Mr. Bungle. Any fans?

[Chuck AzEee!]

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?

[battema]

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.

[Kavus Torabi]

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

[BrianG]

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.

[zravkapt]

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.

[No Pride]

"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...

[Baribrotzer]

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


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.

[polmico]

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).

[Chuck AzEee!]

"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.

[Duncan Glenday]

I gotta dust this one off and re-listen...

[progeezer]

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

[Chuck AzEee!]

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.

[Chuck AzEee!]

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.

[polmico]

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.

[elliottnow]

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.

[Haruspex Carnage]

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...

[Duncan Glenday]

the resemblance is uncanny. :)


:rofl

[bill g]

Yeah I appreciate all three of their albums, but 'California' is the one I own. Love the opening track.

[Udi Koomran]

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

[Adrian]

"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.

[AndyB]

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.

[aplodon]

Disco Volante is my favorite. Great album!

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

[Rick]

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.

[No Pride]

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."

[Lebofsky]

I'm a fan.

[AndyB]

...however bands like Estradosphere and Spruance's Secret Chiefs really took that and ran with it in a bad way if you ask me...

OK, now you mention them, Estradasphere is one example of a band I tried and tried to get into when I was seeking out Bungle-style bands, but to me they represented everything that can go wrong when you listen to Bungle and all you think is "Wow, they jump from one style to another! Cool! Let's try that!". As a result, Estradasphere sound, to me, stilted, showy-offy and incoherent, and although they clearly have numerous great ideas, none of them is satisfyingly developed into something interesting as they seem far too intent on mere genre-mashing. Yes, Bungle have an extremely eclectic sound, but they achieve that like it's the most natural thing in the world to them, so creating their beautifully unhinged music.

That's what I reckon, anyway!

As for Secret Chiefs, well I never really got into them on record, but live - oh my goodness me! - that was one of the best musical experiences I've ever had - second only to every time I've ever seen Cardiacs ;-)

[Haruspex Carnage]

i've seen Secret Chiefs too, they opened for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum...i barely remember what they were like...except Trey Spruance was bordering on looking like a goat herder, arabic, or Les Claypool - is there a difference?

[MudShark22]

I remember when my friends and I first heard the s/t: porn music for clowns! The tour behind that album was unlike anything I had seen before or since; most certainly a circus bizarre.

When "Disco..." arrived, our consensus was: "...sounds like it's 'more accessible' but its actually not..." Still believe that of the three Bungle discs, this one is the most dense and challenging to unravel.

California...I don't have the right superlatives for this album; one of the few discs these days that I play start to finish rather than shuffle. Also one of Mrs. MudShark's fave discs...top 20 for her all time.

re: FNM
I concur that Angel Dust is the highlight of their catalogue.

[Duncan Glenday]

Spun California again yesterday, will do so again today.

IMO, Mr.Bungle spawned a movement of eclecticism in several metal acts - which I enjoy immensely. And that is why so many people are saying (correctly, I believe) that there's more "progress" in today's metal than in any other genre.

[Lebofsky]

Yeah just so you know I do play in Secret Chiefs 3 (and just wrapped up a major Europe tour with them a couple days ago) and am a regular on these boards, mostly because of my other proggy bands (miRthkon and MoeTar, currently).

I don't really feel any strong need to convert people to Bungle/SC3/Estradasphere/etc. - to each their own. Nor do I want to speak for the others in SC3. But hey if you have any questions I can answer lemme know.

- Matt

[Chuck AzEee!]

Spun California again yesterday, will do so again today.

IMO, Mr.Bungle spawned a movement of eclecticism in several metal acts - which I enjoy immensely. And that is why so many people are saying (correctly, I believe) that there's more "progress" in today's metal than in any other genre.

Great album, far more mature than the debut and accessible than Disco Volante.

Interesting take on how Mike Patton felt about the bands that many claimed FNM/Mr. Bungle influenced.

I never realised that there was a "feud" between RHCP and Mr. Bungle.

[Scrotum Scissor]

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.
I believe it was the seemingly "conceptless" artistic strategies of John Zorn which inspired most of this stuff's evolvement during the late 80s/early 90s, and particularly his ventures with Naked City. The notion that there was a creative essence to the respective extremisms of free jazz, contemporary composition and various types of radical rock (grindcore and hardcore punk, death metal, industrial etc.), literally influenced a whole new generation of thoughts about the possibilities of expressions in "current musics". For my money, one of the first truly interesting such acts was Prelapse, led by what I believe was an Afroamerican priest from the South Bronx, who started out playing covers on Naked City-tunes (and thus according to rumour generating Zorn's very own disbelief) and later released a very good album on Zorn's Avant label (all of whose material unfortunately has become very rare nowadays). I also think Trevor Dunn's finest hour as one-of-a-kind bass player came with his extravagant performance on Zorn's Six Litanies of Heliogabalus, which also features Patton in great shape and really has to be heard to be believed.

