Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre’s MC5 Tribute Album (Alice Cooper, Jello Biafra, Phil Campbell and More) Out Now



On Friday February 2nd the Rock ’n’ Roll world was saddened the passing of “Brother” Wayne Kramer, founding member and guitarist of the legendary, influential Detroit band the MC5. Issued on Black Friday, 2023 via Saustex Records Call Me Animal: A Tribute to the MC5 was never intended as a send-off for Brother Wayne, but his untimely passing makes its recent release feel even more serendipitous. Conceived by Joey “Joecephus” Killingsworth, the album was several years in the making with his band/collective Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre and his production partner Dik LeDoux. Kramer himself participated in the project, laying down a smoking version of “Human Being Lawnmower” with Jello Biafra.
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Faith No More Rebooked European Tour, Crew Fundraiser Launched


Faith No More in Boston, by Meg Loyal Photography

Faith No More has announced a number of rescheduled dates for the band’s European tour that was originally slated for this Summer. The dates still include their planned exclusive UK headline dates, other European shows, and their appearance at Tons of Rock in Oslo, Norway. All currently held tickets remain valid for the new date. Refunds are available upon request. Please direct inquiries to the original point of purchase. Faith No More will also soon announce news of their North American Summer tour dates. The band has also launched a merch fundraiser for their crew, impacted by the loss of income.Continue reading


Faith No More’s “The Real Thing” Turns 30


 

Faith No More’s smash hit album The Real Thing (Slash/Reprise) turns thirsty years old today and it still holds up not only as the album that catapulted the weirdo art-punks cum alternative metal band into the mainstream, the majority of it still holds up as a classic. All of the bands’ earlier formative material on the We Care A lot EP and the Introduce Yourself album definitely had threads passed down to its cute, feisty little brother of an album, but in many ways, much of the creative energy and reckless abandon of future releases surely was foretold here. Continue reading


Faith No More Members Are Working On New Music


In a major piece of news for Faith No More fans, Roddy Bottum in a new interview says that he has been getting together with his co-founding bandmates Mike “Puffy” Bordin and Billy Gould to make new FNM music. Although this is no future release date planned at this point, this is definitely an encouraging sign. New music from the seminal band would be the first original release since the bands acclaimed, but ardously produced Sol Invictus (Ipecac) release. Faith No More performed their last show, which was at the conclusion of 2015. Read some quotes from Bottum below. All of the members have been busy with other projects, most notably frontman Mike Patton and his hardcore supergroup Dead Cross, and scoring soundtracks such as Stephen King’s 1922 for Netflix. Continue reading


Billy Gould Added To Wayne Kramer’s MC50 Concert Tour


Faith No More, by Meg Loyal Photography

Billy Gould, the legendary bassist, and songwriter of Faith No More has been added to Wayne Kramer’s all-star MC50 band, celebrating the 50th-anniversary of the MC5 with tour dates this fall. Perofming the classic album Kick Out The Jams, Gould joins Kramer, Brendan Canty (Fugazi), Marcus Durrant (Zen Guerrilla) and Kim Thayil (Soundgarden). Former Hanoi Rocks singer Michael Monroe as direct on all UK dates.Continue reading


Video: Faith No More – Superhero, Tour Kicks Off Tonight


Faith No More, by Hillarie Jason Photography

Faith No More have released a live performance video of their track ‘Superhero’, from their recent album Sol Invictus (Reclamation Recordings). The clip was filmed on May 8th at The Fillmore, in Detroit MI. You can watch the clip at this link or below:

Faith No More is starting a second leg of a US tour promoting Sol Invictus tonight. Speaking about the reception the album has received from fans and critics, FNM founder and bassist Billy Gould has this comment:

 

What this tells me… is that there is a need out there; people want to hear things that exist outside the mold. It makes me feel grateful and it gives me hope.”

