It’s been 11 long years since Faith No More last took the stage, but in anticipation of their upcoming European tour, frontman Mike Patton is just happy to be playing music again after all those years of relative inactivity. “It’s been tough, man. Real tough,” Patton said in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. “11 years on the sidelines, doin’ bullshit material with bullshit people. It’s good to be back in the game. I’ve paid my fuckin’ dues, and now it’s time to fuck the Big Time in her fat ol’ backyard, baby.”

The post-Faith years have not been kind to Mr. Patton. Following the group’s 1998 breakup, the hammer-throated singer has become dejected and reclusive, popping up only every few hours to release a new album or score a Jason Statham movie. A string of go-nowhere bands like Fantômas, Mr. Bungle, and Peeping Tom kept him fed as he fought to break back onto the charts, but with each paycheck came its own humiliation. Soon the financial constraints became so great that Patton was forced to collaborate with anyone who crossed his path, from John Zorn and Merzbow to Björk and Neil Hamburger. “I’m not proud of things I did to keep myself alive, and I’d forget them forever if I only could,” Patton told RS, fighting back tears. “I just hope if I ever have kids someday that they don’t find out about all the disgraceful shit I had to do to get by. Fuck. Never fuckin’ again, man. I’m a goddamn star now.”

After years of indifference from the mainstream public, Patton was ready to quit the music industry all together until life mercifully gave him a second chance when Faith No More reunited earlier this year (TMT News ). “It’s a real relief, ya know. I mean, I figured I was gonna spend the rest my life sloggin’ out Whoppers at the BK or, even worse, puking up little pieces of my larynx everyday with that shrimpy saxophone blowin’ faggot Zorn,” Patton said, laughing and flexing. “Fuckin’ yes! Goddamn I feel like a fucking titan! You wanna see how many pushups I can do, dipshit journalist? I can do so many fucking pushups, motherfucker! WATCH THE LEAD SINGER OF FAITH NO MORE DO PUSHUPS, PRICK!” (The rest of the RS article is pretty much detailed descriptions about each of Patton’s pushups, except for one aside where Patton talks about how much he enjoyed the movie Up.)
06.10.09 – London, UK – Brixton Academy
06.12.09 – Donington Park, UK – Download Festival
06.13.09 – Interlaken, Switzerland - Greenfield Festival
06.14.09 – Milan, Italy – Rock in Idro
06.16.09 – Berlin, Germany - Kindl-Bühne Wuhlheide
06.19.09 – Nickelsdork, Austria – Nova Rock Festival
06.20.09 - Eichenring Scheeflel, Germany – Hurricane Festival
06.21.09 – Neuhausen ob Eck, Germany – Southside Festival
06.22.09 – Frankfurt, Germany – Jahrhunderthalle
06.24.09 – Helsinki, Finland - Kaisaniemi Park
06.25.09 – Arendal, Norway – Hove Festival
06.27.09 – Borlänge, Sweden – Peace and Love Festival
06.29.09 – Moscow, Russia – B1 Club
06.30.09 – St. Petersburg, Russia – Jubileeny
07.01.09 – Riga, Latvia – Dream Factory
07.03.09 – Roskilde, Denmark – Roskilde Festival
07.04.09 – Gydnia, Poland – Heineken Open'er Festival
07.05.09 – Turku, Finland – Ruisrock Festival
08.08.09 - Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal – Sudoeste Festival
08.14.09 – Burgas, Bulgaria – Spirit of Burgas
08.15.09 – Bucharest, Romania - Sala Polivalenta
08.16.09 – Budapest, Hungary – Sziget Festival
08.17.09 – Prague, Czech Republic – Tesla Arena
08.20.09 – Hasselt, Belgium – Pukkelpop Festival
08.21.09 - Biddinghuizen, Netherlands – Lowlands Festival
08.22.09 – Erfurt, Germany – Highfield Festival
08.23.09 – Oberhausen, Germany – Area 4 Festival
08.29.09 – Paris, France – Rock en Seine
09.01.09 – Tel Aviv, Israel – Fair, Trade and Convention Centre

Photo: [saba♫dija]