I never heard much Estradasphere, but I do like Secret Chiefs 3, some Fantomas and Tomahawk, and I actually enjoy his brief engagement with the Dillinger Escape Plan (the Irony is a Dead Scene EP) more than any other recording of theirs that I've been through. I still haven't been exposed to his Peeping Tom project, though.

[Rick]

I still haven't been exposed to his Peeping Tom project, though.

no pun intended, right!

[aplodon]

IMO, Mr.Bungle spawned a movement of eclecticism in several metal acts - which I enjoy immensely. And that is why so many people are saying (correctly, I believe) that there's more "progress" in today's metal than in any other genre.

Maybe my limited knowledge of the English language have me misunderstand this, but if you're saying Mr. Bungle is metal, I don't agree. I you're saying that they have influenced some metal acts, I would be happy for some tips on such bands.

[zravkapt]

^They started out as a proto-death metal band in the 1980s when they were teenagers:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMQu_5xNhaY

[progholio]

"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...

i agree, California's the shit!

too bad, yes.
but at least they left on a very high note.

[Duncan Glenday]

...If you're saying that they have influenced some metal acts, I would be happy for some tips on such bands.

This

Start with Unexpect...

[aplodon]

Start with Unexpect...

I actually have their "In a flesh aquarium", which I really like. Haven't been able to find anything else in the same vein, or as good, though.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Haven't been able to find anything else in the same vein, or as good, though.
If you haven't heard them, Car Bomb and particularly PsyOpus are the greatest ultra-avant-metal acts out there - for me anyway. UnExpect are very good as well, but I think you'd might enjoy these two just as much or perhaps even more.

And then of course there's stuff like Behold...the Arctopus, but they're somewhat on the side thereof.

[Chuck AzEee!]

I believe it was the seemingly "conceptless" artistic strategies of John Zorn which inspired most of this stuff's evolvement during the late 80s/early 90s, and particularly his ventures with Naked City. The notion that there was a creative essence to the respective extremisms of free jazz, contemporary composition and various types of radical rock (grindcore and hardcore punk, death metal, industrial etc.), literally influenced a whole new generation of thoughts about the possibilities of expressions in "current musics". For my money, one of the first truly interesting such acts was Prelapse, led by what I believe was an Afroamerican priest from the South Bronx, who started out playing covers on Naked City-tunes (and thus according to rumour generating Zorn's very own disbelief) and later released a very good album on Zorn's Avant label (all of whose material unfortunately has become very rare nowadays). I also think Trevor Dunn's finest hour as one-of-a-kind bass player came with his extravagant performance on Zorn's Six Litanies of Heliogabalus, which also features Patton in great shape and really has to be heard to be believed.



Prelapse? Hmmm? I've lived my entire life in The Bronx and sadly never heard of this band before.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Prelapse? Hmmm? I've lived my entire life in The Bronx and sadly never heard of this band before.
I think it was only Mason Wendell (Reverend) who came from the Bronx - the band as such originated in Boston. Several tracks from the album are available on YT, and I'd actually forgotten about the head-on Christian lyrics. Which I suppose make sense, given the context; I also remember reading somewhere (The Wire some 10-12 years ago) that Wendell indeed used to appear on stage in his minister's robe. Bizarre I guess, but the CD is still good to great!

[Baribrotzer]

I think it was only Mason Wendell (Reverend) who came from the Bronx - the band as such originated in Boston. Several tracks from the album are available on YT, and I'd actually forgotten about the head-on Christian lyrics. Which I suppose make sense, given the context; I also remember reading somewhere (The Wire some 10-12 years ago) that Wendell indeed used to appear on stage in his minister's robe. Bizarre I guess, but the CD is still good to great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wq51GWcSR1o

And if you click on the "YouTube" icon, you can find more by them....

[aplodon]

If you haven't heard them, Car Bomb and particularly PsyOpus are the greatest ultra-avant-metal acts out there - for me anyway. UnExpect are very good as well, but I think you'd might enjoy these two just as much or perhaps even more.

