09/03/2022 Belén
Your thoughts on The Beatles...
I think you have to have a screw loose not to appreciate and/or enjoy some Beatles. I certainly don’t like all of it, and yet there are songs I’ve heard a million times that still give me goosebumps. There was unquestionably some magic there.
08/31/2022 Caitlin O'Connor
What are your tenets of bass-playing? What wisdom would you impart to someone just starting out?
Learn the basics of theory and technique. You can decide how far you want to take it with either but I am a firm believer in tried-and-true fundamentals. Open your mind to many kinds of music. The more versatile you are the more choices you have, and an easier time making a living. Dig in deeper to the things that move you the most. Transcribe. Figure out what those that came before you did and add yourself to it. Don’t waste time; sacrifices must be made (i.e. having much of a social life, partying). Above all, listen.
08/30/2022
Which electric bass do you typically use for Zorn recording dates? Do you find that he has a go-to studio sound for electric bass? Thanks Trevor!
It depends on the band and what I feel is appropriate. For Electric Masada I’ve always used my Pbass. Other stuff, like Asmodeus that require a bigger pitch range, I’ll use my 5-string Alembic. That said, I’ve used my Pbass with that band on tour simply because it’s lighter and easier to carry around an airport. Zorn typically let’s the instrumentalist get the sound they are happy with, but sometimes we roll as quickly as possible so you get what you get. But with the same engineer for years, the language of the studio becomes second nature.
08/26/2022 DV
Hi Trevor, I was hoping you could answer two questions about Disco Volante:
1. Was it a conscious arranging decision from the start to have no bass guitar on Techno Allah, or was this because you weren’t around for the basic tracking sessions of that song and the rest of the band adjusted?
2. Were there additional sections of The Bends that didn’t make it onto the record / were the sections conceived of in that order or did its structure take form in the mixing/sequencing stage?
Thanks for indulging!
1. That was Trey’s orchestration choice to use synths instead of bass guitar.
2. Patton was on tour during a lot of the writing for DV so he recorded The Bends on some early, portable multitrack device. I have no idea if there were leftovers but probably not. If there were they probably ended up on his solo Tzadik record. We took what he recorded and added to it in the studio as you can probably tell.
08/25/2022 Rich L.
First off, thanks for taking the time to read and respond to questions we fans have.
Awhile back you wrote about what you remembered about the Bowel Of Chiley tape and recording sessions. I’m hoping you can do the same for the Goddammit I Love America! tape. I feel like it’s the most overlooked of the four tapes. Raging got the proper revisiting it deserved IMO, BOC is…well, BOC. And everything from OU818 reappeared on or at least got re-recorded for the first WB album. But GILA is almost like the forgotten child of the MB discography. I’m not saying it’s some great overlooked album or anything. BUT, I believe it was the first time MB recorded in a professional studio. It does have two songs that ended up on the first album. And, musically it’s a lot closer to the style of the first album than BOC. I’m curious what memories you have of recording it and also what was going on at the time. And finally, what do you think of that material now?
That recording was sort of a big deal for us because, as you correctly noted, it was our first time in a “real” studio. Pretty small-town at that, but we were at the mercy of an engineer and all the protocol of working with eight separate tracks. I barely remember the room or how we were set up, but everything was essentially recorded live with the possible exception of the vocals. In typical Bungle fashion, we rehearsed the shit out of the music and got the recording done in 2 days, which saved a lot of money.
Personally, I was spending a lot of my extracurricular hours playing in a local bar band which is where the lyrics to Waltz For Grandma’s Sake got their inspiration (also a very obscure nod to Bill Evans’ Waltz For Debby). Definition of Shapes partially drew on the Logic class that Patton and I were both taking at the time at HSU. If A=B and C=A etc etc….. Patton was obviously dealing with women for the first time haha (he wrote both Bloody Mary & Goosebumps). Incoherence was a reworking of an FCA song called Kinky Parents (songs like Fart In a Bag, Cottage Cheese and Anarchy Up Your Anus also came from FCA). You can tell we were excited to be in the studio because we spared no expense with various reverbs. And I think you can also hear some Fishbone, Oingo Boing and Run DMC in there.
08/23/2022 Questioner
Hello Trevor,
Hope all is well with you. I've been following your career for many years and as I digitize my musical collection, I have some questions for you from your past Hermitage/More You Know recommendations. If you can recall that is! The following two pieces were part of your past recommendations and I was wondering if you recall the specific labels/conductors/and or orchestras that you mentioned for these back then?
1. Milhaud's 6 Petites Symphonies
2. Berg's 3 Pieces For Orchestra
Anyways, thanks and looking forward to the new Trio-Convulsant!
Luckily I can access that information pretty quickly. Obviously there are lots of versions of the Berg piece and I love to compare different orchestras/conductors. The one I usually check out is the Berlin Philharmonic with Karajan. (There’s a great box set with Berg’s complete works on Deutsche Grammophon). The Milhaud pieces are less prevalent but I have a CD on Koch with a Polish ensemble called Capella Cracoviensis conducted by Karl Anton Rickenbacher.
