Mike Patton

Mike Patton is one of hard rock’s most adventurous and prolific vocalists—the kind of singer who can croon like a ’70s yacht-rock icon or growl like a snarling punk. Born in Eureka, CA, in 1968, Patton formed the experimental metal project Mr. Bungle with friends while still in high school. In 1989, he became lead singer of Faith No More—the band had heard a Mr. Bungle demo and reached out to Patton to try out—and steered the band toward the rap-rock hybrid hit “Epic.” Faith No More would evolve into one of the most eclectic alternative metal bands of the ’90s, known for hits like 1992’s seething “Midlife Crisis,” before splitting up in 1998. Patton, meanwhile, kept himself plenty busy with additional projects. His Faith No More success helped raise Mr. Bungle’s profile (and earned the band a record deal) and paved the way for Patton to explore more experimental avenues with his rangy vocal stylings, such as a 1999 collaboration with Merzbow and work on Björk'’s 2004 album Medúlla. And even as Faith No More reunited in 2009, Patton continued to juggle multiple projects, including the metal bands Fantômas and Tomahawk and the hardcore supergroup Dead Cross, as well as running the label he cofounded in 1999, Ipecac Recordings.