February 15, 2005
Sorry for the lack of updates lately, I've just been swamped with a million other things

Yes, January 27 was Mike Patton's birthday. We wish him well and hope he had a great birthday!

New Fantomas cover art
If you want to see the cover for the upcoming Fantomas album - Suspended Animation, go to http://www.ipecac.com/discography.php
The album features 30 tracks, each titled after a different day in the month of April. The first manufacturing run of the set will feature a 30-page spiral-bound calendar to house the CD, with artwork by Japanese cartoonist Yoshimoto Mara, so make sure you pick up your copy early!
To see the promo poster, please click here

Ipecac bands are on tour!!! For a list of all bands, please visit www.ipecac.com

Fantomas North American Geek Tour
03/31/2005  Phoenix,AZ @ Old Brickhouse Grille w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/03/2005  Dallas,TX @ Tree's w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/04/2005  Austin,TX @ Emo's w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/05/2005  New Orleans,LA @ House of Blues w/ Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/07/2005 Athens, GA @ The 40 Watt Club w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/08/2005  Carrboro,NC @ Cat's Cradle w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/09/2005  Philadelphia,PA @ Theater of the Living Arts w/ Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/10/2005  Washington,DC @ 9:30 Club w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/13/2005  Boston,MA @ the Roxy w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/14/2005  Montreal,Quebec @ Le Spectrum w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/15/2005  Toronto,Ontario @ Phoenix Theatre w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/16/2005  Cleveland,OH @ Agora Ballroom w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/17/2005  Detroit,MI @ St Andrews Hall w/ Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/19/2005  Chicago,IL @ Metro w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/20/2005  Minneapolis,MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe w/ Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/22/2005  Denver,CO @ Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/24/2005  Boise,ID @ the Big Easy w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/25/2005  Portland,OR @ Roseland w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/26/2005  Seattle,WA @ Showbox w/ the Locust, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/28/2005 Mexico City, Mexico @ TBA
04/29/2005  San Francisco,CA @ the Fillmore w/ Hella, Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant
04/30/2005  Indio,CA @ Coachella Festival w/ Coldplay

Fantômas are looking into starting a European tour in June and exploring options for Australia and South America too! Info will be posted as soon as we know it.

HELP SAVE TONIC!
Since 1998 Tonic has been a haven for creative music. They have helped nurture the vital community of musicians and audiences who keep this music alive. Now they are in danger of closing and ask you to help them keep Tonic alive. Over the past few years they have suffered a series of blows: their rent has doubled since 1998, their insurance costs have tripled, they've been robbed, and they've been plagued by the expense of maintaining a building in ill repairs including the collapse of their main sewer line. Any of these things would be challenging on their own but together they've taken a more serious toll and they are now facing the threat of eviction.

A number of outstanding musicians have come forward to help save Tonic and throughout February they will be holding a series of fundraising concerts. If Tonic has been an important venue to you, they ask that you please attend as many of these concerts as possible. Those who cannot attend but would like to help, please consider making a contribution. For Tonic to survive we will need to raise a upwards of $100,000 in the next few weeks. Only with your support can Tonic continue playing its role in presenting this important music to its fans.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What you can do:
-attend the benefit concerts
-contact them about making a contribution
-write a testimonial about why Tonic is important
-spread the word
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feb at Tonic:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--Tue, Feb 15--
* Dog Show Party at 8pm

--Wed, Feb 16--
* T. Griffin Coraline plus Melomane at 8pm

--Thu, Feb 17--
* Heather Greene plus Keren Ann at 8pm
* Oscar Noriega, Jeff Parker, Kenny Wollesen & Trevor Dunn at 11:30pm
* phonomena in subTonic at 9pm

--Fri, Feb 18--
* Steven Bernstein's Millennial Territory Orchestra at Midnight
* The Bunker in subTonic at 9pm

--Sun, Feb 20--
* The Chris Stamey Experience with Anton Fier, Tyson Rogers, John Chumbris and
special guests at 8pm

--Thu, Feb 24--
* Ben Lee at 8pm
* phonomena in subTonic at 9pm

--Fri, Feb 25--
* Isle of Citadel plus Talibam at Midnight
* The Bunker in subTonic at 9pm

--Sat, Feb 26--
* Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey at 8pm
* Average Saturdays with rotating hosts & guests in subTonic at 9pm

--Sun, Feb 27--
* Mascott plus Antietam plus Ida at 8pm

--Mon, Feb 28--
* Little Theatre at 8pm

Please visit http://www.tonicnyc.com for details and schedule updates.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TONIC
107 Norfolk Street
(Between Delancey & Rivington)
212-358-7501 / http://www.tonicnyc.com

[Back to Top]

Mr. Bungle announces split
Ok, so it's not the best news to start the new year, and yes, this wa actually announced December 8, 2004, but I got a new computer, so it took a while to transfer all my files over.
This was released in Rolling Stone magazine http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6659786/mrbungle

Mr. Bungle Go Kaput
Patton blames California rockers' split on personality clashes

After a five-year recording break, experimental rockers Mr. Bungle are officially done. "I'm at a point now where I crave healthy musical environments, where there is a genuine exchange of ideas without repressed envy or resentment, and where people in the band want to be there regardless of what public accolades may come their way," says singer Mike Patton. "Unfortunately, Mr. Bungle was not one of those places."
The multi-member band (whose core members included Patton, guitarist Trey Spruance, bassist Trevor Dunn, saxophonist Clinton "Bar" McKinnon and drummer Danny Heifetz) originally formed back in the mid-Eighties in Eureka, California, while its members were still in high school. Then Patton joined Faith No More before their commercial breakthrough, 1989's The Real Thing. The boost in exposure landed Bungle a recording contract with Warner Bros., which released 1991's Mr. Bungle, 1995's Disco Volante and 1999's California.

