San Franciscans FAITH NO MORE, founded in 1982, have undoubtedly pushed the boundaries of rock in all directions with a diverse set of influences, anticipating the Nu-Metal wave and creating a new musical genre as they went. Thrash, Funk, Pop and Hardcore are all on display but all with more than enough guitar to keep Rock and Metal fans happy. The band gained respect and kudos during their two decade run but major commercial success always eluded the band, although they came close on a number of ocassions.

Guitarist 'Big sick' Jim Martin had journeyed through the Californian music scene making appearances in many bands across widely differing musical Along with drummer Mike Bordin, the guitarist had first stepped into the limelight with E.Z.Y. STREET, an act that also included in its ranks future METALLICA bassist Cliff Burton. E.Z.Y. STREET pursued the commonly trod path of ROLLING STONES and LED ZEPPELIN covers the line up being finalized by vocalist Kevin Costa and rhythm guitarist Dan Magalhaeo.

This first incarnation folded when Burton quit for TRAUMA and Bordin followed suit teaming up with SHARP YOUNG MEN. The latter, wherein Bordin received his nickname "Puffy" due to his outrageous afro hairstyle, also boasted soon to be FAITH NO MORE man bassist Bill Gould, previously been a member of THE ANIMATED, an act which featured then keyboard player Chuck Moseley.

Martin busied himself with numerous side projects appearing in many 'Battle of the bands' contests including the three guitar crossover army of VICIOUS HATRED, a blues act with a horn section PIGS OF DEATH and AGENTS OF MISFORTUNE, yet again teaming up with Cliff Burton. Meanwhile, E.Z.Y. STREET continued evolving into RECLUSE before a very nebulous version of FAITH NO MORE kicked into gear during 1985 as SHARP YOUNG MEN recruited guitarist Mark Bowen and keyboard player Roddy Bottum alongside Bordin and Gould. Billed as FAITH NO MAN, the group was headed up by Mike "The Man" Morris alongside Roddy Bottum, Mike Bordin, and Bill Gould. When the latter three decided to oust Morris they decided the simplest way was to leave en masse, swiftly re-billed as FAITH NO MORE.

In an early line-up COURTNEY LOVE, later to be propelled to world stardom as undisputed leader of HOLE and, more significantly, the widow of NIRVANA's Kurt Cobain, featured, but she was swiftly fired. Her stay lasted four gigs. Bowen, it was clear was not working out and so, upon Cliff Burton's recommendation Jim Martin was hired as was Chuck Moseley, leaving his then band HAIRCUTS THAT KILL.

FAITH NO MORE's self-financed debut, first issued in 1985 through Mordam Records in the USA and licensed to De Konkurrent in Europe, was recorded at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati with producer Matt Wallace. A subsequent club tour provoked worldwide interest enough for a deal to be signed with ex-QUIET RIOT manager Warren Enter and from there to Warner Bros. subsidiary Slash Records. The resulting album 'Introduce Yourself', produced by the LOS LOBOS duo of Steve Berlin and Matt Wallace, more than justified Warner Bros. faith in the band and the accompanying single 'We Care A Lot' quickly became a huge club and MTV hit. The band toured America as support to RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS in late 1987. Despite healthy sales and praiseworthy press the band, in a foretaste of what was to come, reportedly tore itself apart resulting in the departure of Moseley, first to BAD BRAINS, leaving before recording anything, prior to forming his own act CEMENT.

Chuck Moseley's place was taken during 1988 by Mike Patton. The new frontman, whose remarkable vocal range gave new focus to the band, not only dropped out of his existing band, MR. BUNGLE, but also relinquished his studies at Humboldt State University in order to enroll. Patton's output with MR. BUNGLE prior to his FAITH NO MORE tenure, the demos 'The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny' in 1986, 'Bowel Of Chiley' in 1987 plus 'Goddammit I Love America' and 'OU818' both delivered in 1988, gave ample evidence that the band had taken on one of the most extraordinary and unpredictable vocalist in the Rock field.

The even more adventurous third album 'The Real Thing' broke FAITH NO MORE out of the underground and into global chart success with a string of hit singles and well received live shows. A diverse collection, 'The Real Thing' kept the guitar crunch quota high and proudly wore the band's Metal influences with a ripping rendition of BLACK SABBATH's 'War Pigs'. Importantly, FAITH NO MORE broke into the Rock club circuit, their brand of heavy dancability giving them a strong presence at the grass roots level. This progression, hammered home by a platinum sales award for one million sales in the USA plus a prestigious Grammy award, could not hide the fact that internal disputes were constantly wracking the band as various members publicly voiced their dislike for one another. Nevertheless, FAITH NO MORE toured relentlessly.