Thanks, I'll check them out.

Now, better leave this OT side-track.

[Yehuda Kotton]

How about other Bungle Clone bands (or Bungle-inspired)?
I've been really liking "Darth Vegas" lately. They're an Australian band that are almost Bungle-clones down to the stage show, especially the swing/metal thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cjQvall1Lw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjLbDVUsFY

[Scrotum Scissor]

How about other Bungle Clone bands (or Bungle-inspired)? I've been really liking "Darth Vegas" lately.
And France's Sebkha-Chott; not a "clone" by any means (much too obviously "French"), but mostly quite listenable. And they're rather prolific as well.

[FrippWire]

I saw Mr. Bungle when they played Detroit in the early 90's and it was without a doubt the most violent mosh pit I have ever been part of.

[Mellovision]

If you're saying that they have influenced some metal acts, I would be happy for some tips on such bands.

...perhaps not in the same league, but certainly influenced by Mr. Bungle and some of the other Patton projects:

Shaolin Death Squad ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KVmuzJ0Vuc )
Dog Fashion Disco/The Alter Boys/Polkadot Cadaver ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijE4I32bang )

[Mellovision]

I've been really liking "Darth Vegas" lately. They're an Australian band that are almost Bungle-clones down to the stage show, especially the swing/metal thing.

Love these guys! Something fun to pursue! Thanks, Yehuda!

[progholio]

I still haven't been exposed to his Peeping Tom project, though.

it's been a while but i had a chance to give Peeping Tom a good listen over the weekend, this is probably the most accessable thing that Mike Patton has ever done. Still plenty of deranged adventure if you're an MP fan and absolutely the coolest cd packaging you will ever find.

[Toka]

I still have my Easter Bunny cassette...tried selling it on eBay about 15 years ago and their jerkoff manager tried to get my account suspended (for reasons I can't begin to fathom). Really nasty, terrible person.

[Iszil]

I'm not a Mr. Bungle fan but I also think "California" y one of the best albums in the past 20 years. It's their most "mainstream", under Bungle standards (as someone said) but it's still crazy and magnificent. I'll check out some of the bands you names here.

[XanaFloyd]

I'm a fan of Patton so totally shit eating everything he does...

[Rand Kelly]

I was born in Eureka. I knew Mike as he was selling records at The Works working for the store's owner,Larry Glass. Mike was a much different person than what I've been seeing for the last 22 years. Fame can do that to you I hear. Anyway,Mike loaned me The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny cassette demo and I listened to it for the weekend. Mike also turned me onto his favorite album in 1984,Metallica-Ride The Lightning. He could not stop playing that album for weeks. I would walk in and hear Trapped Under Ice quite frequently. We also discovered one of my favorite bands, Fates Warning-The Spectre Within about that time. I think they are the true founders of ProgMetal. Imagine my reaction to seeing Mike singing on MTV,doing Epic wearing a Mr. Bungle t-shirt in 1990. Mike was into all kinds of different music,he loved jazz fusion, and progressive rock and metal and punk if done well. So,the music of Bungle is an amalgam of all of their influences. Unfortunately,I haven't seen Mike for 23 years. He was such a nice,polite kid and always gave great customer service with a smile.

[polmico]

I'm a fan of Patton so totally shit eating everything he does...


New Tomahawk album is out soon.

[Chuck AzEee!]

G'Day Rand,

I also have a very close friend that met Mike a few years ago and said that he was genuinely one of the nicest and most knowledgable people he had ever met.

[Baribrotzer]

Mike was a much different person than what I've been seeing for the last 22 years. Fame can do that to you I hear.
Alcohol can also do that to you, and I've heard (from Trey) that Mike was drinking rather a lot during at least some of his tenure in Mr. B. Couple that with an intense and driven artistic personality, and you pretty much have a recipe for a difficult person.

[Rand Kelly]

Thanks guys,I needed to hear that. I certainly didn't want to diss Mike in any way. I have great memories of him and I in the store but that was almost 30 years ago.

[chalkpie]

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

Yeah, its beyond kick-ass, and truly progressive while being regressive stylistically at the same time at many points on the album. There is some SERIOUS detail in this recording, and MB place every musical idea just perfectly within the soundstage. One thing that always baffled me though is I feel as though I am listening to this album from about about 3 feet away. In other words, there seems to be some space between the listener and the music...almost like a classic jazz album from the 50's, or like a Beach Boys album (Pet Sounds perhaps?). I don't think this is a detriment per se, but was this a conscious decision to have it recorded this way, or this just how it came off I wonder? Maybe I'm nuts to begin with, but it's how I perceive this record. Great fuckin shit, but so is Disco Volante!

