11/24/2023 Memory
Do you sometimes completely forget about something you've played on (like that Billy Martin "Starlings" project from 2006 that Anthony Coleman arranged)?
Haven’t forgotten about that one but yes, occasionally I need my memory jogged. I’ve probably exceeded 200 recordings at this point including those that never saw the light of day and some were one-time events that never went past that day in the recording studio.
11/01/2023 Ekans
I've been listening to these Darkthrone album commentaries by Fenriz and he's blatantly honest when pointing out which parts of his music are tributes to some other artist (say, "this part's a Bathory-style riff", "this is a Mayhem-style riff"). With that in mind, I was thinking about how a few parts in Egg have kind of a Voivod vibe to them (specifically the "A stagnant pale perfume..." part and development thereof and, in a sense, the "There's no place like home" section). Were you consciously resorting to that particular jar of musical honey or was it something that came naturally?
I’m not really sure where Egg came from. I can hear some of Oingo Boingo’s Ain’t This The Life in there. I’m sure Voivod seeped in somehow. Rrroooaaarrr and Killing Technology were both on our radar when that song was written, but I can’t say for certain. We were already thinking compositionally by the time GILF was written, so I was thinking about displacement of rhythm and intervalic inversion and such.
10/30/2023 :)
Is Joey Baron the happiest guy on earth? What's his secret??
Difficult to know since I don’t know every guy on Earth. I can tell you for sure that he loves playing music.
10/16/2023 Carlos Cardoso (from Porto, Portugal)
Hello Trevor, hope you're doing fine. I'm 50, heterosexual and I listen to a vast and multiple musical genres, so I'm not quite hard of hearing. You don't know this but we already met three times here in Portugal and I've seen you live about six times. I have at leat 40 records where you play on. I can say that I'm an admirer of your work, but not everything! From the 1986 Easter bunny tape(literally saying) to Séances. The way your electric bass and double bass sound is amazing. Was ever Danny Heifetz invited to the re-recording of Easter bunny? Will Tomahawk do a Portuguese Tour in 2024?For me, Tonic Immobility is their best album. Are you the almighty John Wayne Law which plays on SC3's Eyes of Flesh, Eyes of Flame? I'm not an internet buff, so I'm sorry if the answers to these questions are written somewhere. Have you already listened to OFF! 's Free Lsd? Do you consider playing with Justin Brown? Why the US, Portugal and most of the civilized countries support the Israeli genocide against the Palestinians? Israel is on the verge to start the World War III. Netannyau is no way better than Erdogan, Putin, Xi Ping, Trump and Kim Soun. I would appreciate it for your time and answers. Thank you very much. Best regards!
That you for letting me know your sexual preference. This certainly affects my answer ; D
Raging Wrath was planned with Lombardo in mind. No idea what is in Tomahawk’s future. John Wayne Law is a real person; he actually played bass in Fiend (a pre-Bungle metal cover band) in which I played rhythm guitar. I like OFF! I played with Justin Brown recently at Nublu in NYC. He’s a badass. I won’t be engaging in political speech on this site. War is hell.
10/08/2023 Tyler
Hi Trevor, simple question.
Opinions on Dog Fashion Disco?
I'm very curious to see what you think of them.
Thanks as always, my friend.
I’ve never heard them. Wait…lemme youtube some shit. Hold the line….
Ah, I see, sorta prog-metal with some pop leanings. They know how to play and are sort of unassuming geeks in a way that I like. Probably wouldn’t put this on at home though.
10/06/2023 Willy
Hello Mr.Dunn, I know you've probably had this question a million times, but I can't find nothing about it so I hope I don't bother you.
What's the band favourite album between Mr Bungle, Disco Volante and California?
Every album has it's own personality and are so unique that it's so hard to choose, but I would love to know your insight about it.
You guys made a lot of us happy with your music. Thanks.
