Faith No More book Small Victories features in end-of-year book lists

Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More has featured in a number of early best-of lists for 2018.

The Herald – the longest running national newspaper in the world and the most-read national newspaper in Scotland – included Small Victories in its list of the best music books of 2018.

Teddy Jamieson wrote:

Adrian Harte’s account of the alt-rock stroke rap band Faith No More, Small Victories, is clearly a labour of love. His account of the band’s story is exhaustive, informed and studded with first-person testimonies.
The Herald

Music blog Midlife Mixtape also include Small Victories in their best music books round-up, saying:

This definitive bio by Adrian Harte fills in all the gaps about this post punk rock band that is the only musical search result when you search the term “midlife crisis.” My favorite is the blurb on the back from band member Bill Gould: “It provided me with more than a few revelations…and I’m in the band.”
Midlife Mixtape

France’s leading rock and metal magazine Rock Hard ranked Small Victories as one of its top 10 gifts for metal fans. They said:

It avoids a major stumbling block by not deifying a group whose human relationships were as complex as its music. His gaze is that of a rational fan and it will not fail to seduce fans of the San Francisco combo.
Rock Hard France

December 10th, 2018|Faith No More|3 Comments

3 Comments

E mayan December 18, 2018 at 4:52 am

Was hoping to see it on Pitchfork’s best music books of the year, but nope not there:(
Emayan December 17, 2018 at 1:29 am

I was hoping to see it but didn’t on Pitchfork 🙁 And they seem to like FNM

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-best-music-books-of-2018/
Benrun December 11, 2018 at 2:34 am

Awesome work once again, it was certainly my favorite book of the year. I still haven’t posted a review anywhere since I bought from an independent book store…I guess let me know if you would like me to write an Amazon review anyway.

Looking forward to the podcast…for someone like me who has never even listened to any podcast that wasn’t posted on your website, hopefully you could include some instructions of how to listen! Sorry if this is a stupid request.

I hope the band has a future for several reasons, but a big one for me now that I’ve read the book is that I think it would sell more books and more people would know the band better.

