#threetunetuesday - Mr. Bungle!
I have followed and enjoyed #threetunetuesday by @ablaze for quite a while but can't remember ever creating a post myself. So it is about time! You can check out his latest entry and details HERE
What inspired me is the Mr. Bungle concert I attended last week in the big city. If you have never heard of this band, worry not as they are rather experimental and obscure.
WARNING: Weirdness ahead!
Mr. Bungle - Self Titled 1991
I discovered Mr. Bungle in the 90s through a strange room mate who thought my heavy and progressive tastes in music might lead to an enjoyment of the self-titled album, especially since I loved Faith No More. He was right. The album was the weirdest tantrum of clown horror and manic rompings through so many styles, I couldn't help but tag along with Mike Patton as he threw fits of insanity throughout the whole album. I have seen it reviewed as "the strangest thing to ever happen on vinyl" and I happily agree.
This song is simply entitled Egg and it has always stood out for me as dynamic, funny and so strangely different from anything I have ever heard. OOOOOhhhhhh an egg comes out of a chicken. OOOOOhhhhhhh a chicken comes out of an egg! The conundrum takes shape in this horn-filled circus of a song. If you don't like this one, better skip the rest and leave a funny comment as it doesn't get any more normal with the other 2.
Disco Volante - 1995
I was already a fan by the time the second album was released in 1995. While I was expecting some more weirdness, I was surprised to find a different style or intent than the debut album with all the eccentricity. This album seemed to have more of a lounge theme to it with some soft crooning interrupted by violent transitions and departures.
Platypus is the name of this strange composition and you may notice the loungy slant to the strangeness.
California 1999
There were another few years between albums when singer and team captain Mike Patton spent more time with Faith No More and other side projects creating albums and touring. When California came out near the end of the decade, I was curious to see where they might have gone from clown comic horror and psychedelic lounge blasphemy. I was not disappointed with the west coast surf theme to this equally odd compilation of tunes.
Sweet Charity is the opening track on the album and you are about as prepared as I was for it.
Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo - 2020
This is technically the 4th tune but imagine my surprise at discovering a new Mr. Bungle album 20 years after the last one! Give it a listen if you want to hear another complete style departure from the other albums. This one is actually a re-recording of a demo they put together when teenagers and is a total thrash album. Almost nothing like the others and the band is an allstar band including members of Slayer and Anthrax!
Here are a few pics I took of the concert!
I can't believe it has taken me 30 years to finally see these guys in concert! Namely front man Mike Patton as I am a fan of his music for so long no matter what band or side project he has been in. Just in time too as I believe this is the end of the road for them coming full circle and rereleasing their original stuff. What a show.
So, you are welcome for introducing you to Mr. Bungle or reminding you. That, or apologies for unleashing this insanity on your eardrums.
I am honoured to curate for:
Found California most pleasing to the ears, first two over the top like many were back then. Trust the concert was a complete blast, past and present.
The concert was fantastic and is the first time I have ever gotten to see them live! It was all the thrash stuff which is not necessarily my cup of tea but enjoyed the hell out of it.
Live show normally sweeps you up with everyone for a couple of hours, one might not enjoy all the music, it's still a great night out.
The first one I can do very well without, thank you.
The second one is fabulous, though. Love that one. Trippy. I would have loved that one on acid.
The third is great too. More grounded, but still trippy. Love the instruments, the voices actually singing. Sweet charity! All the musicians are stellar, the drums! Very nice!
What a difference twenty years makes! It's still them, but very different.
What did they play at the concert?
This is a great post. I hope you make a million hive from it.
Oh the concert was what you would expect with Scott Ian from Anthrax on guitar and Dave Lombardo from Slayer on drums. Fast as hell manic thrash metal. I would have preferred the Self Titled craziness but still had a fantastic time hearing all the Easter Bunny songs live.
I might not have loved the music, but I sure would have appreciated their musical mastery. Really good stuff.
Oh yah a couple legends of speed metal added to the band and the energy of rereleasing songs from your youth made for a spectacle.
The light, graphics and everything is making the show look good and I'm sure that people will enjoy the show
That's an amazing one!
I myself am very fond of listening to old songs, old songs used to be much better than today's music and one can learn a lot by listening to music. It's fun to go inside a live concert and listen to songs like this.
I love to challenge myself in finding the progression and beauty in new songs too. My impulse is that the music today is a victim of the industry that is grinding the art through the monetary machine. Certainly this is not all true as art will prevail. Perhaps that is what old people think when they stop learning to be creative and find new music before it gets cancelled or produced to deliver big money.
I do love the old stuff though!
It's not funny, my ass is on fire.