Mike Patton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Patton
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Patton in 2009
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Michael Allan Patton |
| Born | January 27, 1968 Eureka, California, U.S. |
| Genres |
|
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instruments |
|
| Years active | 1984–present |
Michael Allan Patton (born January 27, 1968) is an American singer, songwriter, and voice actor. He is best known as the lead singer for the rock bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Mike Patton is famous for his amazing singing skills and for using many different vocal styles. He has worked on a wide range of music projects.
Patton has been praised by critics and has influenced many singers today. Besides Faith No More, he also helped start Mr. Bungle. He has also been the singer for or played with bands like Tomahawk, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Fantômas, and Dead Cross. He often works with other artists like jazz saxophonist John Zorn and hip hop producer Dan the Automator.
He has also produced music for other artists. In 1999, he co-founded Ipecac Recordings, a record label, with Greg Werckman. He has been running the label ever since.
Patton became very successful with Faith No More. They had one hit song in the U.S. and three top 20 songs in the UK. Many musicians have said that Patton influenced their music. These include members of Deftones, Incubus, Korn, and System of a Down.
Contents
Growing Up and Starting Music
Mike Patton was born in Eureka, California. His mother was a social worker, and his father was a physical education teacher. Mike grew up in a home that was not focused on religion. When he was young, his family also spent time in San Jose, California.
Patton enjoyed writing from a young age. Because of his father's job, he also loved sports and played them often. This continued until he started touring with bands in 1989. One of his first music memories was hearing his father's records by Earth, Wind & Fire and Frank Zappa.
In elementary school, Mike was a good student and athlete. However, he did not have many friends. He often went to the movies as an "escape." There, he secretly watched scary movies and Star Wars. The Star Wars soundtrack had a big impact on him.
Mike and his bandmates often say that growing up in Eureka helped them become curious about music. Eureka was a quiet city surrounded by redwood forests. Even though his family was not artistic, Patton was thankful for the freedom they gave him to explore music.
High School Bands
Patton went to Eureka High School. There, he met bassist Trevor Dunn and guitarist Trey Spruance. They were all in music classes. Patton and Dunn became friends by sharing music and talking about their studies.
They were part of a band called Gemini that played popular heavy metal songs. They then joined a band called Fiend, which played thrash metal. Later, Patton and Dunn made their own death metal tape. Patton played the instruments, and Dunn sang.
Patton found a supportive group in the death metal music scene. He started to focus more on art than sports. He and Dunn also became friends with punk fans. Trey Spruance and drummer Jed Watts were in another metal band. Eventually, these four musicians formed Mr. Bungle in 1984. They played their first show in November in Bayside, California.
Patton and his friends often felt different from others at school. They would sometimes ride freight trains at night to nearby towns. They loved their school teachers who helped them with their artistic interests. An English teacher introduced Patton to a book called The Painted Bird. Their music teacher, Dan Horton, let them use the music room after school.
College and Faith No More
Patton went to Humboldt State University to study English literature. He planned to become a writer. He did very well in college. Music was just a fun hobby for him at the time.
At Humboldt, Patton met the band Faith No More in 1986. Mr. Bungle played many times at a pizza place where Faith No More saw them. After one show, Spruance gave Faith No More's drummer, Mike Bordin, a demo tape from Mr. Bungle.
Patton also worked part-time at the only record store in Eureka. He worked there until he joined Faith No More in 1988.
Between 1986 and 1989, Mr. Bungle released several demo tapes. Some songs from these tapes later appeared on their first official album in 1991.
Music Career Highlights
Faith No More: 1988–1998; 2009–Present
The members of Faith No More remembered Mr. Bungle's demo tape. In 1988, they asked Patton to try out as their new lead singer. They had tried out many singers, but they chose Patton because he was so good at different styles.
Patton officially became their new singer in January 1989. This meant he had to leave Humboldt State University. He replaced their previous singer, Chuck Mosley.
Faith No More released their album The Real Thing in 1989. The album became very popular. This was largely because MTV played their music video for the song "Epic" a lot. In the video, Patton wears a Mr. Bungle T-shirt.
