Faith No More Live at the Brixton Academy Released 35 Years ago

For Fans, Faith No More’s live performance at the Brixton Academy stands as a landmark moment in the band's history. Released 35 years ago, the live album captured FNM at a the height of their commercial success.

There are three occasions to celebrate this momentous show - the original show date of April 28th 1990, the release date of the You Fat Bastards VHS on August 2oth 1990, and on February 4th 1991 when Slash Records released the audio version.

Brixton is a district of South London and place of significance in British history. It has seen much unrest over the years with several riots, in 1979 The Clash told us 'You can crush us. You can bruise us. But you'd have to answer to... the guns of Brixton', it is the birthplace of David Bowie, and it is the spiritual home of Faith No More.

"We’ve made fucked-up decisions our whole career. I think that’s why the English embraced us. It feels to me that the English love to champion fucked-up Americans." - Roddy 2015

In 1988 FNM first toured outside of the US with frontman Chuck Mosley. We Care A Lot had become an underground hit on UK college radio, so the band travelled to London to expose their unique brand of hippy rock on the Brits. The first venue the band played of their fourteen show tour was at Dingwalls in Camden on January 22nd. FNM's tour received such praise from the music press and adoration from the fans that they returned to the UK four months later.

This was the beginning of a mutual bond which has lasted through their entire career. In 1989 Faith No More again graced the shores of England and Scotland for fourteen dates across the two countries.

However it wasn't until 1990 that the UK became truly encapsulated with the band's music. The Epic Tour was possibly FNM's most hectic tour schedule ever with dates that lasted through January, February and April due to the unexpected success of The Real Thing.

The Epic tour consisted of thirteen dates in Ireland, Scotland and England including a hysterical performance on Top of the Pops during which Mike Patton refused to mime the lyrics to From Out Of Nowhere. The band played Hammersmith Odeon on April 27th and Brixton Academy on April 28th, the second of which would be preserved for posterity on the You Fat Bastards live video and album.

"Brixton was an afterthought in lots of ways," Faith No More's booking agent at the time Derek Kemp explains. "We had sold out the Astoria on the previous tour, so the next logical step was to play Hammersmith Odeon. I put the Odeon on sale, and it sold very quickly. I tried to get a second night there, couldn’t get the dates, so found out Brixton Academy was available, so put the band into there. At that time, the capacity for Hammersmith Odeon, because it was all seated then, was about 3,500, maybe just a little bit less, and the capacity of Brixton Academy was around about 5,000. In two nights, the band played to over 8,000 people in London alone." - Small Victories : The True Story of Faith No More | Adrian Harte

The music press spoke highly of the show:

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. - RIP Magazine

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 rapturous 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. - NME

Slash Records began to pester FNM for a follow up record to The Real Thing in late 1990. But instead, to satisfy fans hunger for more, they released the You Fat Bastards VHS. And, due to its success Slash opted to release an audio version of the performance on February 4, 1991.

The album was recorded by William Shapland and mixed by Matt Wallace but there were strange record company decisions made to restructure the set order and to leave out various songs.

The addition of two tracks previously only available as b-sides, The Grade and The Cowboy Song, both recorded during the sessions for The Real Thing made it album a must have for fans.

Last year Faith No More were practically a permanent feature on the U.K. live scene. At times it seemed that as soon as the lights went down on one show there wasn't even time to catch a quick pint before you were screaming for 'War Pigs' at their next. Their audiences

were growing at an alarming rate-a couple of years ago their glory was to achieve to consecutive sell-out nights at the marquee. That would have been enough to keep a Cheshire Cat type grin upon their faces for a good month! But a year later that achievement paled before a list of dates that included The Astoria, Brixton Academy,

Hammersmith Odeon and the Reading Festival. Popping back and forth across the Atlantic with alarming regularity, they journeyed much over the surface of Britain-wearing out a considerable amount of rubber In the process!

And so it was deemed that the rest of '91 will be a Faith No More no more year. Too much touring of Britain. Well we suppose they deserve a break. But don't despair! To satisfy our hunger London have put out a mini live album.

Recorded at Brixton Academy in April of last year it features eight live monsters. The CD version includes two extra tracks -'The Cowboy Song' and 'The Grade' which have never before been widely available. Of course no live album from FNM would be complete without their habitual encore and Black Sabbath original 'War Pigs'.It's here, planted firmly at the end of side one, bathing in all its glory. In fact the LP includes most of FNM's finest - 'The Real Thing', 'Epic', 'From Out Of Nowhere' and 'We Care A Lot'. Capturing their essential live sound to a tee, so very well that you just want to throw your body about with the sheer pleasure of it all.

We're gonna place our ears between the speakers of two very powerful amps and blast ourselves 'till our heads explode! Then we're off to Faith No More heaven. See ya there! - Metal Hammer | February 1991

Faith No More’s live release from the Brixton Academy is more than a historical artifact. It’s a celebration of a band that pushed boundaries and connected deeply with their audience. The album’s enduring appeal lies in its authenticity and the raw power of the performance.

As music fans continue to explore the roots of alternative and experimental rock, this live recording offers a clear example of how Faith No More helped shape the sound of a generation.