That’s a complex question. Remember, I was there for all of the writing and recordings, so it’s not like I hear that music that way that you do. I’m proud of all of them, but California is the most mature in terms of song-writing, orchestration and studio chops. But they were all created differently and represent different things going on in our lives, so it’s impossible for me to pick a favorite.
10/02/2023 Annie
How often do you think about the Roman Empire?
Well, I’m thinking about it right now. I’d say, probably 8-10 times a year.
10/01/2023
What are your thoughts on the entire Tzadik catalog becoming available for streaming? Now you can make an extra, like, $7 over the next five years!
Take care Trevor and thank you for what you do
I mean, what are musicians supposed to do? Most people don’t spend any money on music and complain if they have to. The demand to stream everything is fierce, and we would like to think it leads to the sales of physical products which were painstakingly assembled. An extra $7 is $7 more than nothing.
09/26/2023 A satan that is evil
Hey, off-the-hook bassmaster! I give up. I could never figure out most of the lyrics to the Raging Wrath material and the only solution was when they started popping up in lyrics websites around the time of the release of the re-recording. All lyrics accounted for, but one... Evil Satan.
Do you have those lyrics? Could you share them with the world? It's mighty hard to figure out what Patton is singing, whether in the original Raging Wrath or in Bowel of Chiley. I know it's a hassle, but all those lyrics were a lot better than you guys give yourselves credit for. (I know Trey wrote Evil Satan, and I'll find a way to bug him about that too)
Even the subject matter of the lyrics would already be interesting, if you don't have the words handy. I mostly ask because you seem to be the tape custodian of the group, hence the most likely and accessible source.
Great job on that latest tour leg! You guys were TIGHT.
In fact, one last thing: in response to a bunch of my fellow bungle-heads crying to the wind about "why don't they get back with the W.B. era lineup like in the California days?", I usually write about two things and then erase it because why should I bother engaging people? But I'm curious as to what you think about these two points:
1 - Calling for Bär and Danny to return is fine and dandy, those guys are great. But wouldn't it make sense to consider how much of a role William Winant had in the live band between 1995 and 2000 as well? And he wasn't an "effective" band member, but he was so important. And a busy guy as far as I know!
2 - I have a feeling you guys aren't into just doing the California tour approach again, what with all the sampled parts from California and how the shows were a bit less... "dynamic" and variable than they were before, given the need to adhere to those sampled parts. So even if you guys reconvened with a more familiar lineup, I have a hard time picturing you guys retreading that ground in a way that would please people who just want "the same thing, again", but that wouldn't be tied to new material.
Whatever you guys do, I'm game. But I think it's a more complex endeavor than some people care to think about.
Hm, Evil Satan…..something like
Evil Satan 666
Burn in Hell and get your kicks
Heaven is for fucking dicks
that’s all I remember.
1. I’m not sure why anyone would think we wouldn’t consider the role of Winant. He’s been a friend and colleague since the early ‘90s.
2. You are correct, it is a much more complex endeavor than anyone realizes, for many reasons. People love to toss out their opinions as if we can just snap our fingers and make things happen, but clearly how could they know not being on the inside? Thanks for being game to whatever; who knows, it might be nothing.
09/23/2023
What’s your liquor of choice and how do you drink it? Any brands you return to? I can’t decide if you seem like a rye guy or a bourbon man :)
Depends what mood I’m in but usually it’s bourbon. I like Woodford, Eagle Rare, Widow Jane, Bulliet… but I do like rye as well, and sometimes a nice vodka martini, or as my dad would drink it with one icecube and a wedge of lemon.
09/21/2023 Chris P
Are you a Steely Dan fan? They were literally my most hated band for most of my life but for some reason I love them now. Every now and again there's a lyric or a melody that reminds me of Mr Bungle, can kind of hear Mr Bungle doing a Steely Dan cover in my imagination. Anyway, peace out hope you are all good, thanks for all the music.
I wouldn’t say I’m a fan but whenever I hear them I like it. Good song writing. Jazz chords, baby! I’ve never owned a record but perhaps I should go down that hole. Alan Parsons is another in that vein that I can get with.
