MR. BUNGLE Shares Video Of VAN HALEN Cover From Upcoming Live Release
May 18, 2021, 3 years ago
Mr. Bungle, whose Halloween 2020 streaming special, The Night They Came Home, captured the Northern California-born band performing songs from their freshly released album, The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny Demo, interspersed with behind-the-scenes footage, surprise cameos and a few unexpected covers, release the nearly two-hour film on June 11 via Ipecac Recordings.
As an advance preview, Mr. Bungle has issued their version of Van Halen's "Loss Of Control", which can be seen below. "Loss Of Control" originally appeared on Van Halen's third studio album, Women And Childen first, issued in 1980 via Warner Bros.
"Mr. Bungle tried to play this song in the '90s and we scrapped it because we sucked at it,” explains guitarist Trey Spruance. “I think it worked this time for a lot of reasons. My own is that, thanks to the new Raging Wrath era, I've had to re-approach the guitar like I did when I was 13 and 14. It was all about Eddie Van Halen for me back then, so circling back at this moment felt really natural. Those riffs and lead parts at least are super fun! I'm just glad Scott took the palm-mute breaks. Jesus!"
Guitarist Scott Ian adds, "I generally don’t get nervous about learning someone else’s riffs. When it’s an EVH riff it’s a whole different story! I was terrified! With 'Loss Of Control' I did my best to just hold on and go for the ride. What a riff! As a fan I’d have to say it’s a PERFECT SONG for Mr. Bungle to cover. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did getting to play it."
The Night They Came Home, which was directed by Jack Bennett, is available as a CD + Blu-Ray, CD + DVD, VHS, and digitally. The CD portion features remastered audio, while the film features Bungle’s performance, Neil Hamburger’s opening set, three official music videos (“Raping Your Mind,” “Eracist,” and “Sudden Death”), as well as extended behind-the-scenes footage. The VHS release, limited to 1000 collectible copies, is an edited, performance-only portion of the film.
Watch the "Bungle Grind" (Live) video below, and pre-order The Night They Came Home here.
The Night They Came Home tracklisting:
"Won’t You Be My Neighbor" (Fred Rogers cover)
"Anarchy Up Your Anus"
"Raping Your Mind"
"Bungle Grind"
"Methematics"
"Hell Awaits"/"Summer Breeze" (Slayer/Seals & Croft medley/cover)
"Eracist"
"World Up My Ass" (Circle Jerks cover)
"Glutton For Punishment"
"Hypocrites/Habla Español O Muere" (S.O.D. cover)
"Spreading The Thighs Of Death"
"Loss For Words" (Corrosion Of Conformity cover)
"Sudden Death"
"Loss Of Control" (Van Halen cover)
"Bungle Grind" (Live) video:
Mr. Bungle was formed in an impoverished lumber and fishing town by a trio of curious, volatile teenagers. Trey Spruance, Mike Patton and Trevor Dunn beget the amorphous “band” in 1985 up in Humboldt County, Calif., sifting through a variety of members until around 1989 when they settled on a lineup that managed to get signed to Warner Bros. Records. No one really knows how this happened and it remains a complete mystery that even the algorithms of the internet can’t decode. Up until 2000 they released three albums (Mr. Bungle in 1991, Disco Volante in 1995 and California in 1999), toured a good portion of the Western hemisphere and avoided any sort of critical acclaim. Some argue that the band subsequently broke up but there is also no proof of this. What is true is that they took 20 years off from performing under said moniker while they pursued various other musics that, in contrast, paid the rent.
Mr. Bungle have also confirmed their first live outing of 2021, performing at Riot Fest (Chicago) in September. The festival marks the first time Mike Patton has performed on the same bill with both Mr. Bungle and Faith No More, and marks the band’s first tour date since the Fall album release.
(Photo - Buzz Osborne)