[Rand Kelly]

I've never really listened to any of the 3. The only thing I ever heard all the way through was The Real Thing by FNM. I might check these 3 out if www.spotify.com carries them.

[Udi Koomran]

Mike was a much different person than what I've been seeing for the last 22 years. Fame can do that to you I hear. Unfortunately,I haven't seen Mike for 23 years. He was such a nice,polite kid and always gave great customer service with a smile.

Well I am not sure what exactly did he do to leave an impression that he was "spoilt" by fame
From my short personal experience I can tell - I was chosen by a local promoter here is Israel to do sound for one of his shows and the venue was actually kind of basic and modest - and I must say Mike was extremely pleasant co operative professional and polite
Hell he was even willing to take some "advice" - so that made me even more admire him. I am friends with Guapo who did some shows with Fantomas and from what I heard he was always down to earth and nice to them .
So maybe he is still that guy from 23 years ago

[Udi Koomran]

Yeah, its beyond kick-ass, and truly progressive while being regressive stylistically at the same time at many points on the album.

Frankie that is quite an insight !
This is so true

[Udi Koomran]

There is some SERIOUS detail in this recording, and MB place every musical idea just perfectly within the soundstage. One thing that always baffled me though is I feel as though I am listening to this album from about about 3 feet away. In other words, there seems to be some space between the listener and the music...almost like a classic jazz album from the 50's, or like a Beach Boys album (Pet Sounds perhaps?). I don't think this is a detriment per se, but was this a conscious decision to have it recorded this way, or this just how it came off I wonder? Maybe I'm nuts to begin with, but it's how I perceive this record. Great fuckin shit, !

Yes
This is one of the finest sounding albums ever
The sound is warm - and the term warm is so overly hyped and used so lightly these days -but this really sounds warm round and even has this velvety character to it PLUS as you state its highly detailed yet the top end isn't excessive it all sounds extremely precise and lovingly crafted
I understand the production was a nighmare ( 3 24 track analog tape machine with a zillion tracks etc. etc.)
I have tried to find this quality in all the other Billy Anderson works and none come even close - so I think the credit goes to master Trey
Seriously this album sounds gorgeous
Another album that his these qualities is Caveman Shoe-store Supersale and maybe some of the Secret Chiefs 3 album

[Kavus Torabi]

Yes
This is one of the finest sounding albums ever


Absolutely. Just knock out. This is the album I used to audition my studio monitors before I bought them

[polmico]

I've never really listened to any of the 3. The only thing I ever heard all the way through was The Real Thing by FNM. I might check these 3 out if www.spotify.com carries them.

Not even the right FNM album. Angel Dust is the best thing they ever did. Nothing like Bungle but of the same quality.

[progholio]

There is some SERIOUS detail in this recording, and MB place every musical idea just perfectly within the soundstage. One thing that always baffled me though is I feel as though I am listening to this album from about about 3 feet away. In other words, there seems to be some space between the listener and the music...almost like a classic jazz album from the 50's, or like a Beach Boys album (Pet Sounds perhaps?). I don't think this is a detriment per se, but was this a conscious decision to have it recorded this way, or this just how it came off I wonder? Maybe I'm nuts to begin with, but it's how I perceive this record. Great fuckin shit, but so is Disco Volante!

I have had this album since it was released and have always had an appreciation for it's sonic detail. it wasn't until just a few years ago I was on a camping trip and wanted to hear some music late at night, I popped the cd into a small boombox a foot away from my head at low volume and couldn't believe it - this recording almost took on a 3-D like quality. for some reason all of the subtle layers of MP's vocal effects and background instruents just seemed to jump out in this lo-fi enviroment.
I've always heard similarities to Pet Sounds also which i'm sure is intentional.

[progholio]

Not even the right FNM album. Angel Dust is the best thing they ever did. Nothing like Bungle but of the same quality.

I agree about Angel Dust (that Midnight Cowboy theme is golden) but for some odd reason my go-to is King for a Day/Fool for a Lifetime, the closing track "Just a Man" gets me every time.

[Jefferson James]

this recording almost took on a 3-D like quality.

