Mike Patton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Patton
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Patton in 2009
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| Birth name | Michael Allan Patton |
| Born | January 27, 1968 Eureka, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1984–present |
Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and voice actor. He is most famous for being the lead singer of the rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle.
Patton is known for his amazing vocal skills. He can sing in many different styles and has worked on a huge number of musical projects. He has also performed with bands like Tomahawk, Fantômas, and Dead Cross. He has worked with many other artists, including the jazz musician John Zorn and hip hop producer Dan the Automator.
With Faith No More, Patton became very successful. The band had several hit songs, especially in the United Kingdom. Many musicians from bands like Deftones, Korn, and System of a Down have said that Patton was a major influence on them. He also started his own record label, Ipecac Recordings, in 1999 to support unique and experimental music.
Contents
Early Life and First Bands
Mike Patton was born in Eureka, California. As a child, he loved movies, and the soundtrack to Star Wars had a big impact on him. Growing up in the small city of Eureka made him and his friends very curious about the world. This curiosity would later shape their creative music.
In high school, Patton met his future bandmates Trevor Dunn and Trey Spruance. They all shared a love for music and a sarcastic sense of humor. They started a few bands together, playing heavy metal music. They felt like outsiders at school and spent their time focusing on art and music instead of sports.
In 1984, Patton, Dunn, Spruance, and drummer Jed Watts formed the band Mr. Bungle. They played their first show in a nearby town. The band members disliked the boring parts of their town but were thankful for their teachers. Their teachers encouraged their creativity and introduced them to interesting books and ideas.
After high school, Patton went to college to study English literature. He planned to become a writer. During this time, he met the members of Faith No More at one of Mr. Bungle's shows. He gave them a demo tape of his band's music. He also worked at a record store, which helped him discover many different kinds of music.
Music Career
Faith No More
In 1988, the members of Faith No More remembered Patton's demo tape. They asked him to try out as their new lead singer. They were impressed by his versatile voice and officially hired him in January 1989. This meant he had to leave college to focus on the band.
Faith No More's 1989 album, The Real Thing, was a huge success. The music video for the song "Epic" was played a lot on MTV, which made the band famous. In the video, Patton can be seen wearing a Mr. Bungle T-shirt.
The band released three more albums: Angel Dust, King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime, and Album of the Year. They broke up in 1998 but got back together in 2009 for a reunion tour. In 2015, they released a new album called Sol Invictus.
Mr. Bungle and Other Projects
Even while he was in Faith No More, Patton continued to work with his first band, Mr. Bungle. Because of his fame, Mr. Bungle was able to get a record deal. They released three albums: Mr. Bungle (1991), Disco Volante (1995), and California (1999). The band stopped playing together after 2000 but reunited in 2019. They re-recorded their first demo tape and released it as a new album in 2020.
Patton is famous for working on many different projects at once. Here are some of his other bands and collaborations:
- Fantômas: A metal "supergroup" he formed in 1998 with members of The Melvins, Mr. Bungle, and Slayer.
- Tomahawk: A rock band formed in 1999 with a guitarist from The Jesus Lizard.
- Lovage: A project with producer Dan the Automator and singer Jennifer Charles. They released one album in 2001.
- Peeping Tom: A 2006 album where Patton worked with many artists, including Norah Jones and Massive Attack, by sending song files back and forth through the mail.
- Mondo Cane: A project where Patton sings classic Italian pop songs from the 1950s and 60s with a full orchestra.
He has also released solo albums that are very experimental. One album, Adult Themes for Voice, is made up of only sounds made by his voice. Another, Pranzo Oltranzista, is inspired by a strange style of Italian cooking.
Voice and Musical Style
Mike Patton is famous for his incredible vocal range and his ability to sing in many styles. He can switch from smooth crooning to powerful screaming in an instant. He also uses techniques like beatboxing, rapping, and opera-style singing. He often uses effects pedals to change the sound of his voice, treating it like another instrument in the band.
Many critics have called him one of the most talented and versatile singers in rock music. When writing lyrics, Patton focuses more on how the words sound than what they mean. He believes the music itself tells the story. He often creates characters for his songs and sings from their point of view.
Patton is mostly a self-taught musician. He learned by listening to many different kinds of music and by constantly recording himself to improve his skills. He says that listening to a wide variety of music is the best education a musician can have.
Other Work
Movies and Video Games
Besides music, Patton has also worked in movies and video games. He has composed the soundtracks for several films, including Crank: High Voltage and The Place Beyond the Pines. He also provided the scary monster voices in the movie I Am Legend starring Will Smith.
Patton is a big fan of video games. He has voiced characters in many popular games. He was the voice of the main evil force in The Darkness and its sequel. He also voiced the Anger Sphere in the game Portal and many of the zombies in the Left 4 Dead series.
Personal Life
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Patton married Italian artist Cristina Zuccatosta in 1994. For many years, they lived in both San Francisco and Bologna, Italy. Patton learned to speak Italian fluently. He has said that his busy schedule can make relationships difficult, but music is his main priority in life.
Patton is known for being a "workaholic" and is always involved in several projects at once. He is a huge fan of music and has a massive record collection. He loves searching for rare and unusual music from all over the world. He is also a foodie and enjoys trying different types of cuisine while on tour.
In 2021, Patton had to cancel some shows with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. He later shared that he was dealing with mental health challenges, including agoraphobia, which made it hard for him to perform.
Legacy
Mike Patton is considered one of the most important and influential rock singers of his generation. His unique vocal style and experimental music with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle inspired many bands that came after them. Artists like Chino Moreno of Deftones and Brandon Boyd of Incubus have called him a major influence.
Even though he could have become a mainstream rock star, Patton has always chosen to follow his own creative path. He continues to make challenging and interesting music with his many projects. He has also helped many other experimental artists get their music heard through his record label, Ipecac Recordings.
Images for kids
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Patton playing with Fantômas in 2005
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Patton (left) with other musicians in a 2006 tribute to guitarist Derek Bailey
See also
In Spanish: Mike Patton para niños
