Mike Patton is an American singer, best known for providing lead vocals for Faith No More along with Mr. Bungle, Fantômas, Peeping Tom, Tomahawk, Lovage and more. In addition to recording and working with these bands, he has also been involved in many side projects and collaborations. Patton is most frequently known as a vocalist, but has also produced, played various musical instruments, has composed soundtracks, done voice over work and has done some acting.
Patton's first recordings were demo tapes made while in high school as part of his band Mr. Bungle; the first, The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny was released in 1986. On the strength of these demo tapes, Patton was invited to sing vocals for rock band Faith No More. His first album for Faith No More, The Real Thing, was nominated for a Grammy Award and it contained the band's most successful single to date, "Epic".
Having gained fame with Faith No More, Mr. Bungle were signed to Warner Bros. Records. Their self-titled debut, although focusing on heavy metal, featured an eclectic mix of funk, free jazz, circus music and various other genres mixed with numerous samples, was released in 1991. The following year saw the release of Faith No More's next album, Angel Dust, the first Patton had musical influence on. It is Faith No More's most successful album to date and is widely considered to be the band's magnum opus.
In 1995, Patton released three albums—King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime with Faith No More, which also saw the release of three singles; Disco Volante with Mr. Bungle; and Elegy with John Zorn, performing vocals all three. He has since released music under different projects and in a variety of different styles such as crooning, falsetto, death growls, rapping, chanting, mouth music, beatboxing and scatting, among others; leading critic Greg Prato call Patton "one of the most versatile and talented singers in rock music".
On April 1, 1999, Patton co-founded the independent record label Ipecac Recordings with Greg Werckman. He has released most of his subsequent output on that label. His directorial debut was in 1993, with an abstract film titled Video Macumba. His first solo album, Adult Themes for Voice, was released in 1996. His first role as actor was in the 2004 film Firecracker. He has released 32 studio albums, 1 EPs, 2 live albums, 15 video albums, composed 4 soundtracks and has made more than 60 other appearances, providing vocals for single tracks. He has worked with such artists as Sepultura, Dan the Automator, John Zorn, The Dillinger Escape Plan, The X-Ecutioners, Merzbow, John Kaada, The Melvins, Dub Trio, Björk, Zu and many more.
Faith No More
Studio albums YearTitlePeak chart positionsCertifications(sales thresholds)1989 The Real Thing Released: July 3, 1989 Label: Slash 11 2 — 16 — — — — 48 38 — 30US: PlatinumUK: SilverCAN: Platinum1992 Angel Dust Released: June 8, 1992 Label: Slash 10 4 4 5 4 8 22 7 6 18 9 2US: GoldUK: SilverCAN: Platinum1995 King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime Released: March 25, 1995 Label: Slash 31 2 9 2 5 8 8 6 3 5 7 5UK: Gold1997Album of the Year Released: June 3, 1997 Label: Slash 41 1 5 4 17 2 31 5 1 11 16 7AUS: Platinum2015 Sol Invictus Released: May 19, 2015 Label: Reclamation! Records, Ipecac 15 2 — — 10 4 7 — 6 — — 6 "—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart.
Live albums YearTitlePeak chart positions1991Live at the Brixton Academy Released: February 4, 1991 Label: Slash 9320
Singles YearTitlePeak chart positionsAlbumUS US Main US Mod AUS AUT FIN FRA NLD NOR NZ SWE SWI UK 1989 "From Out of Nowhere" — — — 83 — — — — — — — — 23The Real Thing1990 "Epic" (US:Gold) 9 25 2 1 — — — — — 2 — — 25 "Falling to Pieces" 92 28 12 26 — — — — — 16 — — 41 1992 "Midlife Crisis" — 32 1 31 9 — — — — 32 — — 10Angel Dust "A Small Victory" — — 11 84 — — — — — — — — 29 "Everything's Ruined" — — — 63 — — — — — — — — 281993 "Easy" 58 — — 1 — — — 10 2 6 11 9 3 "Another Body Murdered"Collaboration with Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.; guitar by Billy Gould — — — — — — — — — 41 — — 26Judgment Night 1995 "Digging the Grave" — — — 12 — — 23 — 11 16 39 — 16King for a Day...Fool for a Lifetime "Ricochet" — — — 58 — — — — — — — — 27 "Evidence" — — — 27 — — — 42 — 38 — — 32 1997 "Ashes to Ashes" — 23 — 8 — 7 — — 14 39 — 50 15Album of the Year "Last Cup of Sorrow" — 14 — 66 — — — — — 32 — — 51 "Stripsearch" — — — 83 — — — — — — — — — 1998 "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"Collaboration with Sparks — — — 69 — — — — — — — 7 40Plagiarism "I Started a Joke" — — — 58 — — — — — 38 — — 49Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Hits 2014 "Motherfucker" — — — — — — — — — — — —Sol Invictus 2015 "Superhero" — — — — — — — — — — — — "Sunny Side Up" — — — — — — — — — — — — — 2016 "Cone of Shame" — — — — — — — — — — — — —"—" denotes singles that were released but did not chart.
