Fantomas Biography
So named in honor of the anti-hero of a series of legendary French crime novels, Fantômas was formed by singer Mike Patton in the wake of the breakup of his previous band, Faith No More. After cutting a rough demo in early 1998, Patton recruited Melvins guitarist Buzz Osborne, Mr. Bungle bassist Trevor Dunn, and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo to flesh out the recording. The group then played their debut show in San Francisco in mid-June of that year, as the group's record debut was a cacophonous cover of T. Rex's "Chariot Choogle" for the compilation Great Jewish Music: Marc Bolan in 1998 (issued on John Zorn's Tzadik label), and toured throughout the summer. Spring 1999 saw the release of Fantômas' self-titled debut album (the very first release on Patton's newly formed record label, Ipecac), which was followed by more touring. By tour's end, Fantômas was briefly put on hold as its members returned to their other bands, but by early 2001, the quartet had recorded a second album. Titled The Director's Cut, the album featured reworked covers of movie themes, including The Godfather, Cape Fear, and Rosemary's Baby, among others (the band planned on including a version of "What a Feeling" from Flashdance, but had to cut it at the last second due to legal problems). The band spent the remainder of 2001 touring behind the album, as Patton hinted that the group may go directly back into the studio by year's end to work on an album of all-new material. The new studio material was put on the backburner while Fantômas and Melvins performed together live as a seven-piece supergroup, "the Fantômas Melvins Big Band," releasing Millennium Monsterwork in April 2002. Finally, in early 2004 Fantômas released the haunting epic Delirium Cordia. The following year, Suspended Animation, a concept album about the month of April 2005 whose sound returned to the band's metal-horror roots, came out. ~ Jason Ankeny & Greg Prato, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Machine drum Biography: Of the many aliases attributed to Orlando, FL-based artist Travis Stewart (aka Syndrone, tstewart) Machine Drum is handily the most well-known. Although initially conceived as an outlet for Stewart's...
Extremoduro Biography: Spanish heavy metal band Extremoduro started playing in the late '80s as a threesome, led by singer/guitarist Roberto Iniesta. In January of 1989, the band recorded its first demo tape, soon playing...
Carbonized Biography: Carbonized was conceived as an experimental side project in the late '80s by certain members of death metal band Therion and some of their friends from within Sweden's incestuous extreme music scene....
My dying bride Biography: The European goth-metal band My Dying Bride formed in June 1990. The four-piece first recorded the demo tape Towards the Sinister, and after the release of a seven-inch single for the French...
Onerepublic Biography: OneRepublic is part of the post-Coldplay wave of bands featuring prominent piano and sensitive vocals in front of U2-inspired anthemic rock songs. Formed in 2004 by singer/pianist/guitarist Ryan...
Smashing pumpkins Biography: Of all the major alternative rock bands of the early '90s, the Smashing Pumpkins were the group least influenced by traditional underground rock. Lead guitarist/songwriter Billy Corgan fashioned an...
Yellowman Biography: Jamaica's first dancehall superstar, Yellowman ushered in a new era in reggae music following Bob Marley's death. His early-'80s success brought the popularity of toasting -- the reggae equivalent of...
Panda bear Biography: Noah Lennox adopted the name Panda Bear in the late '90s, when he drew a picture of a panda on one of his first bedroom studio recordings. He grew up in Pennsylvania, went to college at the...