Watch Mr. Bungle Play Their First Show In 20 Years
Years before he became the frontman for Faith No More, Mike Patton got together with a bunch of his high-school friends in Eureka, California and formed Mr. Bungle, a truly bizarre experimental spazz-thrash band. In fact, Mr. Bungle’s first two demos were what convinced Faith No More to recruit Patton when they needed a new singer. Even after joining FNM, Patton kept going with Bungle, releasing a few of the most unhinged rock records in major-label history. Mr. Bungle broke up in the early ’00s, though they reunited in 2000 to play a few shows. And right now, they’re reuniting again.
Last year, Mr. Bungle announced a brief reunion tour. During those shows, they’d play their 1986 demo The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny — the most straight-up speed-metal thing they ever did — in its entirety every night. Last night, they played the first of those shows at LA’s Fonda Theatre. Patton was joined by original Mr. Bungle members Trevor Dunn and Trey Spruance, as well as Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian and former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo, both of whom took part in those Bungle reunion shows in 2000.
As Brooklyn Vegan points out, some beautiful psychopath made a cell-phone video of the entire show, all 73 minutes of it. Bungle did indeed resurrect their songs from The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny, including at least one song that was never released in any form. They also opened with Patton singing the Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood song “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?,” and they covered songs from Siege, the Circle Jerks, the Exploited, Seals & Crofts, and Ian’s band Stormtroopers Of Death. The full set is fast and fun and nuts, and you can watch it below.
Bungle have more shows coming up in LA, San Francisco, and New York.
TOUR DATES:
2/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre (with Cattle Decapitation & Neil Hamburger)
2/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre (with the Melvins & C*nts)
2/08 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre (with Victims Family & Intestinal Disgorge)
2/10 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel (with Full Of Hell & Spotlights)
2/11 – New York, NY @ Brooklyn Steel (with Antidote & Cleric)
2/13 – San Francisco, CA @ Warfield Theatre (with Possessed & Neil Hamburger)