Music videos YearTitleDirector1989"From Out of Nowhere"Video appears on Video Croissant (1993); Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos (1998) and Double Feature: Live at the Brixton Academy, London (You Fat Bastards) / Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos (2006)Doug Freel1990"Epic"Ralph Ziman"Falling to Pieces""Surprise! You're Dead!"Billy Gould1992"Midlife Crisis"Kevin Kerslake"A Small Victory"Marcus Nispel"Everything's Ruined"Kevin Kerslake"Easy"Barry McGuire1993"Another Body Murdered"Video has not appeared in any official release.Marcus Raboy1995"Digging the Grave"Video appears on Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos (1998) and Double Feature: Live at the Brixton Academy, London (You Fat Bastards) / Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos (2006)"Ricochet"Alex Hemming"Evidence"Walter A. Stern1997"Ashes to Ashes"Tim Royes"Last Cup of Sorrow"Joseph Kahn"Stripsearch"Philipp Stölzl1998"I Started a Joke"Vito Rocco2015"Sunny Side Up"Joe Lynch"Separation Anxiety"finchlynch2016"Cone Of Shame"Goce Cvetanovski
Compilations
YearTitlePeak chart positionsCertifications1998Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Hits Released: November 24, 1998 Label: Slash, London Label: Slash, Reprise 4 46 26 10 37AUS: PlatinumUK: Silver2003This Is It: The Best of Faith No More Released: January 28, 2003 Label: Rhino, WEA — — — — —2005Epic and Other Hits Released: 2005 Label: Warner Bros. — — — — —2006 The Platinum Collection Released: January 10, 2006 Label: Warner Bros. — — — — 382008The Works Released: March 31, 2008 Label: Rhino — — — — —2009The Very Best Definitive Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection Released: June 8, 2009 Label: Rhino — — — 37 —2010Midlife Crisis: The Very Best of Faith No More Released: September 20, 2010 Label: Music Club Deluxe — — — — —"—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart.
Other appearances Year Title Format Notes 1991 Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey: Music from the Motion Picture Soundtrack Features "The Perfect Crime" 1993 Judgment Night Soundtrack Features "Another Body Murdered" (collaboration with Boo-Yaa T.R.I.B.E.) 1995 Metallurgy, Vol. 1 Misc. compilation Features "Engove (Caffeine)" 1998 Plagiarism Album by Sparks Featured on "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us" and "Something for the Girl with Everything" 1998 Du riechst so gut '98 EP by Rammstein Features a Faith No More remix of "Du Riechst So Gut"
Videography YearTitle1990You Fat Bastards: Live at the Brixton Academy Released: August 20, 1990 Label: Slash US certification: Gold1993Video Croissant Released: February 2, 1993 Label: Slash, Warner Bros.1999Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos Released: February 23, 1999 Label: Slash, Reprise, Rhino2006Double Feature: Live at the Brixton Academy, London (You Fat Bastards) / Who Cares a Lot? The Greatest Videos Released: May 23, 2006 Label: Slash, Reprise, Rhino
Mr. Bungle
Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions US USHeat. USInd. AUS NOR UK 1991 Mr. Bungle Released: August 13, 1991 Label: Warner Bros. Format: CD — — — — — — 1995 Disco Volante Released: October 15, 1995 Label: Warner Bros. Format: CD 113 4 — 40 — — 1999 California Released: July 13, 1999 Label: Warner Bros. Format: CD 144 7 — — — — 2020 The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo Released: October 30, 2020 Label: Ipecac Format: CD; Digital download; streaming 30 — 6 6 — 53 "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Live albums Year Album details 2021 The Night They Came Home Released: June 11, 2021 Label: Ipecac Format: CD; Digital download; streaming
