Formed in 1979, Faith No More started their career originally named Sharp Young Men. The band stuck to its initial name for a short time before changing it to Faith No Man, later once again changing it to what we know today as Faith No More. Mike Patton, the current singer of the band, joined Faith No More ten years after their formation. Today, we listed 7 lesser-known facts about the lead singer that we think you will enjoy if you are a fan of Faith No More.
Patton Has Two Children
Mike Patton and his spouse welcomed two additions to their family: a son named Julien, born in 1995, and a daughter named Lola, born in 2001. Despite his hectic schedule, Patton ensures he dedicates quality time to his family and occasionally brings them along during his tours.
His High School Band Impressed Roddy Bottum
Before joining Faith No More, Patton was a member of his high school band, Mr. Bungle. At Humboldt, he met his future band during a 1986 show at a pizza parlor. When the keyboardist Roddy Bottum explained how Patton’s vocal range stood out, the rocker ultimately became a member of the band in 1989.
Additionally, In 1988, Mike Patton mentioned actor and comedian Steve Martin as an influence on Mr Bungle, later stating that he felt identified with him.
Patton Is A Producer
While Patton is now known to be the lead singer of his band, he is also working as a producer. In fact, he has collaborated as a producer or co-producer with a range of artists, including Merzbow, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Sepultura, Melvins, Melt-Banana, and Kool Keith.
Patton Is Involved In The Film Industry
In 2005, Patton composed the soundtrack for the independent film Pinion, marking his first foray into scoring an American feature-length movie. Patton also lent his vocal prowess to the portrayal of monsters in the 2007 film I Am Legend, which starred Will Smith.
Continuing his venture into film scoring, Patton crafted the soundtrack for the 2009 movie Crank: High Voltage and, in 2012, composed the musical backdrop for The Place Beyond the Pines. In 2016, he voiced the lead character, Eddy Table, in the short animated film titled The Absence of Eddy Table.
Patton Is Involved Also In The Video Game Industry
Similar to his contributions to the film industry, Patton also contributed to the video game industry. He reprised the role in The Darkness II in 2012. In the Valve title Left 4 Dead, Patton assumed another role by providing the voices for the majority of the infected zombies. Additionally, he voiced Nathan Spencer, the central character in Capcom’s 2009 video game Bionic Commando.
Patton Is Familiar With Opera Singing Techniques
During the time when Mike Patton moved to Italy, he got familiar with the singing techniques of opera instructor Nicola Vaccai. He self-taught himself these methods for several years, expanding his repertoire in the process.
Patton Is A Self-Taught Musician
At around eight or nine years old, Mike Patton discovered his vocal potential through attention-grabbing activities at school. His attention led him to teach himself music, thus not being able to read or write musical notation. It was only when he began consistently recording himself and listening to these recordings that he laid the groundwork to develop and refine his skills.
