YOUR QUESTION:

2022 JC

Is it possible for a bands fanbase to be so annoying or generic that it can turn you off to that particular artist?

MY ANSWER:

Sure, there are all kinds of factors that lead us to biases. If by being turned off you suggest that you will never give the band the time of day then it’s your loss, however. I mean, do you only like what other people tell you to like? Probably not. Ideally you use your own ears, opinion, heart and judgement to choose your affinities. But let’s be clear, a “fanbase” is essentially a mob mentality, and yeah, that in general is a turn off. Also, I love my fans!

YOUR QUESTION:

2022 Paul R

Ever gotten into David Bowie or Neil Youngs music?
Is it possible to respect a musicians work even if you're not a fan of that particular artist?

MY ANSWER:

Love Bowie. There’s almost nothing of his I don’t like. Never got deep into Young, although I love the song Cinnamon Girl. And yes, it is absolutely possible to respect a musician without even liking their music. You can respect the craft, the musicianship, the work ethic, etc. For me, frankly (no pun intended) Zappa is someone like that for me. I like some stuff, not all, and wouldn’t say he’s ever been a real influence. But I pay attention to him; he was wise, thoughtful and serious about writing music. Respect.

YOUR QUESTION:

2022 Anders Jarell

Hey Trevor! Massive fan, I was wondering what effects you used to get your bass sound on John Zorn's Act One of Astronome particularly at 1:30 and 1:55. Thanks!

MY ANSWER:

If you think I’m going to figure out where my copy of the CD is, scroll to the suggested 25 second window and then actually remember what happened, you are poorly mistaken. Is it distortion? It might have been my Line6 distortion modeller. No recollection of what other wobbly shit I used that many years ago.

YOUR QUESTION:

2022 ……..

Hi Trevor, hope these not-the-most-serious questions in the world find you well.
1-Who would win an endurance contest between Joey Baron, Dave Lombardo, Dale Crover, and Ches Smith? If your answer is Ches because he the youngest, then who would second place be?
2-Who comes to mind as the most “well read” of your music colleagues?
3-Why do you make music with so many dudes?

4-Rank the following in order from most frequently you get asked questions about to least frequently:
Zorn Patton Buzz Mary Lombardo Trey

MY ANSWER:

1. It would probably be a tie between Lombardo and Smith, depending on the type of contest you’re talking about. Putting up with my bullshit perhaps?
2. Wendy Eisenberg
3. I don’t chose musicians based on gender
4. Patton, Zorn, Buzz, Lombardo, Trey, Mary. Pretty obvious order, especially considering who the questions come from.

YOUR QUESTION:

2022 Daniel Svensson

So, I have two riffs for you to compare!
https://youtu.be/wtV6QW9egvk?list=PLA88C344282F2156C&t=90 This is Fantomas' 04/06/05 Wednesday right at the 1min30sec mark...
https://youtu.be/ln9Gmi-pzhw?t=393 And this is Mr. Bungle's Methematics at the 6min33sec mark.
Am I crazy to think they're kind of similar? As far as I knew, Patton wrote all of the music for Fantomas, whereas I thought the music for Methematics was mostly yours. Did you pitch in that riff for Fantomas or did he write that riff for Methematics? I know the chronology gets a bit fuzzy seeing as Methematics had parts written as far back as the late 80s, but... where else could I ask about something so specific?
Thanks!

MY ANSWER:

What fine ears you have. You are correct about the writing credits. I wrote all of “Methematics” in 1986. Patton, of course, knew the riff. When we were learning the Fantômas songs he essentially copped the vibe. It’s different, but similar enough. He acknowledged that fact and may have even asked for my blessing. What are friends for?

YOUR QUESTION:

11/01/2021 Tuk

Do you still practice/play the Clarinet? It is a very interesting instrument because of the dif temperaments. Also, do you think the genius of people like Jaco, Patton, Mingus, etc.is somewhat of a curse?. Meaning difficult to live in normie world because of very few people like you for them to work/relate to (at that level). . .

MY ANSWER:

I very rarely practice the clarinet, but sometimes I bust it out and recently recorded with it. I still love the sound of that instrument.

“Genius” is a difficult word. I shy away from using it. But yes, it’s difficult for people with a certain level of fame, and therefor expectation, to maintain their own personalities. Some of those people develop trust issues, some have imposter syndrome. They are certainly not infallible. And sometimes they make it hard on themselves by being control freaks. That doesn’t take away from what they have to offer musically, necessarily. I think many musicians chose music in order to not dwell in a normie world.