08/20/2022
Hi, two questions, one about beer, the other about baseball, very American topics. 1) Do you get sick of IPAs? They’ve really saturated the market in the last decade and it’s gotten crazy. What do you usually go to when you want something other than an IPA? 2) Do you ever go see the Yankees or Mets play? I just got into going to see baseball games (Dodger Stadium) as someone who my whole life has found baseball boring. But I find the in-person game experience is amazing because of the atmosphere. Recommend it even if you think baseball is dumb!
1) I don’t really get sick of IPAs since that is usually my go-to when it comes to beer and I always like trying local microbrews during my travels. If I want something other than an IPA (like if I’m too high) I’ll have a Tecate. But to be honest I don’t drink a lot of beer. When I’m drinking it’s usually burbon or vodka depending on my mood.
2) I don’t follow sports at all but occasionally I do go see the Mets or the Yankees. Couldn’t care less who wins. Baseball is far from dumb. Football. Now that’s dumb. But the deeper you get into the game of baseball the more you see how psychological it is. I do love a good sports documentary. “Nono” is highly recommended. There’s also a great one about Nolan Ryan. I also find the live experience much more invigorating to all my senses.
08/20/2022 Ryn
Hey Trevor,
I am also a huge fan of Stump, and specifically, Kev Hopper. Jev was kind enough to send me a video on ytube ( called " How to play Chaos by Stump ) on fretless WAL. . You should check it out. my question is : Was " Platypus" written with them in mind? I can't help but to notice some nods in there with the sliding pinch harmonics . Thank you in advance
I’ve seen that video! I was so surprised to find out he doesn’t use a pick. His technique is one-of-a-kind. Platypus is definitely a nod to Stump in some twisted way. I was also listening to a lot of Jaco and Percy Jones back then, so those harmonics-glissando were right in my zone. They aren’t actually “pinched”, however. It’s simply a matter of knowing where they lie above the fingerboard, hitting them hard and then pressing down to the fingerboard to be able to move them around.
2022 Archeopterix
Hi Trevor.
Wanna ask if You ever listen to Mark Hollis solo album or any of Talk Talk records.
I found especially the last 2 Talk Talk albums and Hollis's solo record very inspiring.
Are You familliar with those records, have any opinions about them?
Thanks for music,
Cheers.
I spent the most time with Laughing Stock and have been meaning to dig deeper for years. Sometimes certain bands miss my radar but end up finding them when the time is right. I do like that record quite a bit. It’s music that takes patience as a listener, but it pays off. Haven’t checked Hollis’ solo stuff; will do post haste.
07/18/2022 Dempsey
Do you make a point to check out albums by people you have collaborated with (Mike. Trey, Bar. Zorn etc). And is it hard to be objective? Also if they do something you don't necessarily like, does it make it even more awkward?
I usually do and yes it is. Frankly it’s nearly impossible to be objective. Those I’ve worked with closely for years are in my veins and I hear much more than the uninitiated listener. But we don’t sit around waiting for each other’s constructive criticism or praise. Although I have personally asked for the former. We all know that we are separate entities with our own tastes and choices, so no, not awkward. Believe it or not, we’ve matured!
2022 Lars Swanson
How did you get linked with Zorn?
Mr. Bungle were fans of Naked City in the early ‘90s so we asked him to help us produce our first record. Immediately following that he started hiring some of us for various recordings and live shows (The “Elegy” recording, “Houdini-DeSade” live performance and a west coast version of the Masada quartet.)
07/18/2022 CR
Was watching 1987s Slumber Party Massacre 2 and this girl says she goes to Humboldt University and her friend says "that's like going to school in Siberia". How accurate is that assessment?
I’ve never been to Siberia, but I think that assessment is pretty inaccurate. Firstly, it almost never snows in Eureka — usually about an inch every ten years. Despite being remote I would assume it’s easier to get to than Siberia. Also there’s a huge difference between a Yeti and Sasquatch; this I know.
07/16/2022
Have you ever taken it personally if/when a colleague chooses another bass player for a gig (assuming availability in your schedule wasn’t the reason)? I suspect you’ll answer something along the lines that this is a petty reaction, and I would agree. What I’m asking is, have you ever caught yourself being petty in this way? Not that there’s anything wrong with it, we’re only human!
Thanks
Yes, I certainly have, and then I check myself. Jealousy is pretty natural it seems, especially if you’re a hardcore Capitalist, as we all are in the Western world. But one has to remember that you can’t always have everything, nor do you need it, nor do you even have space for it.