An interim live outing, 'Live At The Brixton Academy', arrived in February 1991 accompanied by a video of the same concert entitled 'You Fat Bastards!'. As well as the live material, this record hosted two new studio tracks, 'The Grade' and 'The Cowboy Song'.

Post world tour Patton returned to his pre-FAITH NO MORE act MR. BUNGLE to record a humourous, if intentionally disturbing, album as well as finding time to guest for John Zorn's NAKED CITY before the band re-assembled at Brilliant Studios in San Francisco to record the 1992 'Angel Dust' album. A near schizophrenic record, 'Angel Dust' juxtaposed Pop Rock with daring experimentation. The band even tackled a piano waltz with 'RV' and John Barry's 'Midnight Cowboy' movie theme. Elsewhere FAITH NO MORE got truly obnoxious with the likes of 'Jizzlobber' and 'Be Aggressive'. The record gave the band another hit, just missing out on a UK number 1 and nearly hitting the million mark in North America, solidifying their reputation. All of 'Angel Dust's spin off single releases charted in Britain and provided fans with some interesting asides such as a cover of and DEAD KENNEDY's 'Let's Lynch The Landlord' as B sides to 'A Small Victory'. A re-released format of the same A side later in the year saw the track remixed by KILLING JOKE guitarist Youth.

1993 gave FAITH NO MORE their biggest British hit as their cover of the COMMODORES smooth ballad 'I'm Easy' peaked at number 3. Not included on the original album track listing, 'I'm Easy' was hastily tacked on to subsequent pressings, giving 'Angel Dust' a new lease of life. The same year a collaboration with BOO YA TRIBE also put the band back in the charts with 'Another Body Murdered' from the soundtrack to the movie 'Judgement Day'. The band themselves maintained a high live profile guesting as part of the METALLICA and GUNS N' ROSES stadium extravaganza in America and putting in an appearance at the British Phoenix Festival. This succession of prominent songs fostered an album with longevity and 'Angel Dust' actually outsold its predecessor in many territories.

By December 1993 the all too obvious disagreements within the band saw the ousting of Martin, who had been more than vocal in his lack of affection for 'Angel Dust'. The guitarist claimed he had quit whilst band members took an opposing view. Into his place would step MR. BUNGLE guitarist Trey Spruance.

Whilst recording a new album, 'King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime' at Bearsville Studios in New York with Andy Wallace, it was learned that Bottum would not be taking part, the musician involved in a personal battle against drug addiction. The band's fifth outing, issued in March 1995, proved a diverse platter as expected, ranging from the gung-ho Metal of 'Cuckoo For Caca', the Hardcore of 'Digging The Grave' to the Country & Western twang of 'Take This Bottle'. 'King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime' hit number 5 in the UK and number 2 in Australia but also suffered from a media backlash with reviews often unjustly vicious. The band's touring schedule lasted a matter of months, with Spruance soon being ejected in favour of former guitar tech Dean Menta, following the release of the album. Amidst rumours of an impending split, FAITH NO MORE were put on ice as the individual members pursued solo ventures.

Patton got to work with MR. BUNGLE once again, while Bottum created IMPERIAL TEEN releasing the 'Seasick' album on London Records. Bordin leapt back into the limelight as drummer for OZZY OSBOURNE and the BLACK SABBATH reformation whilst Gould busied himself with production including a stint in Moscow with Russian Punks NIAVE. Mike Patton also worked with Brazilian Thrashers SEPULTURA, co-composing the track 'Mine' on their 1997 outing 'Blood Rooted'.

FAITH NO MORE were to return in June 1997 with the modestly titled 'Album Of The Year', along with a new guitarist John Hudson, previously with SYSTEMS COLLAPSE. Japanese variants boasted two additional tracks, 'The Big Kahuna' and 'Light Up And Let Go'. Although not a huge seller, the record, co-produced by Billy Gould and Roli Mosimann, did provoke much laudatory and well deserved praise and the band accomplished a well attended American theatre tour. 'Album Of The Year' only managed to attain a number 41 placing on the US Billboard charts but did hit number 1 in Australia and New Zealand. Ex-guitarist JIM MARTIN also returned to the fray at the same juncture with his debut solo offering, 'Milk And Blood', which featured a re-working of FAITH NO MORE's 'Surprise! Your Dead'.