 

 

faith no more refused tour dates

Faith No More tour dates, with Refused:

Jul 30: Masquerade Music Park – Atlanta, GA
Jul 31: Red Hat Amphitheater – Raleigh, NC
Aug 01: Mann Center – Philadelphia, PA
Aug 02: Merriweather Post Pavilion – Columbia, MD
Aug 04: Blue Hills Bank Pavilion – Boston, MA
Aug 05: Madison Square Garden – New York, NY
Aug 07: Ricoh Coliseum – Toronto, ON


Faith No More, Philm: Live at The Observatory


Photo Credit: Mike Patton

Photo Credit: Mike Patton

LA avant-garde rockers Philm got the call to open for tonight’s show and while most of the crowd were unfamiliar with their music, they definitely were not unfamiliar with the band’s centerpiece member – drummer Dave Lombardo and his powerhouse drumming style. He along with his bandmates – vocalist/guitarist Gerry Nestler and bassist Pancho Tomaselli throw down some mean riffs surrounded by Lombardo’s jazz/fusion meets punk driven drum sounds that grabbed the crowd immediately. While their music is still new to most people, they definitely won over some fans tonight.

A video posted by @reinishimoto on

Following a string of LA shows (with alleged appearances by Duff McKagan one night) in Orange County sounded like a tough task, but Faith No More sound ways to impress. The highly anticipated evening started their set around mostly Sol Invictus, their brand new album and disappoint they did not. Each member had their moment to shine in the spotlight, taking turns showcasing themselves to the eager Santa Ana crowd.

Fans knew the word to such tunes as ‘Motherfucker’ and ‘Superhero’ and immediately sang along as if those were longtime favorites. They fused in older favorites such as ‘Surprise! You’re Dead’ and ‘Midlife Crisis,’ with a little crowd pseudo heckling by frontman Mike Patton midway through. Patton varied up his usual stage antics and vocal stylings throughout the evening, while the crowd eating up every moment of their set time and keeping everyone on their feet.

Photo Credit: Rei Nishimoto

Photo Credit: Rei Nishimoto

Keyboardist Roddy Bottum and bassist Billy Gould both interacted well throughout the set with Patton, enhancing their already chaotic sound even more. Bottum handles some of the vocal duties as well as playing some acoustic guitars in spots. Gould laid down the low-end alongside drummer Mike Bordin, while guitarist Jon Hudson is quietly riffing away in the corner maintaining a low profile throughout the evening.

The classic tunes were split into two encores, one featuring ‘Epic’ and ‘Ashes To Ashes,’ and the next one covering ‘King For A Day,’ ‘We Care A Lot’ and ‘I Started A Joke,’ and the crowd definitely got their fill of classic Faith No More while hearing much of their newer material.

If this is an indication of what is to come, Faith No More may be taking the next step up that they did not hit before they went on hiatus years ago. They apparently did not miss a step over the years and time will tell if they will continue their streak of bringing high energy shows that audiences have grown to love.

Rei Nishimoto

Set List:
Sol Invictus
Superhero
Sunny Side Up
Separation Anxiety
Cone of Shame
Black Friday
Motherfucker
Matador
From the Dead
Caffeine
Evidence
Surprise! You’re Dead!
Midlife Crisis
(with Boz Scaggs – ‘Lowdown’ interlude)
Epic
Ashes to Ashes
Encore:
King for a Day
We Care a Lot
I Started a Joke


Faith No More – Sol Invictus


faith no more sol invictus album cover low res

People love a great comeback story. Anything that shows a triumph against some kind of adversity, especially if you created it yourself, they will lap that up all day long. Some musical acts leave at the top of their game, while others split just in time before fizzing out creatively. When it came to Faith No More’s acrimonious split in the late 90s, it felt like it might have been coming for a while. The band certainly did not burn out their creative spark, nor did they wear out their welcome with fans. They were so prolific, so versatile, and so smart, you knew there would never be another act quite like them. When they came back in 2009 as a live act, they opened their shows with ‘Reunited’, the soft R&B song from 70’s duo Peaches and Herb, as a nod to the fans. After testing the waters with each other, the band decided they could stick together and make new music. Well the long wait is over and Sol Invictus (Reclamation Recordings/Ipecac) is here to put to rest any doubts you may have had about their comeback.