07/15/2022 Kanintæve
I’ve noticed the two small tattoos on your arm (not the badass centipede one), what do they mean? I’m aware that the 888 is like a good luck thing, if that was your intention. But I’m more perplexed by the other one, the one that looks like it has an ‘X’ symbol with the Hs and the Cs. Reminds me of that one Dead Cross logo. What’s the meaning behind that one? (If there is one at all- I do understand your desire for spontaneous abnormality. It just seemed awfully specific.)
And this is the most out-of-place one, could you recommend a random movie? I trust your taste.
888 is a personal reference, has nothing to do with luck, but a significant amount of 8s in my history. The HC/HC symbol stands for Humboldt County Hardcore.
Splendor In The Grass is one of my all-time favorite movies. Enjoy!
2022 Matt Haskins
I have only three questions for you, Mr Dunn.
- When is the second Madlove album coming out?
- (Not really a question but..) you guys need to release that Bungle documentary. That's a goldmine I bet. Are there any pro-shot recordings or just studio goofs?
- Did 'Tonic Immobility' turn out the way you hoped when you initially recorded it in 2017 or were you expecting a different outcome? I for one loved it, however found it to be extremely poignant and a tad bit darker than previous Tomahawk releases (maybe not Anonymous).
That’s too many questions, but I’ll answer them because it’s Saturday night. No plans for another MadLove record, but it’s on my mind. When it happens it will likely be a different configuration.
No pro shots. No one cared back then.
I was not expecting any outcome other than playing the bass parts correctly — that is, realizing Duane’s musical vision. As far as the darkness you interpret, you’d have to ask they lyric writer.
2022 Dempsey
Do you keep tabs on newer bands or us there no hope? Seems like "new" bands are just doing what's already been done
I try to go out and see new stuff including bands I know nothing about. Surprises can be nice. A lot of the more interesting things are somewhat underground. In other words, you have to go looking for it. I was complaining about “pop” music and new bands back in the ‘90s. Nothing has really changed. There’s always going to be a lot of hackneyed crap. But there is tons of new approaches in electronic music in particular and it’s adjacent networks. Sometimes the effort one puts into finding the gems is worth it.
2022 Chris
What do you think of bands like The Young Gods and Einstürzende Neubauten?
Been a fan of The Young Gods for years. Got busted bootlegging them at The Kennel Club in SF in ‘92. L’Eau Rouge was a big influence on us Bungle guys, and I continue to enjoy their newer stuff. EN was less on my radar when everyone was getting that tattoo, but I like that stuff, too. Very different than YG obviously. EN has a subversiveness that is visceral. Never had the chance to see them live though.
2022 Brian
Hey Trevor. I hope youre doing well. I saw a pic from Twitter I think, of a bunch of Mr Bungle rare cassettes that possibly belong to you. If this is inappropriate I apologize, but could I possibly purchase copies, or originals of any of those from you? Whether its cassette/digital form or whatever is easiest for you. Just name your price. I understand this might be stuff you dont want anyone to hear. But if youre comfortable with it, I just thought I would ask. Or any other way I could hear them- posting on Youtube etc. We could arrange payment etc through email. No offense intended Sir. Thank you very much
Name my price? Four million US dollars.
Let’s arrange payment with a cash-only hand off in my terms. My guy will be in touch. Don’t cross me!
2022 Lance
Were you ever involved in Treys extreme metal project Scourge in the early 90s? Nothing ever came of it other than a demo tape where he played most of the instruments but rumor is you may have played a couple live gigs with them....
I have probably answered this question three times on this site recently. Why the sudden interest, people?
Yes, I played keyboards in that band. Very simple pads and melodies. This was a period when Bungle was between drummers (we had yet to convince Heifetz to quit Barn). Trey wrote most of the music, John Law played bass and wrote “Meat”. 2nd guitar was our buddy Morgan Davis (who incidentally “roadied” the first Bungle mini-tour of 1990 when we were opening with Welcome Back Kotter). On drums was Jed Watts, original drummer in Bungle. We opened for Gwar once. Good luck on trivia night.
2022 Duckie
I know you've spoken on your love of 80s metal bands. What are your thoughts on the metal genre in the 90s? In particular
1. Metallica becoming radio friendly but at the same time challenging their audience (albeit with subpar album's)
2. Slayer canning Lombardo and going nu metal albums
3. That whole nu metal scene lead by Korn and Slipknot
4. The only metal bands around that time that seemed to stay true to their thrash roots and not change for the trends were basically Pantera and Meshuggah
Thoughts on metal in the 80s progressed (or regressed) in the 90s
1. I essentially took a substantial break from listening to any new metal in the ‘90s having ridden the wave for a good 10 years and needing fresh genres. I heard ‘tallica’s “One” in the grocery store today. Gawd, what an awful sounding recording. I mean, I already knew that, but it is so blatantly bad. Ew.
2. Misguided.
3. Yuck.
4. Pantera was a glam metal band at one point, so I’m not sure what their roots are, nor care. I would say that the ‘90s was a transitional period in metal. That said, Voivod was always ahead of the game.