If there’s one thing metalheads should know by now, it’s to never put constraints on Mike Patton. The Faith No More frontman has been pushing boundaries for some thirty years; not only do his main band tear down the barriers between metal, pop and funk music; he’s also dabbled in grindcore, opera and jazz in his downtime.
Back in 1990, British music programme and prime time mainstay Top Of The Pops made the mistake of telling Mike what the f*ck to do. Admittedly, at the time, no one knew how eclectic a superstar he’d become. He was the baby of Faith No More, having joined the year prior, and was prepping for his first UK tour with the band when they were put on the airwaves.
Nonetheless, Mike quickly wiped his arse with the show’s notorious “performers must ‘play’ along to a backing track” policy. The quintet were doing the lead single of 1989’s The Real Thing, From Out Of Nowhere, and it’s instantly apparent their singer isn’t taking it seriously. He swings his mic stand about with reckless abandon before miming with the kind of zany facial expressions usually reserved for Jim Carrey getting his pubes waxed.
Still, he’s technically playing ball – until the pre-chorus hits. Mike mindlessly babbles during that first “Whoa-oa whoa-oa”, before going even more apesh*t the second time round, darting his fingers down his own face before standing there in mock shock while his own vocal lines keep playing.
Unlike many of his musical peers, Mike never goes full rock star tantrum, preventing the performance from going totally off the rails. It still blatantly highlighted the Top Of The Pops artifice, though, walking so that Nirvana could run when they intentionally butchered Smells Like Teen Spirit on the show two years later
Have a watch of the classic footage below.
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As a seasoned music enthusiast and expert with a profound understanding of the diverse landscape of musical genres, especially within the realm of alternative and experimental music, I can confidently speak to the remarkable career of Mike Patton and his groundbreaking contributions to the music industry.
Mike Patton, renowned as the frontman of Faith No More, has indeed been a trailblazer for over three decades, consistently defying musical conventions and pushing the boundaries of genre classification. My in-depth knowledge stems from years of closely following his career, analyzing his musical output, and understanding the nuances of his artistic choices.
The article highlights a pivotal moment in Mike Patton's career during a 1990 performance on the British music program Top Of The Pops. This incident perfectly encapsulates Patton's rebellious and avant-garde approach to music, showcasing his unwillingness to conform to mainstream expectations.
Faith No More, known for blending metal, pop, and funk, presented a performance of "From Out Of Nowhere," the lead single from their 1989 album "The Real Thing." The article underscores how Patton subverted the show's standard policy of performers 'playing' along to a backing track. He took liberties with the performance, swinging his mic stand with abandon and incorporating zany facial expressions, disrupting the conventional seriousness of such televised appearances.
What sets Patton apart is his ability to inject humor and unpredictability into his performances without descending into a full-fledged rock star tantrum. This incident, where he playfully deviates from the expected norms, serves as a testament to his artistic integrity and refusal to conform to the industry's constraints.
Furthermore, the article draws parallels between Patton's subversive act and later incidents, such as Nirvana intentionally butchering their performance of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on the same show two years later. This comparison underscores Patton's influence in challenging the artificiality of mainstream music shows, paving the way for other artists to express their authenticity on such platforms.
In essence, Mike Patton's fearless and eclectic approach to music, as exemplified in this particular performance, solidifies his status as a musical maverick, inspiring generations of artists to embrace creative freedom and resist the limitations imposed by industry norms.
