FNM FOLLOWERS interview with Bill Gould
Jim from FNM Followers has spoken to Bill Gould about the 21st anniversary of the release of King for a Day…Fool for a Lifetime.
Here are some choice cuts from the revealing q and A:
KFAD seems to be the FNM album that hasn’t aged at all. It sounds today as fresh as it did in 1995. Do you agree?
This might sound strange, but it’s been quite awhile since I listened to that album, or any of our albums for that matter, so I don’t know. What I can say, though, is that when we made it, we had hoped that it would withstand the test of time.Looking back do you think those changes were essential in creating KFAD?
This album? Definitely. Everything that happened regarding the making of that album is part of the story. Working with Trey was very stimulating, things came together much more easily we were used to. Andy Wallace was the first producer we worked with outside of Matt, and his approach was definitely different, and we learned a lot from it. Then there’s Bearsville Studios — when I hear that album I still get mental images from recording at that place.
Check out the full interview here
New Kaada/Patton video
As I’ve just found out by watching in my office, the video if very NSFW but certainly apposite for the track:
Immodium from the April 1, 2016 release, Bacteria Cult
Pre-order the album now at:
Ipecac Webstore CD/LP: http://www.merchaye-revolve.com/ipeca…
Bandcamp: https://kaadapatton.bandcamp.com
Amazon: http://hyperurl.co/BacteriaCultAmazon
iTunes Europe: http://hyperurl.co/BacteriaCultiTunesEU
Matt Wallace interview from new documentary
Actually this clip is a deleted scene from an upcoming music documentary entitled Underground Inc, in which Matt talks about FNM and Be Aggressive.
Dan Boyle on touring with Faith No More in Rolling Stone
(Ice) Hockey player Dan Boyle famously worked as a roadie/hung out with the guys on their 2014 and 2015 tours – and now Rolling Stone have documented the story.
The article states:
“Boyle, an ardent Faith No More fan, hopped on the band’s bus in Philadelphia, and stayed on it for five nights and four shows, culminating in an August 5 performance at the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. While it’s not unusual to see pro athletes hanging out backstage at big concerts, Boyle was actually onstage throughout the set, dressed in the same white outfit as the rest of the FNM road crew, performing such duties as dousing drummer Mike “Puffy” Bordin with water while he played, or assisting Mike Patton with his microphone cable whenever the singer dove into the pit.
“It was an amazing experience,” Boyle says. “I didn’t do too much the first night; I was pretty much just watching. But by the fourth show, I was helping out every which way I could – dispensing VIP tickets, decorating the stage, bringing guitars and basses out.
“One night, something was wrong with Puffy’s drum kit, and they needed some help with that,” he continues. “I’d never even touched a drum kit before, but somehow I helped correct the situation – don’t ask me how!” “
And the article also features quotes from the band and reveals that the band practised with Boyle’s then San Jose Sharks team in 2012:
“When I was a kid, I wanted to be a hockey player when I grew up,” Bordin says, “so this was a total ‘bucket list’ thing, to put on all the gear. It was such an awesome thing for him to do for us – though I think he was surprised I could actually skate!”
Definitely, Jim was a tremendous player… I still think he deserved a better career after FNM. I was just watching an interview with King Buzzo and he said how hard it is to make a living as a musician, that most people who buy guitars will play as a hobby. And look at Jon Hudson. He had to go into real estate for years until FNM called again. Next thing you know, he is touring the world playing guitar.
Griff….I couldn’t agree more. Jon’s parts on those 2 systems collapse songs are really FNM-esque, it’s amazing they didn’t think of him first. I hope Will Carpmill puts out more songs of theirs. Or better yet, go polish those things up and put them out official…I’d buy them! Also, I think it’s on the Faith No Man website there’s a picture of Jon hanging out with Patton circa 92. I’m glad Jim made Milk & Blood, but Griff nails it with his description. I like the Pogues cover on there and “Hunter Shepard”, but the metal-ish songs are really lacking anything special. Still, I hope Jim tries again. As far as Patton and Jim not getting along, I wouldn’t put too much sole emphasis there, Bill and Puffy were pretty harsh in some interviews…you can tell that they couldn’t stand him. I really don’t want to knock him though. You can look through all the press and he never really talked crap about anyone, and his playing on IY is just plain great.
