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Thread: Mr. Bungle. Any fans?

  1. #1

    Mr. Bungle. Any fans?

    Having 7000 plus songs on your music player sometimes has its drawbacks, while on a Fishbone kick a few weeks ago, I did a "Genius" on a Fishbone song and amongst the mix playlist was a Mr. Bungle song from "California" The Air Conditioned Nightmare and it piqued my interest, I hadn't listen to album in its entirety in years and had Disco Volante on cassette and had only heard their eponymous debut in spurts, but I purchased Disco Volante on iTunes and puchased Mr. Bungle on CD and I've been enamored with this band ever since. Mr. Bungle might not be as mature as the following albums, but it's my favorite. The rythym section is awesome! I take that back the whole band is great! You could see the influences on power bands like Korn and the better bands like Tool. Any other fans of this band?
    Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care... Frank Zappa

  2. #2
    I definitely enjoy 'Disco Volante' although I'm not a hardcore follower of the band. I have 'California' but haven't really given it a close listen in many moons.

  3. #3
    California is beautiful. Inventive, wonderfully played and very nicely recorded. Particularly the tune The Holy Filament which is, for me, their crowning achievement.

  4. #4
    Member BrianG's Avatar
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    I am also a late comer to the band, but a fan as well. Even better is the related project of Trey Spruance called Secret Chiefs 3 and the many spinoffs. When they are not doodling around in the studio, Secret Chiefs 3 make some spectacularly inventive sounds, especially in Book of Horizons and Xaphan.
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    Member zravkapt's Avatar
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    Used to love them when they still released albums; don't think we'll get another one. All three albums are great but D. Volante is probably the most challenging. They were great in concert, even in the early days (check out some full shows on YouTube). Because Patton agreed to be the replacement singer in Faith No More, some viewed Bungle as a 'side-project'. In reality, Patton only joined FNM under one condition: that [I]his[I] band Mr. Bungle would get a record deal.

  6. #6
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    "California" is the one where it all came together, at least for me. I have the debut and have heard DV, but portions of those two are just too abrasive for me. But I think of California as a masterpiece! Too bad they stopped making albums after that...

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    I consider them the last great prog band - or at least the last one that had a significant popular following outside the "prog bubble".

    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    But I think of California as a masterpiece! Too bad they stopped making albums after that...
    From what I understand, Trey and Mike have totally different personalities and totally different working methods, and never found it easy to get along. By the end, they found it impossible. They're apparently on better terms now, and even discussed a reunion, but for various reasons it didn't happen.

  8. #8
    Spruance recently appeared with Patton and FNM to play King for a Day in its entirety, so you never know. If they can patch things up . . .

    Also of note is the new Tomahawk album due in January. Dunn has joined that band (though of course he and Patton have worked together for a while).
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    "California" is the one where it all came together, at least for me. I have the debut and have heard DV, but portions of those two are just too abrasive for me. But I think of California as a masterpiece! Too bad they stopped making albums after that...
    G'day Ernie,

    My wife thinks this stuff is terrible. I had it on while driving last week. :P

    It's a funny story about these guys as these guys don't hate each other, but I guess they just couldn't work together. I remember reading about how these youngsters voting in Rolling Stone Magazine swear Flea is a great bassist. I wonder what they would think about Trevor Dunn if they heard him play.

    The group is quite "progressive" is their style, like a weird cross between Frank Zappa (Whom Mike Patton said is not an influence on them :| ) Funkadelic and Public Enemy like ambience via It Takes a Nation or a funkier Cardiacs with a little Fishbone sprinkled in there.
    Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care... Frank Zappa

  10. #10
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
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    I gotta dust this one off and re-listen...
    Regards,

    Duncan

  11. #11
    Geriatric Anomaly progeezer's Avatar
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    Another Mr. Bungle fan here. They always have done a lot more for me than Faith or any other Patton projects.
    "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician, and to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference"

    President Harry S. Truman

  12. #12
    A bit oft-subject, but Duncan, everytime I see your avatar, the resemblance is uncanny.

    Another Mr. Bungle fan here. They always have done a lot more for me than Faith or any other Patton projects.