"California" is the only Mr. Bungle album I have and it's essential listening -- I return to it on a yearly basis, it seems; so imaginative, so surprising, so strangely beautiful and different. The music gives me the impression of someone sculpting images out of liquid plastic in real-time; "stretch-y" is the word my mind comes up with when I think of these songs.

I really need to dig into Mike Patton's other stuff at some point.

Incidentally I saw FNM's "Falling to Pieces" video the other day -- still an ass-kicker.

[EyalAmir]

I must agree with all the compliments about the California album.

One of the most beautiful pieces of work I've heard, and such a unique statement from every imaginable perspective (songwriting, arranging, performing, recording...). I'm not a huge fan of the other two bungle albums, but they got some brilliant bits in them as well, just the work as a whole is not as coherent as this masterpiece.

[Udi Koomran]

I think I am going to get the vinyl edition of this

http://www.discogs.com/Mr-Bungle-California/release/2451154

So curious about this

[Lebofsky]

One of the many fun "extras" of touring with Secret Chiefs 3 lately is hearing the war stories involving the recording of "California" and their other releases. Insane amount of effort and many obstacles to overcome... California is pretty much the last recording of that scope done entirely to tape on this planet, as far as I know.

Aesthetics judgments aside, nobody can really argue that Mr. Bungle and all the members' other work is some of the most well-crafted music out there in the past few decades. I feel very lucky to be part of this nowadays. Quite the fun challenge realizing these visions.

- Matt

[Udi Koomran]

One of the many fun "extras" of touring with Secret Chiefs 3 lately is hearing the war stories involving the recording of "California" and their other releases. Insane amount of effort and many obstacles to overcome... California is pretty much the last recording of that scope done entirely to tape on this planet, as far as I know.
- Matt

I think i read Trey said one day he will sit down and write the whole story of the recording of California

[Lebofsky]

I think i read Trey said one day he will sit down and write the whole story of the recording of California

He really should. But after the next batch of SC3 albums are released...

- Matt

[Udi Koomran]

He really should. But after the next batch of SC3 albums are released...

- Matt

I think besides other talents he has a way with words I love reading his "reviews" blurbs and interviews

I can't remember of a more anticipated release in the last decade or so...

[chalkpie]

Is the next SC3 album part 2, with Book of Horizons part 1?

[Udi Koomran]

Secret Chiefs 3 announce the release of two full-length installments “Book of Souls” The first [Book of Souls: Folio A and the second [Book of Souls: Folio B]
“Book of Souls”, second in the band’s mega-trilogy (first being “Book of Horizons”, 2004),

True to expectation, "Book of Souls: Folio A" is a full-length album densely-packed with musical skyscrapers. Over a decade in the making along with Folio B, Book of Souls is Secret Chiefs 3’s most elaborate work yet. Following the 7-band schemata laid out in Book of Horizons, both Folios of Book of Souls thoroughly establish the depth of SC3’s journey into otherwise lost musical possibilities. With productions based in studios in the SF Bay Area, NY, LA, Seattle, UK and France over the last 11 years, the band’s leader Trey Spruance enlisted a small army of musicians-- or actually not so small, since the orchestral tasks demanded by the music seem effectively unlimited in number.

But familiar names in the SC3 canon form the backbone of the recording-band: Timb Harris, Ches Smith, Shahzad Ismaily, Anonymous 13, Danny Heifetz, William Winant, with live-band initiates Matt Lebofsky, Kenny Grohowski and Toby Driver adding extra life among the zillions of enlisted musical enablers.

“Book of Souls: Folio A” is evidence that Secret Chiefs 3 continues to operate in blissful ignorance of current musical fashions, remaining enchanted only by what can be unlocked in modern mediums by applying a specific recipe of ancient and a-linear processes.

The album represents the kind of titanic, almost Faustian undertaking that one would expect, something uniquely appropriate to Secret Chiefs 3. But for all that pomp it’s easy to forget that everything having to do with a SC3 recording is DIY to the core. “Book of Souls: Folio A” is a fully organic production. Everything is honed with love in one of the last-standing hermetically-sealed laboratories. Some may snort at the notion that there even could exist such a cauldron of limitless fascination extending so rigorously beyond the time/space boundaries of modern occidental groupthink; a place in-between, suspended, where the simplest motifs have the freedom either to radiate upward into geometric complexities that are beyond description, or to refine downward to a state of simple musical essence. But it's the usual thing at the SC3 lab.

[Kavus Torabi]

This cannot fail to be brilliant.

[Udi Koomran]

This cannot fail to be brilliant.

Word