Faith No More released three more studio albums: Angel Dust, King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime, and Album of the Year. The band then broke up in 1998. Patton once said that he felt the band's music was not as good as it used to be, which contributed to the split.
On February 24, 2009, Faith No More announced they were getting back together. They started a reunion tour called The Second Coming Tour. In 2015, they released a new album called Sol Invictus.
Solo Work and Other Bands: 1984–Present
Even while in Faith No More, Patton kept working with Mr. Bungle. His success with Faith No More helped Mr. Bungle get a record deal with Warner Bros.. Mr. Bungle released their first album in 1991. They released two more experimental albums, Disco Volante in 1995 and California in 1999.
Mr. Bungle stopped being active after their 1999–2000 tour. Their breakup was officially confirmed in 2004. However, Mr. Bungle reunited in 2019. Three original members (Patton, Dunn, and Spruance) joined with drummer Dave Lombardo and guitarist Scott Ian. They re-recorded their first demo from 1986, which was released in 2020.
Patton also released two solo albums, Adult Themes for Voice (1996) and Pranzo Oltranzista (1997). He is also part of the band Hemophiliac. In this group, he makes vocal sounds with John Zorn on saxophone and Ikue Mori on electronics. This band is known for its "improvisational music."
In 1998, Patton formed the metal supergroup Fantômas. This band includes guitarist Buzz Osborne from The Melvins, bassist Trevor Dunn from Mr. Bungle, and drummer Dave Lombardo from Slayer. They have released four studio albums.
In 1999, Patton met guitarist Duane Denison and they formed the band Tomahawk. Tomahawk's rock sound is often compared to Faith No More's later albums.
Patton sang on Dillinger Escape Plan's 2002 EP, Irony Is a Dead Scene. In 2004, he worked with Björk and the beatboxer Rahzel. He also released an album called Romances with Kaada. In 2005, Patton worked with hip hop DJ trio The X-Ecutioners on the album General Patton vs. The X-Ecutioners.
In 2006, Mike Patton released his Peeping Tom album on his own Ipecac label. He created the songs by sharing music files with many different artists. These included Dan the Automator, Rahzel, Norah Jones, and Massive Attack.
In 2010, Patton released Mondo Cane. For this album, he sang live with a 30-piece orchestra. The album features classic Italian pop songs from the 1950s and 1960s. It also includes a song by famous composer Ennio Morricone.
In 2016, Patton joined the supergroup Nevermen. This band includes Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio and rapper Doseone. They released their first album on Patton's Ipecac label.
In August 2017, Patton released an album with the band Dead Cross. This supergroup includes Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo.
In 2019, Patton released an album called Corpse Flower with French musician Jean-Claude Vannier.
In September 2021, Faith No More had to cancel shows. Patton shared that he was dealing with agoraphobia, which is a type of anxiety disorder.
Other Work
Film and Video Game Work
Mike Patton has also worked on many films. In 2007, he provided the voices for the monsters in the movie I Am Legend, starring Will Smith.
He also created the soundtrack for the 2009 movie Crank: High Voltage. In 2010, Patton was The Narrator in the film Bunraku. He also composed the soundtrack for the 2012 film The Place Beyond the Pines. In 2017, he scored the Stephen King movie 1922 for Netflix.
Patton is a big fan of video games. In 2007, he was the voice of the main character in the video game The Darkness. He returned to this role in The Darkness II in 2012.
He also voiced the Anger Sphere in Valve's 2007 game Portal. In Left 4 Dead, he voiced most of the infected zombies. In 2009, he voiced Nathan "Rad" Spencer, the main character in Capcom's video game Bionic Commando.
In 2021, Patton lent his voice to a remake of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song. This was for the trailer of the video game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge.
His Artistic Style
Voice and Techniques
Mike Patton uses many different music styles in his work. These include avant-garde, alternative metal, experimental, and funk metal. His singing includes crooning, falsetto, screaming, opera, death growls, rapping, beatboxing, and scatting.