    I always thought the same thing as well Steve. Faith No More, while cool to me at least wasn't like this Mr. Bungle and I seen Faith No More live. Great show too.
    Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care... Frank Zappa

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by BrianG View Post
    I am also a late comer to the band, but a fan as well. Even better is the related project of Trey Spruance called Secret Chiefs 3 and the many spinoffs. When they are not doodling around in the studio, Secret Chiefs 3 make some spectacularly inventive sounds, especially in Book of Horizons and Xaphan.
    I must look into this, Thanks Brian.
    Be a loyal plastic robot for a world that doesn't care... Frank Zappa

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck AzEee! View Post
    Faith No More, while cool to me at least wasn't like this Mr. Bungle and I seen Faith No More live. Great show too.
    I missed FNM, but I have seen Bungle, Tomahawk and Fantomas. Angel Dust is still the best thing, in my opinion, that Patton has ever been involved in, and that album owes a whole lot to Mr. Billy Gould.
    I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.

  15. #15
    Saw the California tour in Chapel Hill, NC. Incredible night. Desert Search For Techno Allah on DV is my favorite. I would love to see a return of Bungle.

  16. #16
    Member Haruspex Carnage's Avatar
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    A mild fan here...friends back home are die-hards of Patton...personally i wish he would stop being obnoxious and just sing, he's great like that - there isn't much melody or even solid riffing in groups like Tomahawk, Fantomas, or the somewhat unrelated The Melvins for me...but as for Mr. Bungle as a whole...mmm, sometimes the style-meshing is irksome but they still wrote interesting songs...however bands like Estradosphere and Spruance's Secret Chiefs really took that and ran with it in a bad way if you ask me...
    Last edited by Haruspex Carnage; 12-03-2012 at 07:58 PM.

  17. #17
    Moderator Duncan Glenday's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chuck AzEee! View Post
    the resemblance is uncanny.
    Regards,

    Duncan

  18. #18
    Member bill g's Avatar
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    Yeah I appreciate all three of their albums, but 'California' is the one I own. Love the opening track.

  19. #19
    For me California is one of the best albums of the last 20 years
    Masterpiece and I seldom use that term

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by No Pride View Post
    "California" is the one where it all came together, at least for me. I have the debut and have heard DV, but portions of those two are just too abrasive for me. But I think of California as a masterpiece! Too bad they stopped making albums after that...
    Same here. Didn't care as much for the first two albums, but California is darn near a perfect album.

  21. #21
    Disco Volante for me, particularly Carry Stress in the Jaw and the ridiculously good Desert Search for Techno Allah. I went through a phase of collecting lots of bands that had a Bungle vibe, but I've gone off nearly all of them...except Mr. Bungle. They manage to pull off an insanely eclectic sound without it sounding remotely studied or contrived, but then when you consider the calibre of the musicians involved, that's hardly surprising.

    Mr. Bungle is, for me, the highest of the many high points of Patton's musical output.

  22. #22
    Member aplodon's Avatar
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    Disco Volante is my favorite. Great album!

    The s/t is good, too. Don't care so much for California.

  23. #23
    i remember as a big FNM fan i picked up the self titled when released. actually, i remember getting this and the latest Skid Row, Slave to the Grind.

    i was unable to stomach the verse / chorus / verse / chorus / solo, etc routine found on the Skid Row album after listening to Bungle. what an amazing, out of left field album that showed that music did not have to follow the formula.

    the lyrics are horribly immature. alot of bands are remastering / remixing their old albums. would love to hear this with lyrics that are not about porn stars and back sides that are on fire.

    disco was good, but very abrasive. some really great moments on this.

    california was definitely an attempt to bring them closer to the mainstream. this is the only album of theirs i still have. will have to pull it out today and give it a listen.

  24. #24
    Member No Pride's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick View Post
    california was definitely an attempt to bring them closer to the mainstream.
    Which is kinda funny, because if you played it for any "normal" person (i.e. non-prog fan), they'd consider it to be the craziest, most innane music they've ever heard. But yeah, by Mr. Bungle standards, it is pretty accessible. Parts of it are even "beautiful."

  25. #25
    Member Lebofsky's Avatar
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    I'm a fan.

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