YOUR QUESTION:

10/29/2021 Ignacio Gamper

Hi, boring question.....about gear, settings on the Line 6 pedal, you use that thing all the time, I got one too... I'm playing a P bass as well....which basic settings do you use on that thing?.....seems to work for you, sounds great tbh....would look at pictures of your pedals from the interwebzzz to figure out , but ...the presets .......so, pointless...please let me know a few of your favourites....if you have a minute to spare..of course....thanks

MY ANSWER:

I’m assuming you’re talking about the distortion modeller? I also have the delay/looper, but I haven’t used either in a while. That said, I keep trying other distortions and keep coming back to the Line6. I start with a preset then adjust the EQ to my liking which usually means cranking the low end — that’s what I like about that pedal. But I also use the octaver/distortion on that thing and again, tweak it in conjunction with whatever amp I happen to be using. And sometimes I add another distortion pedal to the chain, like a big muff. I rarely settle on one thing, and I also really like the natural tube grit of a good SVT.

YOUR QUESTION:

09/22/2021 Ellie Peach

Hey Trevor, I noticed that you posted some collages to your Instagram, they are really interesting! Have you always had an interest in creating art and if so what inspires you?

MY ANSWER:

Glad you like them! I’m hoping to incorporate more of that into my life. Yes, I was into drawing mostly long before I got into music. I’ve kept it up as an occasional hobby but my skills aren’t great, and collaging allows me to get the “realism” I’m looking for. Max Ernst was probably my first collage inspiration. But I’m inspired by all kinds of artists including ones completely outside my understanding. For example, Anne Teresa de Keerasmaeker. I’m also inspired by nature, animals and insects.

YOUR QUESTION:

09/15/2021 Bony-Eared Assfish

Hi Trevor. Important question here: How are you?

MY ANSWER:

Thanks for asking. I’m doing alright. Hanging in there as they say. I’m alive and I have space to eat and create music. Very grateful for just that.

YOUR QUESTION:

09/12/2021 David Bole

Hey Trevor. Back in 1997 I sent you a guitar pick in the mail that you graciously signed with a note saying to play only death metal with it. Sadly, I am one of those annoying bassists who plays only with my fingers. I play mostly in a Rush tribute band so, your pick remains unused (but still treasured).

Enough preamble: while I believe to my core that Metallica is a superior band to Megadeth, I also firmly believe nothing Hetfield has written can out-badass the absolutely stunning masterpiece of early 90s thrash that is Holy Wars...The Punishment Due. The riffs and structure of that tune leave most of Metallica's output in the dust, even with Mustaine's excruciatingly shitty vocals. Have you an opinion on this? To be clear, I'm a bigger fan of Metallica, but I can clearly judge a song independently of any sense of loyalty as a fan.

MY ANSWER:

Honestly the last Metallica record I listened to was Master of Puppets. Neither of those bands really do it for me as they did when I was a testosterone laden tyke. But you’re right, Holy Wars was Mustaine in creative high gear. He was always the superior guitar player—which this song pretty much proves— and to be honest, I like his vocals. They’re a bit cartoonish but I find that fitting.

YOUR QUESTION:

09/10/2021 Peter Outen

Please can you tell me who gave the world premiere of your string quartet, when and where?
With thanks

MY ANSWER:

It has never been played in full in a live setting yet. The second movement was premiered by a quartet led by Jennifer Choi at The Stone in 2015 I believe, a long with some of my other chamber pieces.

YOUR QUESTION:

09/09/2021 Dylan

Hey Trevor, HUGE fan of your work all across the board. Regard you as one of the top musical geniuses of the last 35+ years, honestly. Hope you’ve been well and are doing well!
But anyway, I’m apart of an act that went from being a solo project to now a band in the last few years, very like-minded individuals working with me. I’ve always written in a style that is boundless as far as style / genre, big inspirations for it being Mr. Bungle, Tub Ring, Kero Kero Bonito, Dog Fashion Disco, Throbbing Gristle, Talking Heads, Frank Zappa, King Crimson, etc. Always just kind of wrote and never paid attention much to what it was, just let it be. I know this is a long-winded message and I apologize but, to sum it up, as someone who came from a very experimental act yourself, if not quite a few, is there any real “good” way to market / promote / connect an act with such a varied and experimental nature? We’ve gotten very serious and even gained some traction and I’d love to take us further but I just feel like there’s no real way to find “our place,” if that makes sense. Was there ever anything you did with any of your projects, or even Bungle, like way back before anybody had the first clue of who you all were, that maybe helped build more traction and take you all further or get you in the eyes of publicists / labels / people who could help get you in front of the right crowds? I know that probably sounds a bit vain and promise I don’t mean it that way, at the end of the day it’s all about just creating and what it does for me and the band therapeutically of course, but…I just can’t help but wonder what I could do “better.” I appreciate your time and any response whatsoever!

MY ANSWER:

The first thing that comes to my mind is that you should certainly embrace the fact that you are working with like-minded people. Do not take that for granted. Especially with “experimental” music.

Playing niche music and trying to find your place is somewhat of a Sisyphus situation. It’s important to remember that. The recognition that Bungle received was an accident of marketing. I mean, I could tell you that someone in your band should just get really famous then wear your band shirt in a video that goes viral. Good luck with that. Ultimately the best thing you can do is just keep plugging away. Make solid relationships with venues and promoters, play a lot, get in a van and tour. One thing that younger musicians don’t often realize is that publicists don’t come knocking on your door. It’s up to you to pay them. If you’re seeing some artists face all over the place it’s because they are paying a publicist to put them there. But if you work hard and just play anywhere, with any band, you might make a small amount of money.

