| Mike
Patton Vs. Rahzel is a captivating collaboration between two
of the world's greatest vocal performers. Mike Patton's prolific music
portfolio is extremely diverse due to his versatile vocal ability. He
was former frontman of Faith No More and has just recently announced his
departure from an eighteen year relationship with his high-school art-rock
band Mr. Bungle. Throughout his collaborative works he has touched upon
every musical style imaginable and has developed a worldwide fan base.
Mike Patton's vocal contortions still continue in Fantomas, Tomahawk,
Lovage, Peeping Tom, and a multitude of side-projects. Rahzel has mastered
the quintessential art of human beat-boxing and is undisputed "Godfather
Of Noyze". This vocal percussionist is best known as a member of
hip-hop's cutting-edge live band The Roots. Rahzel's fascinating rhythmical
beats are produced only using highly trained vocal apparatus. He is able
to accurately recreate a variety of sounds from vinyl scratches to instrumental
loops.
Together Mike Patton and Rahzel have displayed their vocal montages throughout
North American tours of the East and West Coasts. They're now on a European
tour where the vocal duo have been gracing the stages of major U.K. music
festivals in Reading and Leeds. During their phenomenal performance at
London's Mean Fiddler,
various songs were churned through the Patton Vs. Rahzel blender. With
freshly adopted street name, Mike P. arrived on stage wearing baggy combats,
Oakland Athletics top, and reversed baseball cap sporting the logo of
the San Francisco Giants. Rahzel laid down the beats while Mike Patton
crooned to Chet Baker's "You Don't Know What Love Is" and "The
Thrill Is Gone". These two love songs were also covered during Mr.
Bungle's live tours for their albums "Disco Volante" and "California".
Additional vocalized covers were "Seven Nation Army" by The
White Stripes, "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" by The Temptations,
"Groupie Love" by G-Unit, and "Pimpin' Ain't Easy"
by Ice-T.
Mike Patton and Rahzel rapped original lyrics to "My DJ" and
"Your Ass", which included regular call backs with the crowd.
Mike Patton would start the audience off with simple shouts and ask them
to follow his lead. After a few returns, Patton would blast into vocal
gibberish, familiar to fans of his solo release "Adult Themes For
Voice" and the self-titled album from Fantomas. The crowd loved witnessing
Mike Patton's various vocal manipulations and hilarious facial expessions.
Plenty of audience participation made the crowd an integral part of the
Mike Patton Vs. Rahzel performance. The usual on-stage banter with the
audience was initiated by Patton condemning the lairy British crowd as
all "sheep shaggers!". Rahzel proceeded to state a unique philosophy
regarding a litmus test with female panties. This hardcore subject matter
was bizarrely balanced with romantic lyrical content. Rahzel performed
his very own love song "If Your Mother Only Knew", which includes
a triple layered vocal harmony with beat, bass-line, and chorus. A disturbingly
brilliant display of Rahzel's unbelievable talents as a vocal performer.
Mike Patton used original backing tracks from his home studio recordings
to compliment the live vocal overdubs and noise effects. A crying baby
sample was a familiar element previously used during a live ballad by
Moonraker, comprising of Mike Patton, Buckethead, and DJ Flare. A similar
sound can also be heard on the studio cover of Krzystzof Komeda's "Rosemary's
Baby" by Fantomas. Further sequenced samples included carousel music
from a fairground attraction, reworked with Mike Patton's evil chuckles
and haunting laughter. Apparently, Mike Patton had suffered from food
poisoning just before the previous night's show in Amsterdam. He blamed
it on some "funky fish and chips", yet continued to showcase
an impressive ability to perform a diverse vocal range. The performance
lasted just over an hour, Mike Patton and Rahzel concluding with the 2003
hip-hop anthem, 50 Cent's "In Da Club". With a wealth of cover
songs, these special collaborations with Rahzel are quickly becoming essential
collector's items for online traders of Mike Patton live rarities.
Both Mike Patton and Rahzel Brown feature on Bjork's latest album "Medulla",
released August 31, 2004. A cappella soundscapes written by Bjork and
coloured by various vocal performers. Patton and Rahzel contribute to
"Pleasure Is All Mine" and "Where Is The Line", with
Rahzel beat boxing on an additional three tracks for this vocally driven
release. |
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