09/14/2023 Sky
Hey, Trevor. I was wondering if you had any new, fairly unknown musicians or bands that you're into.
I’ve always been into female singers. There are quite living in NYC that I’m into: Arone Dyer (Buke & Gase), Alex Koi, Alena Spanger, Kristin Slipp (Mmeadows). And since I’m there, from the UK, Laura Marling; from Scandinavia, Stina Nordenstam. I also like a band from Pittsburgh called Microwaves.
09/02/2023 R.walker
Is nicotina based on a real person that you observed in your days of playing bars?
I’ve been trying to decipher the lyrics
Is part of it?
“ I know the car, the kids, the house, the bills, ——————————-? Gonna have to make it up to yourself someday”
And then something about a heart attack.
By the way the song also sounds good at half temp but why shouldn’t it?!
Wow, you’re really reaching back. There was a woman that song was loosely based on (no pun intended) but was more of a general social observation. At 18, I found that world completely bizarre and fascinating. And in the late ‘80s you could still smoke in bars. I believe the lyrics are “….the bills, the pain that kills..so get obesely fat and have another heart attack”
08/19/2023 Ev
Hello Trevor. Hope you doing good. Recently listened to Zorn Dreamers last album. Could you please let know was it you fender you used for record or some other instrument? All this bass lines written by Zorn from start to an end or he gave you melody and the rest was written by you? Would be really interesting to read some details about recordings you did, the same way you posted about bungle records here. Maybe some day you may consider a biography.. One more thing - last trio convulsant record is amazing. Do you plan to issue it on vinyl anytime soon? What do you think about all vinyl revival past years? Thanks for everything. All the best.
I’m pretty sure I used my Fender Pbass for those Dreamers recordings. Sometimes there are written bass lines (especially the ostinatos that you hear), other times there might just be a “lead sheet”, in other words, a chord progression and melody. Zorn is very particular for getting the right groove for those pieces so even if I come up with something on the spot he may want to tweak it a bit.
No plans to reissue trio-convulsant on vinyl at the moment. I find the vinyl revival bizarre, even more so because I was there when it went out of style and most of my favorite record shops closed. Vinyl doesn’t sound as good as CDs and most new music these days is created on digital equipment which surpasses vinyl’s capability of reproducing it. I lamented the demise of vinyl in the late ‘90s and I still buy used vinyl (usually obscure thrift store finds), but to me putting out new music on vinyl seems to be more about the physicality of it including the artwork, which is fine. But from an audiophile’s standpoint is a step backwards.
08/10/2023 Sister
"She Ossifies" is the funniest piece you've ever written. In the tradition of Schnittke. I'd bet two million dollars you were guffawing sitting at the mixing session when it was time for this one.
I appreciate this perspective, but I wasn’t guffawing, so you owe me 2 mil. I, too, can see the sense of humor, but it is so laced with tragedy that any laughing is mostly nervous. I’ve never thought of the association with Schnittke before, but he is one of my favorite composers, and now that you mention it, I can see that sardonic nature of my writing in this case. Actually maybe I was chuckling a bit. Gimme 1 mil and we’ll call it even.
08/10/2023 Logan MacArthur
Big fan of everything Mr Bungle has done just wondering two things.
1. What’s one of your early demo songs that didn’t make it onto an album that you’re fond of? One I like is Goosebumps, very unique and interesting vibe.
2. What can you say about the song Praise of folly that you’ve mentioned a couple times? I know it’s a song from California that was never released and that’s really it. Be really interesting to hear more about it.
1. There are parts of several songs, such as Waltz For Grandma’s Sake, that I’m fond of, or rather, recognize the potential of. Mr. Nice Guy was one we all wanted to put on the first record, but something had to get axed.
2. It’s a fairly short, melodic song about End Timers partially inspired by Peggy Lee’s version of Me And My Shadow, with a somewhat Nordic string ensemble bridge. Maybe someday we’ll dig it up.
07/31/2023 Tyler
I've been a nosy bastard lately.