Although Bungle never matched Faith No More's commercial success, they gained a large cult following and influenced recent funk/metal chart-toppers -- most notably Korn, whose guitarists utilize what they've dubbed the "Mr. Bungle chord." Also, long before Slipknot, Bungle donned masks onstage to hide their identities.

"We could have probably squeezed out a couple more records but the collective personality of this group became so dysfunctional," Patton says. "This band was poisoned by one person's petty jealousy and insecurity, and it led us to a slow, unnatural death. And I'm at peace with that, because I know I tried all I could."

With Bungle now removed from his schedule planner, Patton will spend next year focusing on his myriad of other bands. Peeping Tom, for which Patton plays all of the instruments himself, will finally release an oft-delayed debut, and there will be records by Fantomas and Tomahawk, as well as General Patton vs. the X-ecutioners, a collaboration with turntable specialists the X-ecutioners. The singer has also recently branched out beyond rock -- into acting, in Steve Balderson's Firecracker; and scoring, for the forthcoming video game, Bully.

And of course, Patton continues to run his label, Ipecac, which will release new material from the likes of Washington, D.C., noise-mongers Orthrelm, British prog-rock duo Guapo and ambient one-man band the Locust. "When something is important to you, you find a way to make the time," the multi-tasking Patton says. "Or rather, the time makes itself."

GREG PRATO
(Posted Dec 08, 2004)

Fantomas Remixes - Send your remixes in!!!
Xtreme Music is currently working on a Fantômas Remix album and they wouldlike others to participate. The "Fantômastique" CD will be released for promotional use only. This album will NOT be sold or traded. Strictly a collection of remixes made by Fantômas fans, for Fantômas fans. View information on Fantômas Remixes (http://pattontrader.com/xtrememusic/features/fantomasremixes.html) already submitted and e-mail your submissions to: dj@pattontrader.com. As a free gift every remixer will receive a limited edition "Fantômastique" CD, plus a very special prize will be given for the best Fantômas Remix. Please keep a record of all your samples including their order so that a coherent review can be produced.

Pictures of Faith No More with Courtney Love singing - http://www.geocities.com/bigredkidney

Cover for General Patton vs The X-ecutionerss
To view the upcoming cover for the General Patton vs The X-ecutioners cd http://www.ipecac.com/discography.php

[Back to Top]

Tub Ring on tour!!!
Check their website for tour dates and downloadable flyers www.tubring.com

Other news
Upcoming release from Ipecac in 2005...
General Patton vs the X-ecutioners in January!
Dälek in February!
Locust Ep in March!
Guapo record in March!
Fantômas in April!

A couple of members of the Melvins will still be doingl backup for Jello Biafra on Halloween in San Francisco at the Alternative Tentacles party.

New ISIS - "PANOPTICON" ,the full length follow up to "OCEANIC" is out now!

UCLA Live presents - Three Films: Kranky Klaus/BB/Spook House with live score by the MELVINS
Sat, Dec 4 at 8pm
UCLA's Royce Hall
Tickets: 310.825.2101 / www.uclalive.org
[Back to Top]

Bar McKinnon's new band
Bar McKinnon has started a new project "The Ribbon Device" with fellow Australian and long lost twin Mat Creedon. Check out www.theribbondevice.com or email mat@theribbondevice.com for up coming gigs and releases.

Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant show in San Francisco
Thursday, October 14 7-8:30pm (happy hour show only!) @ The Hemlock Tavern
1131 Polk st, San Francisco
(between Post & Sutter---two blocks from the Great
American Music Hall)
$10
www.hemlocktavern.com

Firecracker Premiere
Firecracker had it's premiere this month, and you can now take a look at some pictures and reviews at www.dikenga.com/films/firecracker

Isis Tour Dates
11/21/2004 Salt Lake City,Utah @ Lo-Fi Cafe
w/ These Arms are Snakes,Clifton
12/01/2004 Syracuse,NY @ Club Tundra
w/ These Arms are Snakes,Word as a Virus
12/03/2004 Cambridge,MA @ the Middle East
w/ These Arms are Snakes,Tim Hecker,Dysrhythmia
12/05/2004 Philadelphia,PA @ North Star
w/ These Arms are Snakes,Dysrhythmia
12/07/2004 Richmond,VA @ Alley Katz
w/ These Arms are Snakes,Dysrhythmia
12/11/2004 Orlando,FL @ the Social
w/ These Arms are Snakes
12/13/2004 Houston,TX @ Mary Jane's Fat Cat
w/ These Arms are Snakes
12/14/2004 Austin,TX @ Emo's Alternative Lounging
w/ These Arms are Snakes
12/15/2004 Dallas,TX @ Gypsy Tea Room
w/ These Arms are Snakes
12/18/2004 Phoenix,AZ @ Mason Jar
w/ These Arms are Snakes

[Back to Top]

September 19, 2004
Firecracker World Premiere
Sunday, October 3, 2004, 6:00PM
RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
UGC SHAFTESBURY AVENUE
THE LONDON TROCADERO
TICKETS:
UGC BOX OFFICE: +44 (0)871 200 2000
RAINDANCE: +44 (0)207 287 3833

www.dikenga.com

Mike Patton and Bjork
Mike Patton appears on Bjork's new album called Medulla. You can check out a video of the recording session here: http://unit.bjork.com/specials/albums/medulla/medulla_patton.mov

Kadaa and Mike Patton
Mike Patton and Kadaa are releasing an album together called Romance which will be out November 30, 2004. Check out http://www.kaada.no/romances

Also, don't forget to check out http://pattontrader.com/xtrememusic/index.html for reviews and interviews of all your favourite artists
[Back to Top]