The Audio Project: Signed Stuff

Artist: Faith No More
Album: King For A Day Fool For A Lifetime
Signed by: Mike Patton

Mike Patton was in Wollongong back in 1996 when Mr Bungle were touring the Disco Volante album. The band were playing at Waves Nightclub.

I got into Faith No More in 1990 when I heard Epic. The Real Thing is a great album and eased me in to listening to music with edgier keyboards and even samples. In 1992 they put out Angel Dust and I was blown away. Kindergarten, RV, Be Aggressive and Midlife Crisis are the best tracks on the standard release of the album.

I saw them live for the first time in 1995 at the Alternative Nation festival on Easter Saturday at Eastern Creek. It is a top 10 all time gig for me. I knew they were good live from what id seen on Mtv (back when Mtv played music videos). But seeing them live was just amazing. They opened with Digging The Grave and for the next hour it was just an amazing show to see. So much anger and energy on the stage. King For A Day... was released on Easter Monday and I was lucky enough to get it with a bonus CD featuring 7 unreleased tracks. Yay for me. This album is still a bi-monthly listen for me - almost 13 years after I first heard it. If you haven't heard it I thoroughly recommend to do so immensely quickly. Chop chop people.

So the signed stuff...

I went along in the afternoon to hang out and maybe meet the man who fronted one of the best bands of the 90's. He turned up and got out of the van. He was hanging with some crew and we said hi. He was like "yeah, and what do you want". Someone said we just wanted to say hi and that we were fans. Were going to the show and would like a autograph or something. He was cool after that - probably thought we were local road crew or something. I got a bit worried as the last time Mike was at this venue (the Angel Dust tour of 1993) he was handcuffed by a crazy fan. To herself. If I remember correctly she didn't have the key, and it got messy very quickly. I wasn't there, but remember reading about it in the Drum Media local street press at the time.

So Mike signed some CD's and I had a Mr Bungle tour poster that he signed as well. He was being very cool. I asked for a photo and he said - and I can clearly recall this "nah, photos arent cool" No worries. The show was good - I recorded it and have the tape somewhere.

So fast forward to 2001. Mike is back in Sydney with Fantomas and they are playing a venue over at Fox Studios. But this stage I was a little over the side projects Mike was putting out every year - and really wanted FNM to reform. I went through a very heavy FNM period in 2000 you see. I went to see Fantomas mainly to finally get to see the mighty Dave Lombardo play drums. Being a Slayer fan I was looking foward to seeing him as I hadn't seen him play live before. When I saw Slayer back in 1995, Dave was out of the band and Paul Bostaph was playing drums for them. So after the gig Dieter, Chris and I were hanging out behind the venue. Dave came out and we were all talking about stuff. Nice guy. Got a photo somewhere. Buzz Aldrin was in Fantomas at the time and he was also up for a chat. It was cool - really relaxed and the band were interested to hear about our thoughts on the show and stuff. Mike came out about 10 minutes later and was absolutely cool - much cooler than back in 1996 in Wollongong. There were a few fans around and he took time to sign stuff, pose for photos and chat. I cant find the photo. Must dig it out one day.

So then head on over to 2003 and Tomahawk are in Sydney. Chris was really into the album, so we went to the coolest venue in Sydney - the Metro - to see the show. Crap show. I was there to mainly see Mr John Stanier (he ex of Helmet, currently of The Marc Of Cain, and owner of the below mentioned tighter than an nuns asshole snare sound). John came out after the show. We were talking briefly. He was really drunk (ill tell that story another time). Mike came over to us and we just said hi. I wasn't there to bug him so just left him to be.

Two double O three was also cool in the signed Faith No More stuff department. I was gifted a copy of the Angel Dust album - FULLY SIGNED by the ENTIRE BAND. INCLUDING JIM MARTIN!!!!! Glynn very casually mentioned to me over a long corporate lunch of Peking Duck that he had it - and asked if I wanted it. As a little tear welled in my eye I knew it was love. And we've been together since.

A friend of Glynn's worked at HMV back in 1993 when the band were in Melbourne on the Angel Dust tour, and the band went shopping there after the store closed. As a thank you, the staff at the store were given an autographed copy of the CD. His friend gave it to Glynn who then gave it to me 10 years later. SCORE!