Does "Success in Life" from 12-17-1992 have any meaning to either You, Heifetz or Patton?
If so, would you mind elaborating?
The Kronos Quartet commissioned Mr Bungle to write music for them and that was the title of the piece (or collection of pieces, I should say). The title comes from TV evangelist Robert Tilton’s show that we were obsessed with and much of the music was aimed at representing his demeanor and personality. The piece itself was a bit of an over-cooked disaster. Too long and overwrought. Kronos recognized the composer quality in our band, but that didn’t really translate to us writing for another ensemble. There was one, truncated performance at the Artaud Theater in San Francisco that mostly fell on deaf ears.
07/22/2023 Dylan
I am 12 years old and a massive fan of your work. I have been a bass player for about a year and I can play some bungle songs. I have recently been wanting a 5 string fret less bass, so I was wondering if you had any recommendations.
I don’t really. You should try some out. How it feels to you, in your hands, against your body is really important. And if you’ve been playing 4-string until now, it’s quite a change. You’re young enough that you don’t have to worry about getting “the best bass ever” yet. You can get to that later. Get what is in your budget and don’t worry about names or brands. I’ve recently been playing a cheap Mexican Jazz bass that I’m loving. Also, fretless is tricky. Intonation is an added challenge. I recommend getting one with fret-markers, but that’s just me. I find the scale of the fingerboard on electric to be too uniform to utilize muscle memory. Maybe start with a fretless version of what you already have?
06/30/2023 lizzy's big dark hell
Hi Trevor,
My questions:
1. Have you ever felt boredom or resentment with your craft / profession as a musician after so many years of study and practice and fighting to make a living? What do you tell yourself when you feel like you wanna quit this shit, or are just generally pissed off with the work? Asking cause I feel that way often as a video editor only 13 years into my career. I'm wondering if it ever alleviates, cuz clearly you haven't quit.
2. You've mentioned the gym a few times here as part of your daily thing, what do you include in your workouts?
3. Have you ever had pizza at Luigi's down in Greenwood Brooklyn and/or Smiling Pizza and do you have a preference for either?
4. Is 36 too late to start playing music again? I played in an orchestra in my teen years and it was probably the best experience of my life and has shaped me tremendously. I would probably pick up guitar again just for the sake of having music as a companion again, not really to become a rockstar or even decently proficient.. but I feel goofy about it all.
1. I’ve had moments when I thought about quitting, moments of disillusionment, furstration. There was a period in 2000 or so when I found all music boring and it worried me. Allow me to use NYC as an analogy to an al- encompassing music career. NYC is an intense place. It’s got everything; more good stuff and more bad stuff. It can be inspiring and life-fulfilling in one moment and disgusting and sad in the next. Therefore, it’s important (if you spend a lot of time here, as I do) to get away from it from time to time. Even just for a day hike in North Jersey or the Catskills. Music takes up a huge portion of my waking hours— it can be in the background or I can focus intently on it. It’s there for my livelihood and entertainment. It helps me wake up and go to sleep. Because it’s omnipresent, I have to make an effort to get away from it sometimes; embrace silence, rest my damn ears for a while; in fact, forget about it. We want what we can’t have. We find “playing hard-to-get” attractive. I believe it’s important to deny yourself your desires sometimes; and probably even more so if those desires are also your job.
2. A little bit of everything. I’m not trying to be cut or anything. Just trying to maintain. A musician’s life is pretty sedentary most of the time. Gotta keep the blood flowing.
3. Luigi’s is the best slice in the neighborhood. I’m no so into Smiley’s.
4. No, it’s never too late. Just keep one around, out of the case, and pick it up once in a while. Read through some classical piece and just have fun with it. No need to put any pressure on yourself.
06/13/2023 Johnny Baluciaga
Trevor? Ahh jeez, dude, I gotta ask: What is the story of Stubb the dog?
Stubb was Trey’s dog; Butt Hill was is real place where she would rub her butt as dogs do. She was old.