop covers with a 40-piece orchestra and Patton’s distinct voice in classy Italian, released in 2010.
He also has a long-standing feud with Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ lead singer Anthony Kiedis. How rad is that?
Tomahawk plays at Granada Theater on Halloween Day (10/31) – Doors at 8pm. Tickets are $35 +fees