“Milk and Blood” is poor, unfortunately, and you can sort of see why Martin never seriously pursued the solo thing afterwards. Painfully clear he could really only do one thing. His riffing is all rather aimless and dull without a solid band behind him.
I agree that Jon is the perfect guy for the band these days. Just listened to some Systems Collapse and the guitar work is remarkably FNM-esque in places.
You know, it’s crazy I have never listened to Milk and Blood. I am putting it on my to do list. Dean played with some passion. He was a good road player. I think Trey, when he played KFAD live in Chile, or was it Argentina, saw what he could have done with FNM. When they played Absolute Zero like it was one of their hits, just great.
But Jon has been a precise player the whole time. And Patton, who dislikes many people, likes Jon and so does every one else.
Jim Martin, alas, the chemistry was not there for him to make a comeback. The irony is that Jim discovered Patton and Patton clashed with Jim to such an extent that Jim was fired. You can see Jim giving Patton shit in some early videos. Finally they let Jim go.
I definitely think of Jon = FNM, especially since he kept the sound of previous guitarists on their songs. He got some surprisingly different sounds in there on SI, and I think Puffy & Roddy’s sounds were also a little more varied than in the past, but it still was FNM. Sometimes I really liked the way Dean played the songs and it’s cool that there is almost it’s own era there in 95, but sometimes he didn’t seem to accent the best parts of songs. Jim definitely had his sound and it’s signature Jim all over “Milk and Blood”. I don’t quite hear a signature Trey sound so much across all his groups. I think he, like Jon, while in FNM served the songs as he and the band saw fit. He even said that he didn’t like a lot of the songs on KFAD, that he thinks the band made a mistake turning away from their sound on earlier albums, I think he meant the amount of pop, but that’s just a guess. I like SC3, but it would be cool if he worked in a different format and genre more often…Book of Souls wasn’t nearly as interesting as Book M or some parts of Book of Horizons, IMO.
True, Spruance has been out there. But I think back to 1995. They put out KFAD, it’s amazing, they are all set to tour and Trey drops out because he doesn’t want to continue with them. So we get Dean Menta playing sometimes sloppy guitar live. Trey was the one who pushed Just a Man to get on the album. His guitar work is very detailed and intricate. He just brings an originality to his playing that probably comes from his various influences. Jon, to me, is great, too, but more paint by numbers playing. I don’t think he has a signature sound like Big Sick Ugly Jim Martin or Scummy Trey Spruance. Not that I am complaining. When Jon plays, it sounds like FNM to me.
Spruance isn’t a “recluse” – he just does what he wants, and Faith No More (or any relatively mainstream act) has never really fitted into that. He’s actually been pretty visible over the last 10 – 15 years with SC3.
Actually Trey has taken SC3 on the road for short shows quite a bit in the last few years, never a big audience, just small intimate shows which fit that band better. I disagree though, while he was perfect for the KFAD songs, I feel that Jon was also perfect for AOTY and SI, particularly AOTY where he was perhaps the strongest creative force on the album after Bill. Trey has said himself that his writing credits were really just adding flair onto already-completed songs.
I definitely agree about the KFAD artwork, and I loved it enough to get a copy of ‘Flood’ by Eric Drooker. The images match the title really well and the in-your-face attack dog fits a lot of that album’s style, plus the scratchwork / wood cut look gives the impression of hard edges. AD is good too with the beauty vs carnage. The idea behind AOTY photo’s “the death of a golden age” is perhaps my favorite though…I just wish they hadn’t gone jokey with the title and thought of something else. In the meantime…still hoping for news on the WCAL re-issue and when Chuck is taking “Reintroduce Yourself” on the road and when the new IT album will be completed!
Regarding the KFAD artwork, I think it is by far their best album cover.
KFAD is their best album and it would be great if they brought in Trey again, but the man is such a recluse it will never happen. John Hudson is great, but Trey is more creative.