Patton often changes his voice using effects pedals and other tools. Critics say he is one of the most talented singers in rock music. He also knows how to play several instruments.
People often talk about his wide vocal range. However, Patton himself has said that he does not think he has the biggest range. He believes that making great music is not about who can sing the highest or lowest.
Patton loves working with other musicians. He says it makes life interesting. But he only joins projects he truly cares about.
Writing Music and Lyrics
Patton creates his vocals based on what "the music dictates." He uses his voice like another instrument. When writing, he studies each instrument's part and tries to blend his voice into the band's sound. He feels that the best recordings have the vocals mixed in, rather than being too loud.
His first step is usually to find the main melody of a song. Then, he builds on that, adding harmonies or other sounds. He believes that "making great music is sometimes like being in a torture chamber. You have to accept the pain."
Patton writes lyrics after hearing the music. He focuses on how words sound, rather than just their meaning. He says "the music tells the story." He often chooses words that sound similar to what he hears in his head.
Sometimes, his songs are like "character sketches." He tries to act out different personalities. He does not usually write about his own life. He also reads books about topics he wants to write about.
For some projects, like Moonchild Trio and Fantômas, he does not use lyrics at all. Instead, he uses sounds because he feels language can be "distracting." He wants people to interpret his music in their own way, like an "adventure" or a movie scene.
How He Developed His Music
When Mike Patton was a child, he was good at recognizing different sounds. His parents noticed he could imitate bird vocalizations. They gave him a record of vocal exercises, which he loved. He realized his voice had potential when he was about eight or nine.
Patton mostly taught himself music. He cannot read or write music notation. He has perfect pitch, meaning he can identify any musical note. He learned how to produce sounds in his studio by figuring things out himself.
He learned a lot by recording himself and listening back. He says "hearing more" music, both his own and others', has been his most important education. Since 1991, he has explored many different vocal techniques. He tried to match John Zorn's "immense" vocal range. Many of his vocal exercises were recorded on his 1996 album Adult Themes For Voice.
When he moved to Italy, he learned about the singing method of opera teacher Nicola Vaccai. He studied this on his own for years. He also learned about Bel canto, an Italian singing style, which you can hear in his operatic performances and his album Mondo Cane.
Patton believes in learning by doing. However, he also credits working with trained musicians. When Mr. Bungle formed, he was fascinated by his friends Trey Spruance and Trevor Dunn, who studied music theory and jazz. He decided to "follow their lead."
John Zorn, a composer and saxophonist, taught Patton many things. This included how to improvise vocals with a group. Patton said he was "incredibly fortunate to have a friend like that — who is also a peer and a mentor."
Musical Inspirations
Patton believes that you should find inspiration from "any and everything." He says there should be "no limits." He explains that his music is so varied because that is how he listens to music and sees the world. He once said, "Good artists copy; great artists steal," meaning he takes ideas and makes them his own.
Early Influences
In high school, Patton's first bands played heavy metal. When Mr. Bungle started, he was very into death metal and hardcore punk. He liked bands like Venom and The Exploited.
His job at a record store was very important for his and Mr. Bungle's music. He "devoured" extreme metal and punk rock. His coworkers also introduced him to many different artists, from rap to reggae to folk rock.
Before their 1986 demo, Dunn and Patton found bands like Oingo Boingo, Fishbone, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Spruance said seeing Fishbone play in Eureka helped them want to mix different music styles. This made Mr. Bungle interested in breaking down barriers between different types of music.
Patton's biggest influence at the time was probably Prince. You can hear Prince's soulful singing in Patton's first albums with Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. Patton also started to like easy listening music through singers like Sammy Davis Jr.. He was also influenced by R&B singer Sade when he joined Faith No More.
He found "extraordinary" Motown singers and some Frank Zappa records at his record store job. He would order "the craziest" records from different styles. He secretly copied them for himself and his bandmates, which quickly expanded their musical tastes.
Vocal Influences
Patton has mentioned many singers as influences. These include Diamanda Galás, Frank Sinatra, Blixa Bargeld from Einstürzende Neubauten, and H.R. from Bad Brains. He admires Sinatra's musical talent very much.