Recent Comments

On Ghost's Tobias Forge praises hard-to-define Faith No More (11)
- Benrun { Yes. The 3 Bungle shows sold out quickly b/c of scalper 'bots'. So the band added 3 more shows and I think a 7th show. They keep selling out despite efforts to regulate number of tickets 1 person can buy, etc. They kept the prices very low, but now they are up for resale from scalpers for hundreds of dollars or even a thousand. Stupid and a real shame. It is not a true reformation, just the 3 originals Mike, Trey, and Trevor. Instead of bringing back any of the other later or original members, they have Dave Lombardo on... } – Aug 24, 1:16 AM
- KingCol { Is the mr bungle gigs totally sold out ? The news of them reforming is as big as when fnm did - I also think they will sound better now than ever with a lot more thought and effort applied . Huge huge news — William Winant involved ? I’d love to go - huge journey for me although } – Aug 23, 8:26 PM
- Benrun { I agree with something Patton said after the tour...FNM became a little too self-aware. That means they take themselves a little too seriously. They should put out a fun EP like Songs to Make Love To again, or plays some songs as collaborators like they did with Boo-Yaa Tribe or Sparks. This band used to fun. Also, they don't have to go silent for 3 years...they could put out any of the live material they recorded....maybe. I think they may be hindered by song rights...like if they tried to put out any live material with songs from IY through AOTY,... } – Aug 23, 2:12 AM
- KingCol { I don’t think fnm purposely go off the radar - they just don’t have anything worthwhile to peddle .. I’d expect nothing less , it’s probably the reason the band never disappoints - they don’t just churn out any aul shite - it’s why we like them ... } – Aug 22, 3:39 PM
On Faith No More's The Real Thing recalled on thirtieth anniversary (11)
- KingCol { Well Adrian , the next time you see them ? Would you by any chance let me know in advance if you meeting up with any of them ? Iv never met any of the band and If it wasn’t too much hassle I’d have some questions i would forward to you that perhaps they wouldn’t mind trying to answer at their own volition of course.. If it was a case of they being sick to the teeth of being burdened with the chore of politely having to answer every question put to them by the normal Norman’s of the... } – Jun 26, 12:51 PM
- KingCol { It seems like there's not as much humour or general wackiness evident these days "For the first few years you put humour first, everything's a big joke and so on. But then you look back and see that the humour is overshadowing other things, and you realise it can't be that way all the time. There's so many things about this band that have never made it to print or photos, people haven't seen there's a lot of dimensions here. It's easy to talk about what a bunch of smart arses we are, how our 'funky grooves' or 'metal' clashes... } – Jun 25, 2:38 PM
- KingCol { Bloody iPhone spellcheck —*sounds like* The laugh SOUNDS like his laugh . I always wondered where the origins of that laugh came from because it always sounded familiar as if from a particular tv show or film character. Maybe it’s roddy but it kills me not knowing ... “The world is yours” is another massive musical sample jigsaw . } – Jun 25, 1:39 PM
- admin { Hi Col No idea but will ask next time I see them. I know that some of them watched Rocky and Bullwinkle. } – Jun 25, 11:55 AM
On Small Victories tour in Los Angeles and San Francisco a great success (8)
- Benrun { FNM 2.0 is back! I missed you everyday you were gone! } – Jun 20, 1:36 AM
- KingCol { Another good topic /// has any got a favorite riff , drum solo or a part of any of the bands songs that stuck with you ? I always liked “return to your own vomit like a dog” I also like the Kronos quartet bit they sampled The whole song “Khad” is one huge wow weeeeee But what has blown me away recently was Fantomas / suspended animation - Sunday ————- the start of that song with the classical vibe to it is superb —— anyone know who wrote that part or was it a sample from else where.? } – Apr 24, 1:57 AM
- Benrun { Hello KingCol…I do the exact same thing! Everyday I just look at the latest post and check the comment number. You asked a very difficult question...I know Bill picked Midnight Cowboy, Bill and Patton together picked I Started a Joke when they heard it in a karaoke bar in Guam...I get a sense that it was because it was so sappy in a powerful way, but that's a guess. I'm sure Bill had his hand in the Serbia song and the Chilean Violeta Parra cover. I'd love to know the stories behind these choices. Jon played Rich Girl, Strawberry Letter... } – Apr 18, 3:26 AM
- KingCol { I dunno if there are more recent comments on other threads here but I normally just check the article at the top of page and the number of comments attributed to it . If it’s at the same number as the last time I checked i move on . Maybe a good idea for this site would be a comment section that’s not assigned to any thread so random thoughts/opinions etc can be posted .... like this one —-> In relation to past fnm cover versions and song samples and snippets, does anyone know or have an opinion on whether... } – Apr 17, 9:16 PM
On Small Victories book events and signings in Los Angeles and San Francisco in February (6)
- Benrun { I remember an interview with Bill and he was asked what songs he does or does not enjoy playing live anymore. I remember he liked playing Epic which surprised me...he definitely no longer enjoys playing Death March. But there are quite a few shows in the 2nd half of the 97 tour where they omitted Epic. They didn't play it at the Chile show with Trey and there were a few 2015 shows they didn't play it either, mostly when they played SI in it's entirety. } – Mar 01, 2:49 AM
- KingCol { The inclusion of “epic” in their set lists actually puzzles me - since for the most part the band normally doesn’t give into public demand and if anything would normally go against the grain - probably the bands most popular and well known song and i actually skip by it when listening them live and the only thing i like about the song is the end of the track when they include a sample from another artist. } – Feb 28, 9:01 PM
- Benrun { Agreed. On live bootlegs, Jim does a great job of take a 1/2 measure he and there to add in a little solo fill. On WCAL, Midlife, Epic, he works in great little bits. } – Feb 28, 3:13 AM
- KingCol { Listening back (to random where ever my finger lands at on the podcast scroll bar) a good example of Jim martins ability to insert on the spot solo brilliance was in phoenix 93 when pattons microphone died at the end of ‘midlife crisis’ and we got to hear what Big Jim brought to the fnm table. The band hasn’t been able to fill that guitar level of greatness. And it probably would have went unnoticed only for the malfunctioning mic. Maybe he consciously upped his game on recognition of the loss of vocals. Wasn’t much of a dean menta fan... } – Feb 27, 7:03 PM
On Episode 3 of Podcast Croissant - the new Faith No More podcast - now live (6)