YOUR QUESTION:

08/16/2021 Johnny Bates

Can you let fans know what online retailers are authorized/have the license to sell Mr. Bungle shirts? Obviously Blixt does...but there are many other online merchants selling Bungle shirts that you don't offer via Blixt. Any chance shirts long "out of print" will reappear for sale on Blixt?

MY ANSWER:

Those other online retailers are bootlegers and we make no money from those sales. Blixt is our official guy -we deal with them directly and make decisions together about what sells, what new designs we have, etc. Anything that isn’t on our merch site has been left out either because it wasn’t selling, we got sick of it, or we no longer have the original screens or images to print them.

YOUR QUESTION:

08/12/2021 Adam

Hey there,
Could you help me find what albums feature both you and Mary Halvorson, apart from Sister Phantom...? Do you play these days? What can I say, I discovered her much too late.

MY ANSWER:

We haven’t done that much together to be honest, other than touring in trio-convulsant. But we first played together in Mike Pride’s trio MP3. Not sure if there are copies of that left. I also play as a guest on one song on Nate Wooley’s most recent record “Columbia Ice Field” which Mary plays on.

YOUR QUESTION:

08/04/2021 Gordon Lightfoot

Hey, Trevor, whenever you do come around to this question, know that not all people who enjoy Mr. Bungle were absolutely offended and outraged by the whole DV session NFT thing. It was a curveball, of course, but a lot of people are quick to get haughty and call out artists without ever thinking of their own carbon footprint (to stick to the environmental angle, at least). Speaking for myself, even though I don't have the disposable income to bid in the auction, I do appreciate that the music itself is free to listen to, and I enjoyed having that 10-minute window into the DV sessions. Who knows what else you guys will recover out of that vortex?
In any case, here's a question pertaining to the past: is it you singing/speaking the pre-chorus part ("Spinning, grinning, believing, deceiving...") in Carousel? I've seen footage of you doing it live in 1989, and on record it doesn't sound like Patton doing that part, so I'd like to know if it's a rare instance of non-Patton vox on record.
Since we're talking vocals, who was in the chorus part for Everyone I Went to High School with is Dead? Was it the whole band, did someone sit that out, how did that go? I love how bleak and desperate it sounds, it's definitely one of my favorites.
Take care man!

MY ANSWER:

Everyone is a hypocrite. I can’t be bothered with know-it-all opinions. The same people who bitch about NFTs seem perfectly fine with us getting on a plane with a crew and flying thousands of miles, producing CDs, driving around in cars, etc. Are these Buddhist vegans who don’t own computers? It grinds my gears!

Yes, that is me in the pre-chorus of Carousel. As far as the chorus of High School, I don’t remember, but I’m sure it was most of the band, probably a couple friends, maybe an engineer…. and we probably doubled it.

YOUR QUESTION:

08/02/2021 HCHC

Wonder what ever happened to Jed Watts

MY ANSWER:

He’s around. He’s a solid bloke. Did you know he sat in with us on Anarchy when we played the Warfield in SF back in 2020? That was a blast from the past.

YOUR QUESTION:

07/30/2021 1Doctor Faustus

So, how's that NFT going for you?

MY ANSWER:

It came and went like everything else.

YOUR QUESTION:

07/28/2021

You have a so-called dream job, but does work ever feel like work—days where you’re not quite feeling up to it?

MY ANSWER:

It’s always curious to me when people say this sort of thing, or think that I’ve got everything all worked out. What makes it seem like a dream job? I still schlep my acoustic bass on the subway and up four or five flights of stairs just to get to a gig that might pay $150 if I’m lucky. Yes, sometimes I don’t feel up to it, however, I’ve found that just playing music usually turns my mood positive. There are many aspects to being a musician that involve sweat, stress and hardship. There are days when I feel overpaid, but those are probably outweighed by the number of times I’ve been underpaid. The older I get, the harder it is to carry a bass on my shoulder through various airports. Sometimes, it’s barely worth it and I’m just counting the dollars. But what can I say, I do what I love, and that is a dream.

YOUR QUESTION:

07/20/2021 René redzepi

Your thoughts on drummer zach hill and his projects (hella, death grips....)
<3

MY ANSWER:

Love that stuff. Totally unique drummer and one of the first rock guys to really do what he does. Although I went to see Death Grips once in the Netherlands and there was no drummer. That kinda left me cold.

YOUR QUESTION:

07/14/2021Atom G.

Can you give a short list of some of your favorite books, albums, and films.

MY ANSWER:

Not sure if you’re aware but I’ve been doing this exact thing on this very website for a good 20 years now. See the “Hermitage” section of this site. I try to update it a couple times a year, but sometimes I forget.