One of Patton's biggest influences was Greek-Italian singer Demetrio Stratos. Stratos studied how far the human voice could go. Patton studied his vocal-only albums. The unique vocals of Yamantaka Eye from The Boredoms also inspired Patton's songs without lyrics.
.jpg)
Another influence is Tom Waits. Patton started using a megaphone on stage and in the studio after being inspired by Waits. The 1970s music of Stevie Wonder also greatly impacted Patton's vocals. He has covered Stevie Wonder songs like "Sir Duke" and "They Won't Go When I Go".
In 2019, he said he was inspired by the spoken-word style of Leonard Cohen. He also liked the voice of Serge Gainsbourg and the writing of Bob Dylan.
Other Influences
Patton has mentioned Nomeansno and The Residents as influences. He also loves the band Cardiacs. He admired the albums Ozma by Melvins and Drop Dead by Siege. He was a big fan of the band Godflesh.
By 1992, Patton's favorite music style was easy listening. He named composer Les Baxter as a main influence for one of his film scores. He loves the complex music in easy listening songs. Composer Burt Bacharach is also a major influence on Patton's writing.
In 1988, Patton said actor and comedian Steve Martin influenced Mr. Bungle. He also said he felt like Steve Martin. He has credited the disco band Village People for his use of humor and stage costumes. He believes many people did not understand the band's jokes. Mr. Bungle even covered "Macho Man" in 1985.
Films and books have influenced Patton more than any other art form. He loves the varied music scores by Ennio Morricone and Jerry Goldsmith. These inspired his interest in soundtracks. Patton especially likes movies that explore inner thoughts and feelings.
He admires director David Lynch. Many people say the surreal parts of his music, especially in Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante and California, are like "the musical equivalent of a David Lynch movie." He is a big fan of Morricone's music. In 2005, he asked for a collection of Morricone's lesser-known soundtracks to be released on his record label.
Other musical influences include the experimental band Melt-Banana, post-rock band Sigur Rós, country singer Willie Nelson, and composer Olivier Messiaen. He also likes cartoon music composer Carl Stalling.
Patton is fascinated by the underground music scene in Japan. This is seen in his collaborations with Japanese artists and the bands he signs to his Ipecac label. He says Japanese musicians are "less worried about the way things should sound and look."
Live Performances
When reviewing Patton's live shows, critics have noted that his movements are as wild as his vocal sounds. He has a "maniacal and dapper stage presence." As a rock frontman, Patton often talks to his audience using humor and sarcasm.
When he joined Faith No More, Patton wanted his performances to match the band's energy. He would do things like front flip onto the stage or into the crowd. He would also sometimes eat objects like microphone windscreens.
During a Faith No More concert in 2009, Patton swallowed a shoelace that was thrown on stage. He then loudly spit it back out to the audience.
Personal Life
_(4416923380).jpg)
Relationships and Health
Patton married Cristina Zuccatosta, an Italian artist, in 1994. They split their time between San Francisco and Bologna, Italy. They separated in 2001 but later got back together. Patton calls her his "best friend." He does not have any children.
Patton likes his privacy and has only a few close friends. In 2002, he said his busy schedule made some of his personal relationships difficult. However, he always puts music first.
Patton has a long-time friendship with drummer Dave Lombardo. They started working together when they formed Fantômas in 1998. Patton is also friends with System of a Down singer Serj Tankian. Actor Danny DeVito is also a friend of Patton's and often goes to his concerts.
In 2022, Patton shared that he was diagnosed with agoraphobia. This led to the cancellation of some Faith No More and Mr. Bungle shows in 2021.
Interests and Hobbies
Patton has a huge collection of records. As of 2005, he often traveled to Japan with John Zorn to buy albums. Patton believes that some of the best art is not mainstream. He spends a lot of time looking for artists who are not well-known. This was one reason he started Ipecac Recordings.
Patton is a foodie, meaning he loves food. He owns many restaurant books. When he is on tour, he likes to try different types of food. Eating with friends is his main social activity outside of music.