FAITH NO MORE finally announced their collapse on April 20th 1998. The band had been confirmed as support to AEROSMITH on their European tour but frictions within the band proved too tortuous to endure. Mike Bordin continued his duties with OZZY OSBOURNE. Gould involved himself in production for acts such as Finland's CMX and German supergroup RAMMSTEIN.

Mike Patton founded a fresh act titled FANTÔMAS with noted SLAYER and GRIP INC. drummer Dave Lombardo, MELVINS guitarist Buzz Osbourne and MR. BUNGLE bassist Trevor Dunn. Renewing ties with SEPULTURA, Patton's contributions came with 'The Waste' featured on the Brazilians 'Tribe' album. Bottum forged on with a second IMPERIAL TEEN album. Bill Gould, in collusion with FEAR FACTORY's Dino Cazares and Raymond Herrera, founded his own record label Kool Arrow during 2000. All three of course (albeit anonymously) also operated the notorious 'Mexican' Death Metal band BRUJERIA, with Gould as the character 'Güero Sin Fe'.

During late 2002 Mike Bordin, as part of OZZY OSBOURNE's band, would become part of the ongoing dispute between Osbourne and his erstwhile rhythm section of bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake. The March 2002 re-issues of Ozzy's debut 'Blizzard Of Ozz' and follow up 'Diary Of A Madman' albums, both figuring heavily in the publicly played out legal dispute, would witness re-recorded drum tracks as laid down by the ex-FAITH NO MORE man.

Meantime, Mike Patton added to his list of activities contributing guest lead vocals to THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN mini album 'Irony Is A Dead Scene'. The singer also revealed that some years earlier he had been approached to replace the deceased Michael Hutchence as frontman for INXS but turned the offer down. Of all the erstwhile FAITH NO MORE members, Mike Patton's industries have proven the most prodigious as the singer has spread his talents across a vast canvas of endeavours including his Ipecac Recordings label, prominent releases with FANTÔMAS, TOMAHAWK and PEEPING TOM to involvement with TEAM SLEEP, WEIRD LITTLE BOY, MALDORORS, MERZBOW, BJORK, MELT BANANA, HEMOPHILIAC and many, many more. The singer also cut a brace of solo works for the Composer Series of John Zorn's Tzadik imprint in 1996's 'Adult Themes For Voice' and 'Pranzo Oltranzista' in 1997. None of this undertakings has resulted in significant commercial success in the scale of FAITH NO MORE, yet Patton's artful approach has given him respected cult status and an a dedicated audience that awaits his every move.

JIM MARTIN resurfaced, cutting a film soundtrack album in union with sitar player Anand Bhatt for a new album entitled 'Conflict' whilst August of 2003 brought news that guitarist John Hudson had formed a studio alliance with the UGLY KID JOE, LIFE OF AGONY and MEDICATION credited vocalist Whitfield Crane. Bill Gould contributed bass to the 2005 FEAR FACTORY album 'Transgression', featuring on the tracks 'Echo of My Scream' and 'Super Nova'

Bill Gould was in action on the live front again in 2008, joining as Jello Biafra, known as longtime frontman for the legendary Punk act DEAD KENNEDYS, celebrated his 50th birthday, combined with the 30th anniversary of DEAD KENNEDYS, by debuting his new band, AXIS OF EVILDOERS, via a pair of performances on June 16th and 17th at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, California. Joining Biafra would be Gould, Ralph Spight, of VICTIMS FAMILY, FREAK ACCIDENT and HELLWORMS, on guitar, plus Jon Weiss, from SHARKBAIT, HORSEY and TONNAGE, on drums.

FAITH NO MORE confirmed a reunion in February 2009, the band comprising Mike Patton, Roddy Bottum, Billy Gould, Mike Bordin and guitarist Jon Hudson. The group, having been confirmed as the third headliner of the UK 'Download' festival in June, rehearsed on Wednesday, 4th March for the first time in over 10 years. Marking the ocassion, 'The Very Best Definitive Ultimate Greatest Hits Collection' was released on 8th Jun in the U.K. via Rhino Records. FAITH NO MORE kicked off its reunion tour on Wednesday 10th June with a headlining performance, opening with a cover of 'Reunited' by PEACHES & HERB, at the Brixton Academy in London, England.