Single Year Title Album 1991 "Quote Unquote" Mr. Bungle 1995 "Platypus" Disco Volante2020 "USA" USA – Single "Raping Your Mind" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo "Eracist" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo "Sudden Death" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
Music videos Year Title Album Notes 1991 "Quote Unquote" Mr. Bungle Video directed by Kevin Kerslake 2020 "Raping Your Mind" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo Video directed by Eric Livingston 2020 "Eracist" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo Video directed by Derrick Scocchera 2020 "Sudden Death" The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo Video directed by Derek Cianfrance
Demos Year Title Notes 1986 The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny 1987 Bowel of Chiley unofficially re-released in 1991 and 1997 as Bowl of Chiley. 1988 Goddammit I Love America! 1989 OU818 unofficially re-released as "Excrement (The Lost Demos)".
Compilations/other Year Title Format Notes1992Mi Stroke Il CigarettoLive EPVinyl 7-inch featuring "The Stroke" and a collage of "Dead Goon" and "The Thing Strikes" from a show in Chicago, Illinois on March 26, 1992. Semi-bootleg limited to 500 copies. Sold at the 1995 shows. Soil X Samples 6 Warner Bros. Records promo 7" vinyl Features Sudden Death. 1994 Trademark Of Quality Warner Bros. Records promo CD Features Raping Your Mind. 2002 D.R.I. Tribute - We Don't Need Society! Dirty Rotten Imbeciles tribute album Features a cover of I Don't Need Society 2021 Disco Volante Era Improv at The Bomb Factory Limited edition of 4 lathe cut vinyl
Fantômas
Studio albums Year Album details Peak chart positions US USHeat. USInd. AUS FRA SWE 1999 Fantômas Released: April 27, 1999 Label: Ipecac (1) Format: CD — — — — — — 2001 The Director's Cut Released: July 10, 2001 Label: Ipecac (17) Format: CD — — 30 18 — — 2004 Delìrium Còrdia Released: January 27, 2004 Label: Ipecac (45) Format: CD 183 7 7 — 118 — 2005 Suspended Animation Released: April 5, 2005 Label: Ipecac (65) Format: CD 153 7 12 49 129 43 "—" denotes a release that did not chart.
Live albums Year Album details USHeat. USInd. 2002 Millennium Monsterwork 2000Collaboration with The Melvins, credited as The Fantômas/Melvins Big Band. Released: April 1, 2002 Label: Ipecac (19) Format: CD 45 21 2011 The Director's Cut: A New Year's Revolution Released: September 6, 2011 Label: Ipecac (129) Format: digital download — —
Split albums Year Album details 2005 Animali in Calore Surriscaldati con Ipertermia Genitale/Cat in Red (with Melt-Banana) Released: August 2005 Label: Unhip (5) Format: Picture mini-CD, LP 2013 Sugar Daddy Live Split Series (with Melvins) Released: December 2013 Label: Amphetamine Reptile Records Format: Vinyl, 12", Limited Edition
Box set Year Album details Notes 2014 Wunderkammer Released: 16 December 2014 Label: Ipecac Format: 5xLP+Cassette Includes the following albums on vinyl: Fantômas The Director's Cut Delìrium Còrdia Suspended Animation Includes the following on cassette: A copy of Mike Patton's Fantômas demo tape.Ipecac Recordings - It is going to be a very busy fall. Press release. September 16, 2014.
Videography Year Album details 2008 Live from London 2006 Released: August 26, 2008 Label: Ipecac (102) Format: DVD 2011 The Director's Cut Live: A New Year's Revolution Released: September 6, 2011 Label: Ipecac (129) Format: DVD
Other appearances