Since he was a child, Patton has been a big fan of the basketball team Los Angeles Lakers. He also likes baseball. Patton supports the Italy national football team.
Between tours, Patton enjoys swimming and weight training.
Other Facts
Patton's many projects and constant touring have led people to call him a "workaholic". By 2006, he did not take vacations. He says his work style feels natural to him.
Until 2001, Patton owned a home in Bologna, Italy. He became fluent in Italian. This connected him closely to Italian culture and its popular music from the mid-20th century. He also used to speak Spanish and still understands it. He also spoke some Portuguese slang.
Legacy and Influence
A list by Consequence of Sound once called Mike Patton "the greatest singer of all time" in popular music. Even before Faith No More broke up in 1998, Patton was highly respected. This continued with his many experimental music releases.
PopMatters sees him as one of the two most important rock frontmen of the 1990s, along with Kurt Cobain. However, Patton often makes light of his own importance. He has been critical of his earlier work.
Patton's versatile vocals on the first Faith No More and Mr. Bungle albums were "groundbreaking." These, along with his bandmates' experimental music, inspired many musicians who came after him. Critics praise him for always reinventing himself and looking for new ways to make music. Many authors have called him a "Renaissance man" because of his many talents.
Patton is often credited with influencing nu metal bands like Korn and Limp Bizkit. However, he has not been very happy about being linked to these bands.
The Quietus said that Patton's most valuable contribution is using his platform to become a powerful force in avant-garde and alternative music. He does this through his many projects and by signing experimental artists to Ipecac Recordings.
Many artists directly say Mike Patton is an inspiration. These include singers like Chino Moreno (Deftones), Brandon Boyd (Incubus), Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach), and Jesse Leach (Killswitch Engage).
Devin Townsend said in 2011 that Angel Dust and Mr. Bungle changed every singer in heavy music. He called Patton "a living treasure." Patton has also been named the biggest influence for bands like Slipknot and Igorrr. He has also been a major influence on Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age) and Serj Tankian (System of a Down).
Discography
Studio albums
- Adult Themes for Voice (1996)
- Pranzo Oltranzista (1997)
- Mondo Cane (2010)
Selected Filmography
- 1993 – Video Macumba – Short film with abstract and extreme footage
- 1993 – Video Croissant by Faith No More (VHS) – Features some of the band's music videos
- 2005 – Firecracker – Played Frank/David
- 2007 – I Am Legend – Creature Vocals (voice)
- 2009 – Crank: High Voltage – Film Score
- 2010 – Bunraku – Narrator
- 2012 – The Place Beyond the Pines – Film Score
- 2016 – The Absence of Eddy Table – Voice of Eddy Table
- 2017 – 1922 – Film Score
Video Game Voice Work
- 2007 – The Darkness – Voice of The Darkness
- 2007 – Portal – Voice of the Anger Core
- 2008 – Left 4 Dead – Infected voices, Smoker, Hunter
- 2009 – Bionic Commando – Voice of Nathan Spencer
- 2009 – Left 4 Dead 2 – Infected voices, Smoker, Hunter
- 2012 – The Darkness II – Voice of The Darkness
- 2016 – Edge of Twilight – Return to Glory – Vocals for Lithern and Creatures
Images for kids
-
Eureka, California, where Mike Patton grew up.
-
Patton performing with Tomahawk in 2002.
-
Patton playing with Fantômas in 2005.
-
Patton in Milan, Italy, performing with Peeping Tom in 2006.
-
Patton (left) with Gavin Bryars, Bill Laswell and Milford Graves in a 2006 tribute to guitarist Derek Bailey.
-
Prince was a big early influence on Mike Patton.
-
Demetrio Stratos influenced Patton's extended vocal techniques.
-
Yamantaka Eye influenced Patton's extended vocal techniques.
-
The members of Mr. Bungle often traveled to watch Nomeansno play live.
-
Critics often compare Patton's music to the films of David Lynch, whom the singer admires.
-
Patton performing with Faith No More in Australia in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Mike Patton para niños
