Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979.[ Before settling on the current name in July 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist Roddy Bottum and drummer Mike Bordin are the longest-remaining members of the band, having been involved since its inception. The band underwent several early lineup changes, and some major changes later. The current lineup of Faith No More consists of Gould, Bordin, Bottum, lead guitarist Jon Hudson, and vocalist/lyricist Mike Patton.
After releasing six studio albums, including best-selling records The Real Thing (1989) and Angel Dust (1992), Faith No More officially announced its breakup on April 20, 1998. The band has since reunited, conducting The Second Coming Tour between 2009 and 2010, and releasing its seventh studio album, Sol Invictus, in May 2015. After the touring cycle of Sol Invictus, Faith No More went on hiatus once again. In November 2019, the band announced that it would reunite to embark on a 2020 UK and European tour, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was postponed. Touring was due to recommence with a brief US tour in September 2021, followed by the previously postponed UK and Europe dates in June 2022, but all tour dates were cancelled with Patton citing mental health reasons.
You Fat Bastards: Live at the Brixton Academy is the only officially released live album by Faith No More. It was recorded by William Shapland on April 28, 1990 in the Brixton Academy, London during the tour supporting their third studio album The Real Thing. It was released on August 20, 1990 internationally and as an audio only version, under the name of Live at the Brixton Academy, in the United Kingdom on February 4, 1991 with two bonus tracks from The Real Thing sessions. The bonus tracks “The Grade” and “The Cowboy Song” were previously released on the “From Out of Nowhere” 12″ single but were added to this compilation in order for them to be available on CD. As a result, they do not appear on the vinyl release of Live at Brixton Academy. The performance of the Black Sabbath song “War Pigs” was later included on the 1994 Black Sabbath tribute compilation Nativity in Black, making it the album’s only live track. The reason for including this version, instead of the studio version from The Real Thing album, is unclear.
The video version was later released on a 2-disc DVD set with the video compilation Who Cares a Lot?. (wikipedia)
Video review:
Recorded live on April 28, 1990 at London’s Brixton Academy, You Fat B**tards (the title taken from a joking stage rant from vocalist Mike Patton at a previous U.K. concert), captures Faith No More just as their album The Real Thing and single “Epic” started to become worldwide hits. While the hour-long video shows that Patton was still finding his vocal style (he relies on a nasal-like whine too often), and his stage persona was comparable to a bratty child (obviously poking fun at the larger-than-life and far too serious metal acts of the late-80’s/early-90’s), the band as a whole offers a thoroughly inspired performance.
The large crowd shows their appreciation by going wild throughout, as FNM blasts out such favs as “From Out of Nowhere,” “Falling To Pieces,” “We Care A Lot,” the psychedelic instrumental “Woodpecker From Mars,” and the moody extended compositions “The Real Thing” and “Zombie Eaters.” Also featured is their aforementioned breakthrough hit “Epic,” as well as the pop rockers “Underwater Love” and “Edge of the World,” the early track “As the Worm Turns,” and the set-closing cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” during which Patton fakes barfing fake blood and passing out – while eventually climbing a lighting truss. An interesting and worthwhile glimpse into the unpredictability of a Faith No More show. (by Greg Prato)
And “The Grade” is a wonderful acoustic ballad… !
Personnel:
Mike Bordin (drums)
Roddy Bottum (keyboards)
Billy Gould (bass)
Jim Martin (guitar)
Mike Patton (vocals)
Tracklist:
01. Falling To Pieces (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 4:47
02. The Real Thing (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 7.53
03. Epic (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 4.54
04. War Pigs (Iommi/Osbourne/Butler/Ward) 6.57
05. From Out Of Nowhere (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 3.24
06. We Care A Lot (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton)3.50
07. Zombie Eaters (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 6.05
08. Edge Of The World (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 5.49
+ (CD version)
09. The Grade (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 2.05
10. The Cowboy Song (Mike Bordin/Bottum/Gould/Martin/Patton) 5.12
The official website:
ManyFantasticColors 