Thirty four years ago Faith No More played at The Brixton Academy in London as part of their second UK tour of 1990 supporting The Real Thing. This momentous show was filmed and released as You Fat Bastards in 1991.
Photo Credit : Unknown
RIP Magazine | 1990 Whether or not you appreciate the vinyl, there's no denying Faith No More are one of the most compelling bands to hit the live circuit recently. Their ingenious hybrid of rock, rap, funk and the odd classical break is transformed into something magical on stage, while the crazy showmanship of singer Mike Patton — as unpredictable a character as former vocalist Chuck Mosley — makes the show visually as well as aurally exciting. Brixton was packed and heaving, but its all starting to look a little bit too easy. The 10-legged music monsters songs — including hits 'We Care A Lot', 'Epic' and 'From Out Of Nowhere' — are so strong that the band scarcely had to try and there was the sense of a mere run through. It was only the more offbeat moments — snatches of 'Pump Up The Jam' and 'Street Tuff', the reflective cabaret of 'Edge Of The World', and the stonking encore of Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs' — that they really lit up. Faith No More need a break from touring before they become victims of their own success. Especially as, even on half power,they still blow the rest out of the water.
NME | 1990
EVER since "Walk This Way" blasted the divisions between rap and rock, many have sought to mix aggressive preaching with power chords. Much of the success of FNM's attempt at rap 'n' roll is down to the schizophrenic talents of Michael Patton. One minute, he's a black-sounding rapper, the next the bastard son of Axl Rose. The rest of the band look like cardboard cut-outs from a Seventies TV movie, and have one mission - to get as many Black Sabbath riffs into the show as possible.
"We Care A Lot" teases the pogo hungry revellers with its stuttered rhythm and speed shifts. Patton flails around, adding new meaning to the phrase New Kids On The Block as he breaks into "The Right Stuff", leaving his Zappa clones bemused. The one song that sums up all that is special is "Epic". It fizzes and buzzes in rap-turous splendour before blossoming into a killer chorus.
It would be fair to say Faith No More are seriously demented. The twisted lyric of “Zombie Eaters” (a touching tale of a baby from hell) seems to fill them with glee, and they deliver a breathtaking performance that demands movement and sweat, at the very least. Curiously commercial, they seem to know how to lead you up the garden path, switching from blistering rock to soulful sensitivity with consummate ease.
With "From Out Of Nowhere" snapping at the charts, FNM have crossed over from being backward Beastie Boys to mainstream rock gods.
It's all the more weird then, to hear them give a lifelike rendition of 'The Commodores' "Easy", proving that they can turn their hands to any groove they choose. Very soon they could have the world at their feet. Expect them to stamp on it.
From Out Of Nowhere Falling To Pieces Introduce Yourself The Real Thing Underwater Love As The Worm Turns The Crab Song Edge Of The World The Morning After Chinese Arithmetic We Care A Lot Surprise! You're Dead! Epic Woodpecker From Mars Zombie Eaters Why Do You Bother? War Pigs [ Black Sabbath ] Easy [ Commodores ]