Opening with the title track, the band picks up basically where they left off with 1997’s Album of The Year (Slash). The track sounds right at home with their past, yet has some interesting elements on its own. Gradually easing in like a foot in a fuzzy slipper, it’s an “ah yes…” moment you get to have with yourself as the track envelopes you. Recurring lyrical themes on the album about regeneration, reinvention and that other “re” word we spoke of already begin popping up here too. ‘Superhero’ reminds one that despite being remembered for big commercial hits, at their most accessible they were never a true singles band that was pappy and easily digestible. ‘Sunny Side Up’ is an angsty ballad with great lyrical grist. Most of the tracks have a sonic kinship of the beloved King For A Day…Fool For A Lifetime (Slash) album too: hidden meanings, lyrical twists, massive piano and bass driven songs as a foil for Mike Patton’s emotive soulfulness and rubbery larynx.

Faith No More, by Dustin Rabin

Faith No More, by Dustin Rabin

‘Separation Anxiety’ is the heaviest track on Sol Invictus and certainly if you are the type of person that pines for the first three FNM albums, this is the song that will resonate with you the most. ‘Cone of Shame’ is wildly dynamic and strange, but also driving and melodious. Patton shows off the most of his insane vocal ability here too. The perfect blend of all of the rollicking elements of the band you want in one track.

Although Billy Gould, who produced the album (except for Patton’s vocals) is always seen as a driving force of the band and definitive mouthpiece, Roddy Bottum’s keyboards dominate this album. All of his weird 80s synth-pop craziness, mixed with his deft jazzbo piano stylings are ever-present in songs such as the torchy ‘Rise of the Fall’, the sinister yet beautiful ‘Matador’, and elsewhere.

‘Black Friday’ is a vampy Cramps-style number, complete with slapback guitars and whipping beats. This is also the track where guitar stands out the most, lending to the idea that without being the heavy guitar driven band of their youth, there is room for all of the parts of the monster to flourish properly. ‘Motherfucker’ is a conundrum of a song. You intrinsically laugh at the notion of a clever pop song as a massive ‘fuck you’ to those in power. Mike Patton as a new-age politicized Beat Poet? Why not! However, the song is undeniably subversive and smart, as is all the best material this band has put out. The build up to the chorus is glorious, Patton’s notes held like the vibrato of a well-bowed cello, hitting you where you live.

‘Back From the Dead’ may sound like a 60s slice of pop, right down to its jangly guitar and churchy “ahs” and “oohs” backing vocals. However the sentiment of “Welcome home my friend…’ in the lyrics could totally be a very meta, and self-referencing. After all; resurrection may be for those who got it wrong the first time, but the same cannot be said of Faith No More whose return is a welcome and worthy one. Let’s hope it lasts as long as it can.

9.0/10

KEITH CHACHKES


Faith No More US Vinyl Pressing Of New Album Delayed


FAITH NO MORESan Francisco - October 28, 2014Dustin Rabin Photography 2680

The US vinyl pressing of Faith No More’s forthcoming album Sol Invictus has been delayed and will not meeting the May 19th release dates after the band was unhappy with the mixes.

Band bassist Billy Gould issued a statement on the matter, as the delay will be around four to six weeks:

“Hey Guys, Billy here, I wanted to give you an update personally:
We received our test pressings for the vinyl lps and noticed something sounding odd about the US version. Odd, as in, not so good. We’ve since identified the problem and have decided to fix it. I don’t think anyone, especially a vinyl fan, wants an album that sounds anything less that what it should.
What this means, however is that the US version of the vinyl lp has been delayed by 4-6 weeks. All vinyl outside the US is still scheduled for release on May 19, as originally planned; this only affects the US vinyl. Also, for US vinyl purchasers, you still will be able to get a copy of the album via digital download on the release date.
Yeah, I know it’s a drag. sonically this will be a big improvement.
Hope you understand. Bill“

An exclusive clear vinyl pre-order and more are currently up for grabs here (US) and here (international).

Hey Guys, Billy here, I wanted to give you an update personally: We received our test pressings for the vinyl lps and…

Posted by Faith No More on Thursday, April 2, 2015