- Benrun { Podcast 4 about IY? Favorite song would be Anne's Song, followed by Faster Disco. But I love every song on the album. It is the best FNM album in terms of 5 guys fighting for their part to be heard, yet servicing the songs. It's got the best guitar tone of all the albums. The only possible criticism I can think of for the album is the one that Chuck gave it...that the drums are a little similar song to song...Puffy would stay intense but add more versatility on later albums. This album has so much tongue in cheek but... } – Feb 08, 3:05 AM
- KingCol { I always though that Patton on video croissant sounds like “ZIG” from “ZIG AND ZAG” } – Feb 03, 12:02 PM
- KingCol { I still watch video croissant on my vcr .. I love the live footage of the bottle throwing and i loved the everything’s ruined video at the time too .. The best thing about phoinex 93 is the fact that the audio was released long before the shaky footage was synced together. I listened to that audio for years and had so many questions about that show that the video answered... I think it was hot Canada who actually shared the show with me in exchange for the Slane 92 bootleg .. } – Feb 01, 10:59 PM
- Benrun { The earplugs comment came from me, I sort of chastised him with my facial expression over that one...it was backstage at Detroit 2015 that he told me that. Somehow we got on it because I work as a Speech Language Pathologist and had almost become an Audiologist. Great observation about the nasal shrillness cutting through. I feel like the keyboards remained harsher all the way through the AOTY tour and were more tame in the mix on the reunion shows, I missed the old harsher sound. One of the greatest things about the Phoenix Festival show in 93 is how... } – Jan 30, 4:25 AM
On Listen to episode 2 of Podcast Croissant, the Faith No More podcast (6)
- Benrun { KingCol, I email back and forth with that member regularly and have definitely benefitted from the connection because they have been a very generous trader of bootlegs. I've also loved getting bootlegs off of Dime a Dozen, still do. Pretty sure it is a "he" and "he" is a really cool guy. Not sure he is a big commenter on websites, and while he's definitely a FNM fan, he also loves a lot of other music. If you search for it you can find his trading website. I haven't messaged with him in a while though, I should check in. } – Jan 25, 2:50 AM
- KingCol { The real thing song itself is such a wonderful composition - I was blown away by the live donnington reunion version .. (on a side bragging note , I was also lucky enough to attend the gig in Dublin in the Olympia with a capacity of just 1200) As everyone else mentioned here already, the other obvious stand out tracks are “the morning after” and “under water love” . Ps : there is a loyal faith no more fan base here who continually comment on the various updates... was anyone here a member of the website “dime a dozen” I... } – Jan 24, 9:29 PM
- Emayan { Episode 2 was awesome! So much fun to go back over this classic of an album. Not a weak song on it...including Underwater Love (what an outro) and The Morning After (what an intro). The Real Thing is still one of the greatest rock songs ever. Pure perfection, an all-time favorite. } – Jan 23, 12:12 AM
- Rob { Podcast 2 a success!! Please don’t feel the need to speed up your analysis. I’ll totally be happy with a 3 or 4 hour analysis of TRT. My own notes on the TRT: 1. Underwater Love is underrated and those keyboard flourishes are beautiful. Also, I often link this song thematically to Nick Cave’s “Where the wild roses grow”. 2. Zombie Eaters lyrics to me are more about the thoughts of an autistic or seriously handicapped young adult man. 3. From Out of Nowhere, The Real Thing and Woodpecker are the best tracks on the album. 4. Have you heard... } – Jan 21, 12:23 PM
On Podcast Croissant, the new Faith No More podcast, launches (13)
- Jaffa { You mentioned Greta Van Fleet I agree but even Them Crooked Vultures was a cash in very unoriginal and just a derivative blend of QOTSA Zepp & Foo’s ! When they really could have explored music they just did a paint by mumbers album! } – Jan 17, 7:46 PM
- Benrun { Jim's cover of The Pogues' Navigator on his Milk & Blood album is excellent...I listen to that one all the time. I also really like Hunter Shepard a lot. It was a really good album that I think just didn't get enough attention or sell well enough. I think he's got a family and perhaps staying in music to not quite make a good living while also always being away from them may have resulted in his staying home and pumpkin farming. When he played for Infectious Grooves he had commented that he may make more music and to stay... } – Jan 12, 3:05 AM
- Benrun { So Jim can take credit for all the music for Jizzlobber and for going out and recording that swamp cricket sample in the beginning by himself. Bill Gould wrote the keyboard outro. Interestingly during live sets, while Roddy mimes playing it, it actually one long sample that he plays...this is clear from that one clip where Patton totally tackles Roddy and his keyboard and they are out of commission, but the outro plays out just fine! Patton wrote the lyrics and vocal melodies. Now whenever someone writes the meat of the song and has a vision for it, it still... } – Jan 12, 2:54 AM
- Benrun { Adrian's book sheds light on this topic quite a bit. But here is an entertaining link where Bill and Jim again squabbled in the press/blog world: https://music.mxdwn.com/2012/11/14/news/faith-no-mores-bill-gould-responds-to-former-guitarist-jim-martins-songwriting-claims/ } – Jan 12, 2:49 AM
On Roddy sheds light on Faith No More future in new interview (8)
- KingCol { I especially like pattons lyrics because they are all mostly metaphors and similes and not shoving any message or opinion towards me as a listener - (can’t listen to rage against machine for that reason) but although I’m a big fnm fan my real musical love is live performances and musical poetry and uniqueness.. and it just so happens that fnm (Patton era) really delivers in large abundance in that area . The unity of the band, the energy and fussiness for perfection in Pattons live performances and their consistency to deliver a good show every time is outstanding. Other... } – Dec 24, 12:49 AM
- Benrun { That's a good way of putting it...I agree Patton gave FNM a 5th instrument that was as strong as the others, the winning hand. Chuck served to set the mood and feel of the band for years to come however...that sardonic, witty, theatrical, and emotional balance. What Chuck had in his delivery was the conviction of his personal feelings and the best his voice could do (which wasn't that much for sure). With Patton, I don't doubt his conviction to the songs and I enjoy his lyrics better than Chuck's in many songs, but he's in character and detached, even... } – Dec 23, 11:05 PM
- KingCol { I also remember a conflicting interview with Patton slatting artists who moan about people recording their live shows (phones etc) saying that it never annoys the band (fmm) In relation to chuck being a boring singer (my opinion) yes he comes from a different vocal style background but in contrast to pattons background - mr bungle , in which like Fnm is surrounded by a wealth of musical madness and top of the pile talent , the vocals are exciting, different and basically a musical instrument. Layne Staley was another vocalist who just had it and just finished off the... } – Dec 22, 2:48 PM